Newest Lancers arrive for Welcome Weekend

Riverside, Calif. (Sept. 2, 2024) – The campus at California Baptist University buzzed with excitement and anticipation as new students arrived for Welcome Weekend, Aug. 30-Sept. 1. More than 2,150 new freshmen and transfer students are registered to start classes this fall at CBU.

The weekend started with freshmen and transfer students moving in on Aug. 30. As students showed up at their living areas with vehicles full of luggage, student volunteers helped unload vehicles, filled rolling bins with living necessities and pushed them to the student’s rooms.

Keith Korir, a computer science freshman, moved into The Village.

“I got my first choice of where I wanted to live and I can’t wait to see more of the campus and hang out with people,” Korir said in anticipation of Welcome Weekend.  

Lauren Payne, a pre-nursing freshman, was also eager to move in.  

“I wanted to come to CBU to have that church center and not drift away from my faith,” Payne said. “I felt like this was the best place to have people with the same morals and values as me. I can’t wait to meet new people and learn stuff I am really excited about.”  

The day also included sessions for first-generation students, an academic open house and a Welcome Session.

During the Welcome Session, new students and their parents were introduced to leaders on campus, including Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, CBU president; Dr. John Montgomery, associate vice president for Student Services; and Dr. Micah Parker, vice president for Athletics. The audience members learned about CBU’s values and had the opportunity to have some fun, too, by learning the CBU fight song.

“I encourage you students coming in, to drink deep of all the offerings that are here because you're trying to discover yourself,” Ellis said. “Remember that God has a purpose for your life … Each one of us needs to seek God's will, find God’s will and spend the rest of our life doing God's will.”

Other events throughout the weekend included connecting with First-Year Experience groups, which are designed to help the transitional needs of new students; attending a movie night to watch “How to Train Your Dragon”; hearing about their purpose from Spiritual Life; and watching the men’s soccer game against CSU Bakersfield. The students cheered the team on to a 4-1 win in front of a record crowd of more than 1,600.

“Our goal for Welcome Weekend is for students to begin making connections and building community amongst friends and faculty, feeling at home on campus, and ultimately beginning or deepening a relationship with Christ,” said Gavin Andrew, director of new student programs. “Ideally, we want students to meet new friends who can become lifelong friends.”

A friend of Anna Jenkins, a criminal justice freshman, introduced her to CBU and inspired her to attend.

“After I visited the campus, I loved it, and I saw this super great community around here,” Jenkins said. “I really wanted to be at a Christian school and CBU’s values are what inspired me.”  

The weekend wrapped up with the return of Clash-N-Roll. Both new and returning students attended the event dressed in their craziest clashing outfits to play a massive game of Bunco on the Front Lawn. Close to 1,600 students attended the event.

Classes begin for the fall 2024 semester on Sept. 3.