Welcome Back: Fall 2010 edition
There've been a few changes since we last saw you... Yes, it's been a busy summer. Want to see what's new?
Two New Vice Presidents
After a pair of extensive nationwide searches, Biola University has named two new vice 
presidents who will help to guide the 
university forward beginning this fall.
David P. Nystrom was named to Biola’s second-ranking position [Provost and Senior VP] in July, and assumed the role effective August 16. Michael A. Pierce, who accepted the position of VP for Business and Financial Affairs earlier this month, began his role on August 24. More information about these final key additions to President Corey's cabinet can be found here.
Campus Construction
Well, there's a gigantic hole in the ground next to Calvary Chapel, but other than that, it's been a quiet summer!
Talbot East Project
The new building is still on schedule to be ready for classes Fall 2011. See here for more details and even a live webcam of the site.
Installation of sewer lines for the site required tearing up the Metzger quad; sidewalks have been closed and access detoured for much of the summer. But the center and east (from the belltower to McNally) sidewalks are scheduled to be poured Monday Aug 30 and re-opened the next day (the western-most sidewalk from Calvary Chapel north toward Sutherland will remain closed indefinitely). The 'library 'porch' where the current detour is will then be closed for repairs and reopened by Friday Sept 3. The quad was fertilized (you probably smelled it) and a new sprinker system was just installed; the new sod is set to be laid Wed September 1.
Gym/Fitness Center expansion
For the second time in 10 years, much-used Chase Gym is undergoing a major expansion. This includes expanded space in the Fitness Center, additional faculty/coaches offices, an increase in the size and quality of the faculty/coaches offices, an expanded weight room, an expanded multi-purpose room with wood floor for aerobics classes, an expanded training room, and a dedicated office for aquatics.
The project was delayed several weeks due to a holdup in acquiring steel. The classroom and faculty office space is complete and open. The Fitness Center will be open Tuesday, Sept 7. The new athletic training room will be open at the end of September, at which time Parking Lot O (the faculty-staff Crowell lot) will be re-opened.
Chapel Theme for 2010-11
John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His
dwelling among us. We have seen His
glory, the glory of the One and Only,
who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
From Todd Pickett, Dean of Spiritual Development:
"In all that we do, and as we enter this new year, we want to be reminded that we never want to be far from Jesus. Among the scriptural passages that bring us back to Him, John 1 is one of the most awe-inspiring. There John tells us, Jesus, is the Word present at creation, through him all things were made. He is the light, shining in the darkness; the Lamb of God; the Teacher; the Glory of God; the "One and Only." He is God. And he became flesh, he came and dwelt among us; "he moved into the neighborhood" (as Eugene Peterson puts it). So, as we move through this next year, we want to do so "in Christ," and we hope such a Christ-centered focus is our point of return in all that we offer the community from Spiritual Development this year."
New Faculty
Kristianna Altamirano
Instructor, School of Arts and Sciences, Kinesiology, Health and Physical Education
B.S., Biola University
M.S., California State University, Fullerton
Kristianna joins the Kinesiology, Health and Physical Education Department in a one-year position, after serving the department as an adjunct faculty member since 2007. Additionally, she has served as the Human Performance Lab Coordinator since 2006 and will continue to serve as the Strength Coach for the Biola women’s basketball team. She received a B.S. and M.S. in Kinesiology, and is currently working on publishing her thesis and desires to pursue a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology in the future. Kristianna holds certifications as a strength and conditioning specialist and personal trainer. She is passionate about the field and enjoys sharing her excitement with others. It is her belief that enthusiasm is a key for students to be able grow deeper in their knowledge to make a positive impact in the diverse field of Kinesiology. In her leisure time she enjoys spending time with her husband, participating in outdoor activities and serving on the medical ministry team with her church.
Uche Anizor
Assistant Professor, Talbot School of Theology, Biblical and Theological Studies
B.S., University of Western Ontario, London, ON Canada
M.Div., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY
Ph.D. (ABD), Wheaton College
Uche joins the Biblical and Theological Studies Department with a background in New Testament and Systematic Theology. He and his wife, Melissa, and their two children will be joining the Biola community as he completes doctoral studies and having served as guest lecturer at Wheaton College . Uche has been described as biblically and theologically solid, thorough in his scholarship, and seasoned in hands-on ministry. In the future, Uche hopes to study the doctrine of God, focusing particularly on Trinitarian theology. As a teacher, he takes seriously his responsibility to help students develop the knowledge, character, and skills necessary for being effective witnesses for Christ. Uche is glad to be a part of a community that stands for serious cultural engagement, wholehearted pursuit of truth, and a passionate desire to know God and make him known.
