California Baptist University

California Baptist University International Student Insurance

California Baptist University (CBU), located in Riverside, California, is a private, Christian, liberal arts university. The school was established in 1950 by the California Southern Baptist Convention. It opened as California Baptist College with 120 students during its first year. By 1955, enrollment had grown enough that it moved to its current location. It received full accreditation in 1961. The first graduate degree was awarded in 1984, and in 1998, it adopted its current name. Today, CBU enrolls more than 11,000 students and counting each year. The school colors are blue and gold, and its athletic nickname is the lancers.

CBU offers associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. For undergraduate students, there are more than 80 majors with more than 150 concentrations as well as about 50 minors. At the graduate level, there are more than 30 master’s degrees and five doctoral programs. Unique CBU offerings include the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, the School of Christian Ministries, and the Shelby and Ferne Collinsworth School of Music.

On Campus

On campus, the Annie Gabriel Library contains a number of special collections. The Southern Baptist Depository and Archive holds books, journals, newspapers, and other Southern Baptist publications. The P. Boyd Smith Hymnology Collection contains more than 2,000 volumes across three centuries and more than 20 languages. The Nie Wieder! Collection (German for “Never Again!”) is a collection of Holocaust-related materials and studies the Holocaust’s impact on Jewish-Christian relations.

CBU campus traditions include the Fortuna Bowl, an annual intramural flag football season; Yule, a formal dinner and dance at the nearby Disneyland Hotel; and TWIRP (The Woman Is Required to Pay), a weeklong event in which women invite men to a Barn Dance and various other activities around campus.

Notable Alumni

Notable California Baptist University alumni include pastor Rick Warren; reality show contestant Dustin-Leigh Konzelman; Switchfoot guitarist Drew Shirley; and OneRepublic bassist Brent Kutzle.