Jeff Tennis, Director of Academic Advising

The philosophy of the Academic Advising Office at CBU is “Advising is Teaching”. Thus, it is our desire to assist all students at CBU to learn their degree requirements and take ownership of their own personal degree plan.

Creating a degree plan is helpful in gaining a better understanding of your graduation requirements. It will allow you to approach each registration season with a specific list of courses you will need to take. Follow the steps below to compile your degree planning resources and get started on a degree plan of your own!

I would like to partner with you in creating a degree plan that you can reference throughout your career at CBU. The best way to do this will be to create a shared document where we both can reference for future semesters. I will send this to you. Please look over the following steps for how we will create a degree plan together.

Step 1: Watch the instructional videos on how to understand your Major Planning Guide and Degree Guide. This information is vital to understand before creating a degree plan.

1. Major Planning Guide
2. Degree Guide

Step 2: Once you have watched the Major Planning Guide and Degree Guide videos, complete the Degree Planning Worksheet Request Form.

Step 3: Receive Degree Planning Worksheet from your Student Success Coach. Expect this within 1 business day.

Step 4: Plan out remaining semesters on shared Degree Planning Worksheet (Re-watch and reference videos if necessary).

Step 5: Follow up with your Student Success Coach to discuss and confirm accuracy of plan (email, in-person or virtual meeting).

Jeff Tennis is the Director of Academic Advising at California Baptist University. In the summer, Jeff and his family love going to the beach, and in the winter they are avid snow skiers (when they can afford it). He and his wife also love barbecuing and cooking for friends.

Hometown: Pasadena, California
Favorite Food: Smoked brisket
Hidden Talent: Smoking brisket
Favorite Sports Team: Seahawks (my wife made me)
Favorite CBU Tradition: Prayer at the Kugel when sending ISP Teams
Favorite Book: Bible, followed anything written by David McCullough
Last Passport Stamp: None, before COVID I went to Canada and was waved through
Favorite Place to Eat Lunch in Riverside: Heroes. A high school buddy owns it. Great food!

Education:

Master of Science in Education, University of Southern California

Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, California State University, Long Beach

Favorite Scripture:

"For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous."- Romans 5:19