After nearly two years of construction, students at Biola University are now able to step inside the new Snyder School of Cinema & Arts building. The 2026 Fall semester opened a $75.2 million facility, offering new production spaces and technology to students studying television, film, game design, and more. The building is three stories high with 45,463 square feet and sits between the Lim Center for Science, Technology and Health and the Crowell School of Business. 

For Cinema & Media Arts (CMA) students, this marks the end of watching the building take shape and the beginning of being able to create inside it. 

Sophomore Xander Shevchenko, a CMA major with a cinematography emphasis, said that the building was part of the reason he came to Biola. 

“I’m ecstatic. This is like the whole reason I came to the school … the promise of this building being built. And now, seeing it in person, it blows my mind, and it’s definitely been worth the year wait.”

New Opportunities For Students

The new facility streamlines the means necessary for students to produce cinema as well as media into one building. This includes a 3,000-square-foot sound stage, collaborative editing rooms, private editing and color grading suites, a game design lab, and motion capture technology dedicated specifically to sound production.

While Shevchenko may not have a specific project in mind planned for the new building, he nonetheless looks forward to having more opportunities to create. 

“At the moment there’s nothing that I’m looking forward to in the future but just creating in general. I’m just excited to use all these new facilities that we get,” said Shevchenko. “They have a foley studio, so they have these boards that pop out of the ground, and there’s different textures and materials that you can play with for sound design, so I’m excited to try that out.”

Another huge addition is the 285-seat Dyer Theatre, used for classes, screenings, and other events. This building far exceeds the uses of Biola’s prior Production Center (PC). However, rather than replacing the PC, the original facility will continue to host production space alongside the new building. The additional space gives students more room to experiment with new areas of production and create projects that were not possible with the resources previously available. 

Groundbreaking To Opening

The CMA building comes almost two years after Biola broke ground in 2024, funded by donors and Biola, including a major gift from In-N-Out CEO and owner Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson and her husband Sean Ellingson. At the groundbreaking ceremony, Snyder spoke on why supporting students in media matters to her. 

“I am so thankful for the people that have the gift to create just these moving videos and things that people can watch and have their lives completely changed, because one person’s life changed means other people’s lives change when you walk with Jesus,” said Snyder. [21:44]

At the time of the groundbreaking ceremony, construction was expected to take 20 months with the building completed in May 2026. Along with the new facility being funded by donors, Biola itself contributed heavily. Vice President for University Advancement David Vasquez announced that Biola raised $55.9 million towards the project.

After two years of fundraising, construction, and eager anticipation, students can begin using it for the Fall 2026 semester. For CMA students like Shevchenko, this new building provides resources they have been waiting to use. For the rest of Biola, the facility also brings a new space to campus where students can experience film and media through screenings, events, and other opportunities. 

The new CMA building is no longer about suspense for what’s to come but about excitement for what will be created in it.

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Biola’s athletics department announced a rebrand to the Biola name on Aug. 7 for the upcoming school year. This change is not limited to athletic apparel but is visible throughout campus on banners, in the campus store and across social media profiles. Significant changes have been made to the old logo, most notably the baby blue added to the color grid. Other changes include the cursive font, the eagle’s new look, and the new core values this rebrand holds. 

Something New, Something Blue

Change is inevitable and can invoke both positive and negative emotions. The input from the student-athletes and athletic staff represents this sentiment.

Sophomore pole vaulter Malachi Christensen said that the new color scheme and fonts improved the overall aesthetic of Biola’s brand.

“When I heard about the baby blue, I got really excited because one, it’s just a great color and it flows with the red really good, and [two,] I’m really excited about the Biola lettering,” Christensen said. 

While Christensen found the colors and text of the rebrand to be an improvement, he also did have some critiques about the feel of the newly rebranded eagle.

“One thing I’m not the largest fan of is the simplicity of the eagle,” Christensen said. “I still think overall … they did a really good job of the full rebrand.”

New Phrasing, Foundational Values

When the idea of a rebrand surfaced as a possibility, the athletic staff did not initiate the overhaul. The whole rebrand was brought to life by the university’s senior leadership group. As time started to pass and the rebrand became more of a reality for Biola, they brought the athletic staff on to help out with the details. This led to the new core values, making the rebrand more than just a logo to the Biola community.

The new core values, “Faith, Formation and Fierce,” introduced with the rebrand are not only for aesthetics but vicariously lived out through the student-athletes. While these values are not new to Biola, the rebrand allows the university an opportunity to emphasize these values in the athletics department. According to Associate Athletic Director Neil Morgan, they are foundational to the Biola student-athlete experience.