Nancy Crawford
Assistant Professor, Rosemead School of Psychology
B.A., Ed., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
M.A., Psy.D., Wheaton College
Nancy Crawford completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University. After teaching high school for a few years in the U.S. and then for a couple of years at Rift Valley Academy in Kenya, Nancy decided to pursue graduate education in clinical psychology. She completed M.A. and Psy.D. degrees in clinical psychology at Wheaton College. After completing her pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral residency she was licensed as a psychologist. In 2001 she returned to Kenya to work as a missionary at the Tumaini Counselling Centre. She is returning to teaching (this time with graduate students) so that she can prepare others for counseling missionaries and work with mission organizations.
Christie Curtis
Assistant Professor, School of Education
B.A., University of California, Riverside
M.A.Ed., Biola University
Christie Curtis has her M.A.Ed. from Biola and her B.A. from the University of California at Riverside. She is currently working on her Ph.D. in Education at Azusa Pacific University. She has three decades of experience in teaching all levels in public and private Christian schools. She holds California credentials in multiple subject, English, and History. She also taught as an adjunct at Biola University for the past four years in both the School of Education and English Department. Christie Curtis is an avid writer and has published 16 curriculum textbooks and resources for grades 4-8. She brings excellent skills and talents to the School of Education.
Edward Davis
Assistant Professor, Rosemead School of Psychology
B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Psy.D., Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA
Ward completed double B.A. degrees in Psychology and History from the University of North Carolina. Subsequently, he earned an M.A. degree in Clinical Psychology from Regent University. This summer, Ward completed a Psy.D. degree in psychology at Regent University, and internship at Louisiana State University Mental Health Service. Ward has a strong record of research and desires to mentor students in research and clinical skills.
Dennis Eastman
Associate Professor, School of Education
B.A., M.A.Ed., Biola University
Ph.D., Claremont Graduate School, Claremont, CA
Dr. Dennis Eastman has his Ph.D. in Educational Studies from Claremont Graduate School, and both his M.A.Ed. in Curriculum and Leadership and his B.A. in Christian Education from Biola University. He comes with two decades of teaching and administrative experience in public and private high schools. As an adjunct, he taught a myriad of courses in Biola University’s School of Education and at Vanguard University, while simultaneously holding full-time and/or administrative posts at various educational institutions. While serving as principal of NOVA Academy in 2009, the U.S. News and World Report awarded a Bronze Medal to the school as one of the top 60 secondary institutions in California. He was named “Educator of the Year” by Biola University’s School of Education and the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2010. Dr. Eastman’s calling and passion for shaping the next generation of teachers is a tremendous addition to the School of Education.
Christopher Franklin
Assistant Professor, School of Arts & Sciences, Philosophy
B.A., Biola University
M.A., University of California, Riverside
Chris is very excited to be returning to Biola, where he earned a B.A. in philosophy back in 2004. He is currently finishing his Ph.D. at UC Riverside, where he also received his M.A. in Philosophy. In his dissertation he develops and defends a novel account of free will and moral responsibility, which he calls Strawsonian libertarianism. His primary areas of philosophical interest lie in ethics and philosophy of mind, and in addition to free will and moral responsibility he is interested in the emotions, the self, the foundations of morality, and early modern figures such as Descartes and Reid. When not wondering about such philosophical issues, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, surfing, and frequenting tasty eateries.
Artemiza Hernandez
Assistant Professor, School of Arts and Sciences, Modern Languages
B.A., M.A., California State University Fresno
Ph.D., University of Arizona
Artemiza has been teaching intensively in a college atmosphere for over nine years. Her field of concentration is Contemporary Latin American literature. One of her passions is teaching Spanish. She believes that through the integration of faith and education, students in a Christian university are encouraged to explore their role as Christians in a learning environment. She and her husband served for two years in their local church as Co-directors of Children Ministries, as Directors of the Latino Couple Ministry in which they are still involved, and as part of a team of Pastoral Care Overseers (PCO) which provides spiritual care for church members with an emphasis on new attendees and small group bible studies. They are also involved in a ministry called “Wings of Friendship” that solely reaches the indigenous tribes in Mexico.
Tracey Hoover
Assistant Professor, School of Arts and Sciences, Sociology
B.A., California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
M.A., University of California, Riverside
Ph.D. (ABD), University of California, Riverside
Tracey specializes in gender and family. Her dissertation project explored the occupational roles of women in Hollywood films of the 1940's and 1950's, especially in regard to representations of motherhood. Her scholarly interests are in the ways women are called to serve the Lord at home and in the secular world. Tracey has been teaching at several local universities on a part-time basis since receiving her master’s degree in 2005 and is looking forward to dedicating herself full-time to the Biola community.
Janelle Klapauszak
Assistant Professor, Torrey Honors Institute
B.A., Biola University
M.A., Baylor University, Waco, TX
Janelle Klapauszak received her M.A. from Baylor University where she is currently working towards her Ph.D. in philosophy, focusing on epistemology and ethics, particularly in Pascal. She did her undergraduate degree at Biola University majoring in Philosophy. She will be joining the Torrey Honors Institute for a one-year appointment teaching a range of classes in the humanities. Janelle originally hails from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, but has made a home in many places over the years, including La Mirada. She is thrilled to be re-joining the Biola community that was a place of great joy and spiritual growth for her as an undergraduate student. Her heart is to minister to Christian students during the transitional undergraduate years when they are wrestling with making their faith their own, and to use the great thinkers of the past to help them be critical and reflective about what a good life entails.
