I’ve been reading a lot lately about people who follow their passion, who do what they love, no matter the risk. An artist who works out of his garage, a young woman who opened a boutique with no prior business experience, an entrepreneurial chef who transformed a run-down auto garage into a world-class inn and […]
Author: Rebekah Wahlberg
Editor-in-chief
‘Kushi’ means joy
“Kushi” was not Janice Sandra Jones’ real name. But in some ways, it was truer to her personality than the name on her passport. Kushi was a nickname given to her by an Indian friend. It means “happiness” in Hindi, but is often used in the Indian Christian community to mean “joy.” Kushi, who died […]
CBU provost steps down
Dr. Jonathan Parker, provost and vice president for academic affairs at California Baptist University, is stepping down from his administrative position this summer. Parker is also a professor of education and history at CBU. He said he is stepping down from his administrative role to teach full time. Parker, who has taught a history of […]
App invites anonymous whining
“When you get an email notification about spring class registration and you’re just like, am I even gonna make it through this semester?” That’s one nugget of insight on the Yik Yak feed for California Baptist University. It’s toward the top of the “Hot” tab as I write this, with 32 likes. It must be […]
Net neutrality not as simple as it seems
If there’s one thing the Internet loves, it’s hoopla. Make that hoopla about the Internet itself, and it feels like the net might explode. Our social issue of this issue is net neutrality. Right now, access to the Internet follows public standards that are the same for just about everyone. The Federal Communications Commission, a government […]
Ice bucket challenge means more than a laugh
The bandwagon has its uses. Drawing attention to an unknown, underfunded cause, for example, is one of those uses. Our latest social awareness bandwagon subjected to both criticism and praise is the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The premise of the challenge is to post a video of you drenching yourself with a bucket of ice […]
Social justice trend fails to inspire widespread action
I hate to be callous toward the atrocity of modern slave trade, but it takes more than awareness to effect real change. It takes more than a red X on my hand to free these men, women and children from their bondage. The End It Movement is a great marketing campaign. But after that, after […]
Intensive training weekend prepares students to serve
Reports of flights departing and landing and airport security protocol hummed in the background of an atmosphere thick with anticipation. Students gathered in lines at the mock-airport terminal on their way into Ispland, a country made up just for this training weekend. The Office of Mobilization commandeered parts of the California Baptist University campus Jan. […]
Gender roles set unhealthy standard
When I was a little girl, my sister and I did “boy” things: We had sword fights and beat each other up and set up matchbox car races and played video games. No one seemed to mind that I refused to wear bows on my socks or in my hair, or that my sister thought […]
Hashtag objectifies third-world issues
Sometimes when I’m in the Banner newsroom, my laptop charger doesn’t quite reach the wall, so I have to move to reach the plug. It makes my life hard, because I’m lazy. It’s very much a first-world problem. We’re all familiar with the trend. “They got my order wrong at Starbucks again. #firstworldproblems” “I still […]