“When we think of our student-athletes reflecting back on their time at Biola, we want them to be able to realize that all three of those components were areas where they grew, or that were just formational throughout their experience,” Morgan said. “We landed on those because we reflected back on what are things we can confidently say, to this point, are true about our athlete’s experiences.”

These values also demonstrate themselves in the experiences of student-athletes. Junior track and field hurdler Eboselulu Omofoma said she implements these core values into her own competitive mindsets. 

“I like how it starts with faith, and then it goes to formation and fierce. You have to be more than motivated,” Omofoma said. “You actually have to have some sort of fierceness in you. In that, you’re transformed by the sport that you play and by the faith that you have, which is the only reason you’re playing.”

A Uniquely Biola Identity

The last rebrand for Biola Athletics was back in 2012 with a decade’s worth of students accustomed to the big, blocky “BU” logo. The new rebrand allows Biola’s athletic brand to stand out from the appearance of other universities. Head Baseball Coach Jesse Rodgers appreciates the uniqueness that the rebrand brings.

“I think the BU [old logo] wasn’t really differentiating,” said Rodgers. “We got mistaken for Boston University, [we had a] similar logo to Baylor, and so now, the Biola script is definitively Biola, and that’s exactly who we are.”

A new rebrand brings a unique opportunity, as Biola adopted the rebrand as a university-wide logo, not just limited to the athletics department. The new blue colors are visible on the banners that hang across the campus paths, while the gym and baseball field both display the new logo. Even the Biola instagram account has adopted the new cursive script for its profile picture. The result of this widespread usage of the rebranded design is an identity that is unified and uniquely Biola. Assistant Sports Information Director Aaron Rollins said the rebrand embodies the Biola community well.

“I think [the rebrand] reflects the joyful spirit that we carry with us as a staff [and] as student athletes,” said Rollins. “I think the new script —that new logo — reflects that joy, right? Instead of it being, you know, blocky letters, it’s now this nice flowy cursive script that allows you to see the joy that we have here, and that we want to reflect.”

As Biola Athletics prepares to go into the 2026-2027 season, athletes, coaches and the student body alike will represent more than a new baby blue design but values and an image that sets the Biola culture apart.

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When my talented crew and I finished filming the final scene of “First Impression,” a short film I directed for Production Management, I spoke with Charis Herrington, the Assistant Director, and Audrey Mattox, the Director of Photography. After such a positive experience on a set with all female department heads, we desired to create an opportunity for more women to showcase their creativity and meet fellow female filmmakers. We came up with an idea: why not organize a screening? 

“Me, Audrey and Evyn first thought of this event when we realized we wanted to showcase our films because of how much effort went into them, along with the fact that we hadn’t seen a female spotlight event happen on campus yet,” Herrington said. 

“I think that we all are in this program to constantly make things that a lot of us are really proud of, and they’re aren’t many events where we’re able to showcase it outside of class screenings,” Mattox said. 

The Female Director Spotlight was held on April 30, 2026. With over 50 attendees, it was the first screening event curated specifically to highlight the work of women in the Snyder School of Cinema and Media Arts. The program consisted of four trailers for upcoming films and ten short films of various genres, all of which were directed by women. 

Herrington’s directorial debut “Love, Dad” is a coming-of-age story that explores a touching relationship between a father and daughter. “In Bloom,” Mattox’s charming comedy short, follows the story of an anniversary almost-gone-wrong. These were showcased alongside the premiere of “First Impression,” a romantic comedy about overcoming perfectionism in art and love. 

Alexa Lee is the director of “Fingerprints,” a deeply personal short film about artistic expression and the loss of a parent. She spoke on her experience having the opportunity to showcase her work at the event. 

“Honestly, my heart was pounding out of my chest while it played on a big screen in front of so many people. I was surprised how many people showed up and supported,” Lee said. “Knowing that my film was being shown to so many of my peers who wouldn’t have seen my work otherwise was amazing, and seeing it up there made me get very emotional. I felt seen.” 

Some of the other films screened were award-winning “Altar” directed by Julianna Huffman, “Brevity” directed by Kaylin Menezes and Charis Riley and “Intellectual Ecstasy” directed by Evelynn Moorman. 

“Sometimes I just need to hear that my work impacts people,” Moorman said. “I tend to doubt myself and be critical of my own work, but showcasing it helps me to see its value through the eyes of others and encourages me to keep going.”

“Even though the films weren’t all overtly Christian, they all felt so vulnerable and personal that I could tell there were Christian filmmakers at the center,” CMA student Ty Felberg said. 