Gary Manning
Associate Professor, Talbot School of Theology, New Testament Language and Literature
B.Ed., University of Hawaii Manoa, Honolulu
M.Div., Talbot School of Theology
Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena
Gary Manning joins the New Testament Department from the Pacific Rim College in Honolulu, Hawaii, bringing with him experience in teaching and writing. He and his wife, Barbara, have eight children: Josiah, Nathaniel, Daniel, Ian, Caleb, Andrew, Harley, and Anna. Gary has been commended for his “love for and knowledge of Bible and theology,” as well as his “love for teaching.” He hopes to continue his research on the use of the Old Testament in the Gospel of John and the Synoptic Gospels, as well as pursuing research that will allow him to engage in the debate over the historicity of John. As a teacher, Gary desires to continue to grow in the knowledge of his subject and love of his students. Gary believes that the mission of a seminary is to shape the theology, hermeneutical skills, and character of men and women preparing for ministry. Gary will primarily be teaching at the new Orange County extension.
Mark McReynolds
Assistant Professor, School of Arts and Sciences, Environmental Science Dept
B.S., Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
M.Div., Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Fresno
Ph.D. (ABD), Antioch University New England, Keene, NH
Working with the Biology Department, Mark McReynolds will be filling the new Environmental Science position in the new Environmental Science Department. He comes to us from William Jessup University where he ran the Pacific Forest Institute. Mark has extensive work experience in environmental education, cross-cultural ministry (Belize and Dominican Republic) and Christian camping. With a B.S. in Recreation Resource Management (Natural Science emphasis), Mark attended seminary interested in creation care issues and teaching, and has been involved in the intersection of Christianity and the environment for many years. Karen, his wife of 30 years, shares with him a passion for God, creation and teaching, and this interest eventually provoked work on an Environmental Studies Ph.D. at Antioch University New England. His dissertation defense is scheduled for the fall and deals with food seasonality and migration of endangered Scarlet Macaws in Belize. Mark is a bridge between the Church and science/environment communities and intends to infect others with knowledge, joy and hope, stirring people to greater care for the rest of creation for the glory of God the Creator.
Haein Park
Assistant Professor, School of Arts and Sciences, English Dept
B.A., Occidental College, Los Angeles
M.A., Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
Haein Park received her B.A. in English from Occidental College, and her Ph.D. in Literature from UC San Diego. After completing a dissertation fellowship at the University of Notre Dame, she was an assistant professor at Valparaiso University in Indiana. At Valparaiso, she taught courses in both the English department and Christ College Honors Program, specializing in religion and American literature. Haein approaches literature from an interdisciplinary angle and especially enjoys team-teaching with faculty from other departments. She participated in a visiting scholars program at the University of Washington and remained in Seattle to teach at Seattle Pacific University. Having grown up in the Los Angeles area, she is delighted to be back home to teach at Biola.
Scott Waller
Assistant Professor, History, Government, and Social Sciences Dept (Political Science)
B.S., Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
M.A., Talbot School of Theology
M.A., Ph.D., Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA
Scott will be filling a three-quarters position in the Political Science Department after many years of teaching adjunct in this department as well as the Philosophy Department. His areas of emphasis are in American Government and Political Philosophy with research interests in religion's role within the public order. His dissertation was an analysis of the political thought of one of the twentieth century's leading thinkers (Richard John Neuhaus) on the proper relationship between the church and the state. Scott comes to us after serving for over 20 years in vocational ministry with Campus Crusade for Christ in which he has ministered on scores of campuses across the United States. His vision is to be a part of equipping a new generation of believers who can be articulate advocates for Christ within the public square. He and his wife, Cathy, have two children, Jacob (15), and Renee (12), and reside in Foothill Ranch.
Maria Su Wang
Assistant Professor, School of Arts and Sciences, English Dept
B.A., University of California, Los Angeles
M.A., Ph.D., Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Maria Su Wang will be joining the English Department, where she will teach courses in nineteenth and twentieth century British literature and world literature. She earned her B.A. at UCLA, majoring in English and minoring in French. Maria received her M.A. and Ph.D. from Stanford University, where she completed a dissertation that compares narrative techniques in Victorian novels with concepts from continental sociologists. She looks forward to developing her research and teaching interests in interdisciplinary approaches to literature in her courses. Maria loves studying and teaching the novel and is excited about sharing some of her favorite authors with students. She enjoys traveling, spending time with friends, and taking walks with her family. She and her husband Byron have a seventeen-month-old son named Ethan.
Previously published material from Jenna Bartlo, Biola University Media Relations Coordinator, and from Jackie Beatyy, Provost's Office, was used extensively in preparation of this story.
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