Dr. Lisa Bursch

Dr. Lisa Bursch, professor of nursing, and the College of Nursing received a $2.32 million grant from the Department of Health Care Access and Information for a psychiatric education capacity expansion program. The grant will help increase the number of slots in the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner programs, recruit culturally and linguistically diverse students, and increase the number of preceptors in underserved areas, focusing on services to children and young adults.

Dr. Jong-Wha Bai

Dr. Jong-Wha Bai, professor of civil engineering: Risk Assessment of Damaged Structural Systems under Aftershocks Using a Hierarchical Bayesian Model. The co-authored paper was published in the proceedings of the 18th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, held June 30 to July 5 in Milan, Italy.

Dr. Brent Moore

Dr. Brent Moore, adjunct professor of psychology: Humility and the Task of Integration. Journal of Psychology and Christianity (2024, 43-1).

Dr. Veola Vazquez, professor of psychology, Dr. Joshua Knabb, professor of psychology, PsyD clinical psychology students Arielle Lima, Aman Manhas, Daily Soto Santana, Savannah Senger and Kelly Sweet: Lectio Divina for Race-Based Traumatic Stress Among Black Christians. Journal of Psychology and Christianity (June 2024).

Dr. Shawn Wilhite

Dr. Shawn Wilhite, associate professor of New Testament: Ancient Wisdom for Care of Souls: Learning the Art of Pastoral Ministry from the Church Fathers. Crossway (July 30, 2024).

Dr. Cammy Purper, professor of education, and Dr. Christina Denis, instructor of early childhood studies: Expanding the Circle: Including Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregivers in Your Early Childhood Program. Exchange Magazine (Fall 2024 Issue 275).

Dr. Shawn Wilhite

Dr. Shawn Wilhite, associate professor of New Testament: Reviving a Classical Vision of Pastoral Ministry. Crossway (July 28). Dear Pastor, Slowing Down Might Just Save Your Ministry. Crossway (Aug. 3).

Randal Murphey

Randal Murphey, assistant director of multimedia services: Fables of Laknohl: The King and the Shadow Lord. A young adult fantasy novel (Aug. 18, 2024).

Dr. Erin Smith

Dr. Erin Smith, professor of psychology: Moral emotions’ role in Christians’ perceptions of science. Annual Conference for the International Research Network for the Study of Science & Belief in Society in Oberursel, Germany, on July 1-4.

Dr. Michael Osadchuk

Dr. Michael Osadchuk, director of the university tutoring center: Forming the Head, Hands, and Hearts of Students: A Pedagogical Model for Spiritual Formation in Christian Higher Education. Annual Faith Integration in the Academy Conference (virtual) on Aug. 2.

Dr. Melissa Croteau

Dr. Melissa Croteau, professor of film studies, moderated a panel on The Politic of Reception and provided logistical support at the 2024 International Conference on Religion & Film held at the Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena on June 26-28. She also presented the paper “Do you not know I am a woman?”: Playing with Queer and Trans Lenses in Fantasy of the Girls (2018) and As We Like It (2021) at the 39th International Shakespeare Conference — an invitation-only event hosting two hundred top Shakespeare scholars from around the globe — held in Stratford-on-Avon, United Kingdom on July 23-26.

Dr. Veola Vazquez

Dr. Veola Vazquez, professor of psychology, PsyD clinical psychology students Gerardo Brana, David Machado, Riley Nooner and Savanah Strickland: poster Black Christians and Discrimination-Related Stress: The Role of Church Support and a Christian Worldview. American Psychological Association Annual Convention (August 2024).

Dr. Ronald L. Ellis and Bethany Anich

Bethany Anich, career counselor for the Career Center, was named employee of the month for August. Her nomination included the following statements: “Bethany encapsulates the word ‘ownership.’ Her ability to build trust with her direct support, colleagues, and student workers is admirable. … Her impressive attention to detail and ability to produce high-quality work sets her apart. Beyond her technical proficiency, Bethany exemplifies servant leadership, excels in collaboration, and willingly goes above and beyond to support her colleagues.”

Dr. Brent Moore

Dr. Brent Moore, adjunct faculty of counseling psychology, was named Visiting Scholar at the University of London, Summer of 2024, Centre for Online and Distance Education. He was named the Dr. Linda Seligman Counselor Educator of the Year by the American Mental Health Counseling Association in June. He also received the Jonathan Bacon Outstanding Leadership Award, Colleague 2 Colleague, from the Summer Institute on Distance Learning and Instructional Technology in July.

Dr. Erin Smith

Dr. Erin Smith, professor of psychology, was elected as a fellow to the American Scientific Affiliation. Being elected as a fellow is an honorary role that recognizes the leadership of the fellow within the ASA and across the faith-science community.

CBU mobile health clinic

California Baptist University received its mobile health clinic primary care license on July 31. The license designation allows the mobile health clinic to be fully operational and go into communities to provide access to healthcare. 

Dr. John Marselus

Dr. John Marselus, professor of aviation science, completed his Federal Aviation Administration Airline Transport Pilot certificate along with B-737 type rating. This training will allow him to further the Aviation Flight BS curriculum as students prepare to fly in commercial airlines.

CECM summer camp

CBU’s Civil Engineering and Construction Management (CECM) Department hosted the 2024 CECM Summer Camp on July 16-18. The camp, designed for fifth- through eighth-graders to promote STEM, had 26 students led by five CECM faculty members. The topics included fluids lab, building information modeling, surveying and shake table testing.

Neal Frank, Taylor Neece, Jenelle Vine and Joseph Moorman

California Baptist University teams took home the top two spots in the pickleball tournament at the Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) Conference held in Dallas on July 24. This event featured competitors from 16 universities. Taylor Neece, assistant vice president for Admissions, and Neal Frank, assistant director of freshman recruiting, secured first place, and Jenelle Vine, director of undergraduate online admissions, and Joseph Moorman, senior undergraduate admissions counselor, placed second.

Magazine spotlights student projects

Academic work by CBU students in the architecture program was showcased in the Annual Dezeen School Shows. Ten designs were featured in the online architecture and design magazine (July 24).

Dr. Nathanael Heyman

Dr. Nathanael Heyman, professor of biological sciences, completed the Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs 100-mile ultramarathon in 28 hours and 23 minutes, finishing second in his age group, on July 20-21. The course covers 102.7 miles of trail running in the mountains above Lake Tahoe with nearly 18,000 feet of elevation gain.

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