The event ended with an opportunity for filmmakers and audience members to mingle, enjoy refreshments and discuss the films that were screened. One of our main goals was for female filmmakers to connect with each other not only to build a network, but to develop a genuine and supportive community.

“It was amazing, honestly a highlight of my year being able to get together with so many wonderful and talented women. I felt like I hadn’t had a lot of opportunities to gather with so many of those girls, especially because a lot of sets are male dominated – at least the ones I’ve been on,” Lee said. 

“My favorite part of planning and hosting this event was getting to know female directors and filmmakers that I didn’t know before and wouldn’t have if they hadn’t attended or submitted their films,” Mattox said. 

Audrey, Charis and I plan to make the Female Director Spotlight an annual event, in hopes that women in the Cinema and Media Arts program are regularly given opportunities to showcase their work, foster new connections, and inspire each other in their creative endeavors and professional journeys. 

“Hearing that it may be an annual thing brings me so much joy and excitement for the years to come,” Lee said. “[It] motivates me to keep directing, even though my concentration is cinematography.”

“I think Biola should have more events like this because it does create a community, and it even brings in the non-film community. Some people were here just to support women,” English major Justice Johnson said. “It brings groups together that don’t usually interact.”

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When asked to describe their daughter, Amber Delgado, her family said: “She was the kind of person you noticed the moment she walked into a room. Her eyes and her radiant smile had this way of lighting everything up. Her energy was endless.”

During this time of profound grief, Delgado’s family reflected on the joy and light that their daughter embodied. Her strength, empathy and motivation for helping others was deeply rooted in her soul. 

“She was so full of life and carried her kindness and unconditional love wherever she went,” her family said. “She cared deeply for others, always sharing a word of encouragement or just listening. She had a way of making people feel seen, important, and truly cherished. She lived with purpose, always moving forward, always lifting others along the way. But what truly made her unforgettable was her heart.  Her kindness, love and compassion was who she was every single day.”

On Feb. 24, Biola’s Office of the President sorrowfully announced that commuter student and pre-nursing major, Amber Delgado, alongside her brother, Brian Delgado, had tragically passed away in a car accident in Long Beach. The loss of both of them has unimaginably impacted their family; however, despite the difficulty of this time, they were able to share some of their favorite memories of Amber, and how they hope she will be remembered. 

MEMORIES OF AMBER

Amidst their loss, the Delgado family has held dearly to the precious memories of their daughter. Her vibrant energy was not limited to Biola’s campus; rather, her family constantly felt Delgado’s spirited personality poured into everything she did.

“Some of our favorite memories of Amber were laughing together while playing Lotería, dominoes, or the Reindeer Antler Ring Toss game during Christmas,” they said. “This past Christmas, she had so much fun learning how to make tamales, embracing the love, tradition, and togetherness of family which is something she truly cherished. She loved family gatherings. Holidays, birthdays, and especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, were times she looked forward to with so much excitement and joy.”

AMBER’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD

As a member of Biola’s community, Delgado had a strong and loving relationship with the Lord, which was deeply ingrained in her goals to become a nurse.

Her family recalled that Delgado “wrote her prayer requests in her journal and brought them before the Lord, trusting Him with what was in her heart. She lived in a way that reflected Mark 12:30-31: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength… and love your neighbor as yourself.’ That’s exactly how she lived – with love for God and a deep, genuine love for others.”

Her mom also added, “She was always ready to share the Gospel with her dad, her brother Brian, and anyone she felt led to reach. She wanted the message of hope, love and promise that she truly believed could change lives.”

AMBER’S INFLUENCE ON HER COMMUNITY

Delgado’s impact on others, both at home and in school, seemed to know no bounds. Her personality was rooted in making those around her feel loved and seen, and this was deeply felt by her friends and family.

“She had a way of lifting others up, making them feel important and reminding them that they mattered,” her family reflected. 

They also shared a message they had received from one of Amber’s friends at Biola. It reads, “Thank you to your family, including her mom, for always being there…Amber would allow me to come over to your home when I was alone here at college, and she would come and stay with me sometimes at the dorms, which led to our close relationship and always let me know if I needed a place to stay, you guys would welcome me with open arms. She was the blessing that God put in my life here at college, because she always made college feel like I was back at home. I considered her more of a sister or family than an actual friend.”

REMEMBERING AMBER 

Delgado’s impact has had an eternal effect on her friends, family and community at Biola. As we take this time to remember who Amber was no matter how distant we might’ve been to her, let us cherish the life God breathed into her and the character he gifted her with. Her love for others was profound, and can be evidently seen not only in her chosen career path but through her relationship with the Lord, her friends and her family. Amber wasn’t just a person on our campus or a name on a class roster – she was a meaningful image-bearer who embodied the love of Jesus. 

This time we dedicate in remembrance of her isn’t only a vigil, but an opportunity to be grateful that because of the work of our Lord and Savior, death is not the end.

Amber and Brian are survived by their parents, Carolina Turcios and Jorge Delgado. They are also survived by grandparents Blanca Flores and Gloria Delgado, aunts Dania Andazola, Jacqueline Turcios, Blanca Ramos, Jocelyn and Jessica Delgado, uncles Angel Andazola, Lorenzo Medina, Peter, Angel and Marcos Delgado. Additionally by their cousins, Ashley and Janeska Delgado, Angel Andazola (current staff at Biola Campus Safety and a Biola alum), Alexander Andazola (freshman at Biola), Daniel Andazola (Biola alum) and Karina Medina, Julie and Melissa Bonilla.

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If somehow you missed it, Biola Theatre brought to the Lot F stage “Godspell,” the musical. If you tried to walk down “caf hill” the nights of April 22 through 25, you couldn’t miss the guy in clown makeup reciting biblical parables. That was “Godspell.” If you were able to watch it but still need a bit of clarity regarding the creative choices and overall plot of the show, hopefully this will help. 

WHAT IS GODSPELL?

Godspell is a musical written by Stephen Schwartz that was actually not intended to be a particularly Christian musical at all, but rather,  was developed in a graduate school theatre class. Based solely on the gospel of Matthew, it follows the lives of the disciples and highlights the community aspect Jesus fostered on earth rather than any claim to his divinity. Unfortunately because of adaptations by various religious or non-religious groups, the musical has become a topic of controversy instead of existing as art.

“It doesn’t take a position one way or the other on whether or not Jesus is divine, but simply deals with his teachings of tolerance and the need for community… But frankly, I’m so disgusted with what’s happened to ‘religion’ in this country, I’m becoming sorry I wrote the show at all,” Schwartz shared on his website. 

THE DIRECTOR 

Distinctly within the script, Jesus, after being crucified, does not resurrect. What does this mean for a place like Biola to perform it, knowing that we affirm the divinity and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Olivia Carter, the director of the Biola “Godspell” production, shared her insights and passions for the show.  

“It is an incredible opportunity to say ‘this is our story.’ How do we tell these things and take these sacramental moments and then do something theatrical with this instead of theologically questionable?” Carter shared. 

True to the original performance of “Godspell” on stage, the clown motif is one that Carter decided to keep. 

“We’re trying to get under the intellect, we’re trying to see what it’s like to behave like a child with all these child impulses…What you are all exploring at Biola theologically this year is the idea of having childlike faith. So you think of a little kid, and you think ‘yeah, they’re silly’ and childlike faith is ‘simply believe it!’ but watching my two-year-old play it’s so serious. If you’re ‘Ariel,’ you’re ‘Ariel;’ that is your reality now,” Carter explained. 

For any unsettling feelings that people may have approached the production with or left with, Carter emphasized her reverence for the holy truth of God. 

“I’m a believer, and these are really holy things with the possibility for someone to take them incredibly wrong. I don’t take that lightly. So with a lot of fear and trepidation and prayer [I approached this],” Carter admitted. 

As the Biola actors approached this tension, a beautiful story unfolded. 

THE ACTORS 

Andrew Ambrose, who played Jesus in this production, found time for reflection in production. 

“It has been a very humbling experience. There are a lot of interactions that Jesus has with the disciples that are hard to achieve… it’s hard to play Jesus,” Ambrose admits. 

Luke Bona, who performed as one of the disciples, discovered emotional truths about the biblical characters in Matthew. 

“If you think about it, kids are portraying their authentic selves all the time…coming to God pure, authentically, no strings attached, and just listening, experiencing, and being. Jesus says ‘Let the little children come to me,’ they don’t know any better, they’re acting with true, genuine emotion. This show nails down the gospel of Matthew to happiness, sadness and anger. It’s really beautiful,” Bona explained. 

Dennan Dick, who was a part of the ensemble, felt that the show reminded him of the gentleness of God.

“[A relationship with God] feels more soft and gentle, and that’s been invigorating for me.”

Allie Silva, who played a disciple, felt surprised by the production process.  

“It had us in an interesting place, doing a show that’s not written by Christians, but we are, and it’s for a Christian audience… the way we handled it was with humility and highlighting childlike faith… we got to explore this show and art in a way that’s glorifying God but not in the ways you typically think it would be.”  

So that’s what was going on in Lot F. A retelling of the gospel of Matthew where Jesus was a clown, and the disciples were kids, all to the glory of God, the one we know is in Heaven and returning soon. 

The post Was that Jesus in clown makeup? appeared first on The Chimes.

Biola track and field closed out its season at the PacWest Championships with one of the strongest performances in the program’s history, highlighted by a conference title for the women and a podium finish for the men.

WOMEN TAKE THE TITLE

The biggest moment of the meet came from the Biola women’s team, which captured first place and secured the first PacWest Championship in program history.

Biola finished with 195 points, ahead of rival Azusa Pacific and the rest of the conference field. The win also ended Azusa Pacific’s long streak of conference titles, making it a statement performance for a program that has been building over the past few seasons.

Instead of relying on just one or two standout performances, Biola consistently placed athletes in scoring positions throughout the meet. That balance ultimately made the difference.

LED THE WAY WITH STANDOUT PERFORMANCES

Several athletes had major individual performances that helped secure the title.

CMA major Eboselulu Omofoma led the way with a dominant showing in the hurdles, winning both the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdle events while also contributing points in the jumps. Her performance was one of the most impactful of the entire meet.

In distance events, allied health major Bethany Mapes delivered key wins in the 1,500 and 5,000 meters, adding crucial points to the team total. The distance group as a whole played a big role, consistently finishing near the top in multiple races.

Biola combined event wins with strong depth finishes, allowing them to separate from the rest of the field as the meet went on.

MEN THIRD PLACE OVERALL 

The men’s team also had a strong showing, finishing third overall in the conference. It marks one of the best finishes in program history and shows the continued growth on that side of the program.

Like the women, the men relied on contributions across multiple events. Athletes scored in sprints, distance races and field events, helping Biola stay competitive throughout the meet.

While they did not take the title, the third place finish puts the men among the top teams in the PacWest and builds momentum going forward.

ON THE RISE

The PacWest Championships served as the final major meet of the season, and Biola made the most of it.

With a championship on the women’s side and a top-three finish for the men, the weekend reflects how much the program has grown. What stood out most was not just the wins, but the excellence and consistency across events.

Biola now looks ahead to potential NCAA Division II qualifying opportunities, but regardless of what comes next, this meet marks a turning point. They did not just compete at the top of the conference, they set the standard.

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With the midterm elections rapidly approaching, the California gubernatorial race continues to heat up. The incumbent governor, Gavin Newsom, has reached his term limit and will therefore not be running for governor in the upcoming election. This has led to a highly contested race, with several individuals vying for the open seat. Currently, the top candidates are Republicans — a notable shift in the heavily Democratic-controlled state. While the outcome of this election could have a major impact on California, and thus on Biola University, students at large are disengaged.

THE CURRENT RACE

The primary election for California governor will take place on June 2, 2026, determining the two candidates who will advance to the general election on November 3, 2026.

As of April 22, 2026, the race currently features eight candidates:

• Xavier Becerra, Democrat
• Chad Bianco, Republican
• Steve Hilton, Republican
• Matt Mahan, Democrat
• Katie Porter, Democrat
• Tom Steyer, Democrat
• Tony Thurmond, Democrat
• Antonio Villaraigosa, Democrat

Democratic candidates Eric Swalwell and Betty Yee were also a part of this race, but suspended their campaigns earlier this month. Swalwell suspended due to allegations of sexual harassment, and Yee due to a lack of voter support. However, their names will still appear on the ballot in June as they missed the withdrawal deadline.

In the past, Democrats and Republicans held separate primary elections for the California governor, and the individual winners of those elections would then run against each other in the general election. However, this has changed. The current primary election system — called a top-two open primary, or “jungle primary” — pits all candidates from both parties against one another, resulting in a more unpredictable field. 

Dr. Scott Waller, chair of the Political Science department, explained that since California is effectively a one-party state, it is generally assumed that the top two candidates will be Democrats. However, current polling shows the two Republican candidates — as well as two Democratic candidates, in a recent update — to be at the head of the race.

“This state is largely controlled by Democratic-based politics. So, for two Republicans to possibly emerge in June would be a huge shock,” said Waller.

Though these rankings remain fluid, the dynamic may be influenced by the large number of Democratic candidates currently running. With more candidates, voter support may be spread thin across multiple contenders. Meanwhile, with fewer Republican candidates, their support may appear more concentrated in early polling. Analysts note that factors such as name recognition and media coverage may also play a role in early polling.

Recent polling from Race to the White House shows Republican candidate Hilton currently leading a tightly packed field, with Democrats Steyer and Becerra and Republican Bianco following closely behind.

According to CBS News, California voters are primarily focused on housing affordability, with the economy and cost of living, homelessness, taxes and government spending, public safety and immigration also ranking among their top priorities.

While the Democrats and Republicans tend to emphasize slightly different concerns, the race has generally centered around these issues: Democrats are focusing on acting as a hedge against the Trump administration, increasing taxes for those with higher incomes, addressing climate concerns and expanding healthcare and other state-funded services. Meanwhile, Republicans are looking at reforming the entire system within California, framing the past and current Democratic administrations as failures; they’re focusing on reducing taxes and state spending, lowering crime, and lowering housing, energy and economic costs.

STUDENT ISSUES

These issues are particularly relevant for young voters, many of whom are navigating housing costs, job markets and education expenses in California.

Waller identified affordability as the issue most likely to affect Biola and its students:

“Gas prices and housing prices are going to be two big issues that impact Biolans and the general population. Higher energy costs usually translate into higher costs for almost everything — especially food prices,” he said. “This means prices for the Caf might be on the rise!”

He went on to detail the issue of housing prices for students who strive to be future homeowners, stating that California is beginning to be seen as a place that is unaffordable for many individuals, especially those of the younger generations. 

“To try to break into the housing market here seems like a pipe dream to many who are just starting out in their careers,” he said.

THE STUDENT RESPONSE

Despite these concerns, Biolans — including students who are California natives — are generally disengaged from the current election. While many students acknowledge the importance of this election, they still are not actively following the race. 

“It’s not something I really care enough to put my time towards,” said sophomore Nursing major and California resident Megan Stratton. She later followed up with the statement that the election would have a significant impact on her life in California: “The government plays a big role in how we live our lives. So I think who’s in charge is gonna play a big role [in my future].”

Many expressed concerns about the potential for rising costs, and the possibility of having to leave California altogether. Others disregarded the election, stating nothing would really change.

“I doubt that a whole lot is going to change. I mean, it’s California, it’s not going to suddenly get a Republican governor. Their policies are not gonna change,” said Caleb Nestor, second-year student in the Pastoral Care and Counseling graduate program at Talbot.

Overall, regardless of whether the students cared about the election, they agreed that they were not up to date on the governor’s race, and generally had little to no knowledge of the current candidates or their platforms.

Waller explained that this is because politics is not typically a concern of young people, with few acknowledging it as a topic of significance.

“Politics in general is just not usually on the radar of most young people 18-22 years old. It’s hard enough to get students to pay attention or be informed about the big, notable federal politics out of DC. So, to get on the radar of college students for state politics is an especially big challenge. That’s pretty typical as for most of us politics didn’t get on our radars until sometime after college,” he explained.

For the average Biola student, the choice between these two administrations represents two very different futures. A Democratic victory would most likely mean the continuation of California’s role as a progressive leader. There would be a potential for more state-funded financial aid and other living assistance from the state, but it would also likely mean a higher cost of living. Meanwhile, a Republican victory could mean a ‘reset’ of the state’s economy, with the goal of lowering everyday expenses such as groceries and gas through tax cuts. However, this would likely be at the expense of state-funded services, meaning students could see a reduction in their financial aid.

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Ryan Himes, an art major at Biola University, was drawn to Biola through the Torrey Honors College when he sat in on a session for the first time. However, the main attraction for him was the art department. Now finishing off his last year at Biola this spring, Himes focused on presenting his senior project, “Golgotha,” in the Green Gallery from April 20-24. 

As he is a part of the bachelor of fine arts program, Himes explained that every student within the fine arts program is required to present a final show of their work in their senior year. This differs from art students who are in the bachelor of science program. 

The goal of having a gallery is to potentially prepare the students for getting into the right headspace of holding future galleries themselves in the art world. This teaches them how to prepare their pieces, learn how to fill the space, set things up properly, etc. This type of show also differs from the animation major, recently added to the art program, where students showcase little shows and films they created through digital art and design. These are typically all showcased on the same day, whereas students with collections of art to showcase in the galleries have a few days individually within the space. 

Himes states that it is almost impossible for him to decide on just one emphasis for his studies, “I like so many mediums, how do I choose?” His focus has loosely been drawn around illustration, including but not limited to digital, ink, charcoal and more. 

He expresses many other interests and creative hobbies through his work, including crochet, which was something he spent a lot of last semester working on. “I’ve sort of grown in appreciation for different fiber arts.” 

He also did a lot of work with clay, creating different sculptures to bring together his entire piece, as well as some screen printing work, bringing to life the desire he holds for this piece, from start to finish. 

Himes’ idea for his senior project blossomed when he began to let his focus rest on the things around him, specifically powerlines. “I started to [realize] that this powerline sort of looked like a cross. And then I kept seeing that everywhere,” said Himes. 

He began to recognize the beauty of everyday things, and more importantly, how they symbolize or point to something greater than their functioning simplicity. Himes stated, “I like this idea of being able to see something holy in something that’s, you know, ugly.” 

He does not deny the lack of objective attraction and pleasure to the eye that these different items hold, and that is what presses him to find them beautiful, with almost a redemptive quality to them. Himes connects this type of beauty to the crucifix itself. “The crucifixion is, like, the ugliest of ugly scenes, but it’s also the beautifulest of beautiful scenes.” 

This is what Himes held in his mind when it came to creating this project. He found that his friends, and those close to him, began to send him photos of the different powerlines as they saw them, signifying the impact of his work and his desire to share the beauty in the not-so-beautiful. His hope for those who visited his show was that they would then be able to go into the world and, when seeing the sun shine through the trees, be able to sit in that moment and revel in the beauty of that specific moment in time, and then in response, point it back to God and glorify Him. 

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Biola is set to launch its new School of Arts and Letters (SoAL) in the Summer of 2026, joining together the current School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) and School of Fine Arts and Communication (SOFAC). The change will occur as Biola is in the process of developing its new core curriculum, expected to take effect in the Fall of 2027. Dr. Todd Guy, the current dean of SOFAC, will serve as the new dean of the School of Arts and Letters. 

On Thursday April 16, Biola students from the two merging schools were invited to a student forum hosted by Dr. Guy and three other associate deans to learn about the new School of Arts and Letters and voice any concerns about the change. The evening highlighted the advantages posed by the new school, including a strengthened and more cohesive liberal arts focus and increased interdisciplinary potential.

One of these interdisciplinary initiatives will be a new Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) major to be directed by Dr. Matt Van Hook, who will also assume a new role within SoAL as the Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives. 

In addition to the integrated PPE major, SoAL also hopes to add new architecture and interior design programs to its catalogue of fine arts offerings. Currently, California Baptist University is the only Christian university in California to offer either an architecture or dedicated interior design major. 

BEHIND THE SCENES

Throughout the departmental shifts involved in this merge, including the departure of the former dean of HSS for an elevated administrative role, one humanities professor and a new Associate Dean for the School of Arts and Letters has been working behind the scenes, keeping the ship afloat. I sat down with Dr. Aaron Kleist to ask about the reasons behind these programmatic shifts and what led to the decision to launch SoAL. He began with a question of his own.

“How familiar are you with the demographic cliff?”

Beginning with the outset of the financial crisis in 2007, birthrates across the nation have steadily declined for the last several decades with few signs of recovery. The so-called “demographic cliff” refers to the resulting decline in high-school graduates expected to begin in 2026, as adolescents born after the recession begin to turn 18. Already universities are beginning to feel the contraction in the number of college applicants, with some experiencing departmental or full institutional closures.

The demographic cliff looms large for every university administration, but especially those like Biola’s whose primary undergraduate pipeline comes from California, a state with one of the deepest predicted dropoffs. According to a 2024 study by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) the number of graduating high school seniors in California is projected to drop 29% by 2041, compared to a national average projection of 13%. 

Californians make up nearly 70% of Biola’s undergraduate population.

“For all of our marketing, our Biola admission numbers very closely parallel the number of students graduating from California public high schools,” Kleist said. 

Another important element of this trend is the “admissions funnel,” which refers to the proportion of prospective students who show interest in a school and the number of those who actually enroll. Dr. Kleist commented that Biola has been blessed with a narrowing admissions funnel, despite a national trend among college applicants towards a more diversified college search process.

“While there have been fewer applicants, that funnel is narrower,” Kleist said. “So far, the yield has been on budget and those who have expressed interest are coming. We don’t take that for granted at all.”

Still, the approaching demographic cliff puts a substantial degree of financial pressure on university administrators. At Biola, one of the solutions has been a broadened involvement in the enrollment process and recruiting efforts. That means faculty and staff, especially department chairs, have more to do as they work more frequently alongside the university’s enrollment management and marketing teams.

“There’s been an appropriate new sensitivity toward those [admissions] numbers,” Kleist said. “All across the board– in all the departments– one of the messages is, ‘We’re all in the enrollment business.’” 

THE ACADEMIC IMPLICATIONS

At the same time as these financial pressures are being anticipated, Biola has begun the process of developing its new core curriculum. As a part of that process, the former dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS), Dr. Melissa Johnson, was brought on as Associate Provost of Undergraduate Education and tasked with overseeing the implementation of the new core. 

According to Kleist, there is a current proposal for a new core of roughly 30 units making its way through the curriculum committees. The current plan would be to finalize this proposal for implementation by the Fall of 2027, but there are still several steps required in order to meet that target.

“Let’s say it’s a strong stated goal,” Kleist said.

A total reworking of Biola’s core curriculum will have widespread effects across the university, but nowhere more than SOFAC and HSS especially, whose six departments – English, History, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology – are all bound up in the current core. The merging of the two into SoAL will consolidate the majority of the core curriculum under a single school. 

This is expected to allow for a more streamlined student experience surrounding the core curriculum, as well as foster more interdisciplinary teaching.

“Interdisplinarity is increasingly valuable,” Kleist said. “Programs and partnerships that transcend disciplinary boundaries are increasingly prized.”

An increased emphasis on interdisciplinary teaching reflects both the need for fiscal efficiency, which the university is all the more attuned to, as well as the instructional theory behind the construction of the new core curriculum. 

“New core? Even that phrase demands the exploration of connections,” Kleist said. “If you’re going to do this programmatically, and it’s all in splinters, that doesn’t make any sense.”

In that sense, SoAL is expected to facilitate a more connected and interdisciplinary undergraduate core curriculum. Biola’s Provost and Senior Vice President Matthew Hall affirmed that interdepartmental collaboration and core integration were among the advantages offered by the merged school, as well as resource efficiency and avoiding administrative duplication.

As the development of the new core curriculum urges Biola to think interdisciplinarily, and the approaching demographic cliff demands a degree of financial efficiency— the new School of Arts and Letters, set to launch this summer, is the latest change to Biola’s undergraduate academic offerings.

“This is a great opportunity for professors who already share interests in common– and friendships and relationships– to leverage those in new curricular terms to help students make sense of how the pieces of their education connect,” said Kleist.

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In an unprecedented move, Biola will dissolve its communications and marketing division and remove a vice president seat from President Barry Corey’s cabinet, according to an internal announcement on Wednesday April 15th. In a letter sent to faculty and staff, Corey announced that the division’s current operations will soon be distributed to other teams, including under enrollment management and university advancement.

The closure will lead to the exit of three senior administrators, including Tracey Harrison, the Vice President of Communications and Brand Marketing, Brian Miller, the Associate Vice President of University Marketing, and Brenda Velasco, the Senior Director of University Communications. 

Brian Miller has served in various capacities at Biola University for 30 years, first arriving in 1996, and Brenda Velasco has been here for 20 years since 2006. Tracey Harrison entered her role as VP of Communications and Marketing in February 2024. The university declined to comment on when the departing administrators were notified of the decision.

In his letter, Corey recognized the years of faithful service and leadership given by these individuals. He alluded to future opportunities to officially honor and thank each of them for their service and impact on the university.

“I am committed to ensuring these transitions are handled with care and dignity, in recognition of the service these leaders have given our university,” Corey wrote. “I am deeply grateful for Tracey, Brian and Brenda and their many contributions to Biola over the years.”

Corey noted that a key factor in the decision was the need for a consolidation of the university’s marketing operations under a single division. With most of the former division’s operations soon to be housed under the enrollment department, the change reflects an emphasis on targeting enrollment numbers and securing future students.

“I need all of the available enrollment resources to report under one vice president to make this strategic alignment possible,” Corey wrote. “This is necessary as the landscape of our sector experiences enrollment challenges.”

Corey announced the changes as being in step with The Biola Way, a three-year, three-point strategic plan, which was adopted by the Board of Trustees for implementation beginning in the 2024–25 fiscal year. These goals emphasize expanding distinct academic programs at the university and ensuring a healthy enrollment pool as colleges nationwide approach the enrollment cliff.

The letter also asserted that the decision to dissolve the division of marketing and communications and remove three administrative roles was not motivated by financial pressures.

“This decision is not a cost-cutting measure,” Corey wrote. “I’m convinced it is the right decision for the university and for our future. It is also a hard decision to come to, given its impact on colleagues who have served Biola.”

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