- Claremont Lincoln University

E N G AG E M E N T
2 015 Y E A R I N R E V I E W
E N G AG E M E N T
2 015 Y E A R I N R E V I E W
President’s Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
President’s Committee on Interfaith Action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Weekend Gatherings 2015. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
CLU Passport & New Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Parliament of the World’s Religions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
CLU Student Profiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Claremont Lincoln Faculty in the Field. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
CLU in the Community. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Donor Profile / Founding Ambassadors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Thank You to Our Donors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Alumni Association / Alumna Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
CLU Student Demographics 2015. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
FROM THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT
Addressing the Need
For a Society 4.0
What a tremendous year 2015 has been for Claremont Lincoln University – one filled
with great strides in our academic programs and student achievements, growth in our
staff and operating capabilities, and increased exposure across the nation and around
the world to our mission of teaching people to work together to bring about positive
social change as it becomes evermore increasing in importance.
At the Parliament of the World’s Religions conference in Salt Lake City this past
October, I spoke on the topic of the need for humankind to progress to a level of
Society 4.0. As societies have evolved they have moved from monarchies and tribal
leadership (1.0) through government and industry control (2.0) to special interests
(3.0) where we operate now. Society today is characterized by rigid collectivism
where people interact primarily with those who look, think and behave as they do; by
fundamentalism where there is only one right answer; and a propensity for argument
and debate. As a society, we are in gridlock and it is time to move to a new model (4.0)
where there is a focus on common interest and civil society that is open-minded and
sees differences as assets not liabilities. CLU can lead the way to making this transition.
In the coming months I will expand on this idea, but suffice it to say our world is in
an era of transition that requires leaders and practitioners to expand their context of
understanding to include new and diverse forms of engagement.
In the fall we launched a new educational offering in the form of certificates.
The Interfaith Understanding Certificate is our first step toward supporting the concept
of Society 4.0 to the general public in a radically accessible and affordable manner.
We are currently working on the next offering within our certificates including the
Claremont Core® and ethical leadership. Our plan is to offer certificates at levels that
address the needs of the general public, professional practitioner and the academic
scholar so that we can realize our mission on a broader and more global scale and
enable individuals to resolve conflict in a peaceful and co-creative way.
At CLU, we are committed to providing people with options to violence, argument
and discrimination when addressing personal, workplace and community differences.
We have the passion and ability to make the world a better place. We look forward to a
robust 2016 and beyond and invite you to become part of this important change effort.
Sincerely,
Dr. Eileen Aranda, President
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PRESIDENT’S COMMITTEE ON INTERFAITH ACTION
CLU Brings Nation’s Interfaith
Leaders Together for Peace
The President’s Committee on Interfaith Action held its first meeting this year to
discuss religious conflict, racism and a growing lack of civility and compassion in the
world today. This meeting launched the development of ongoing relationships between
leaders of various causes, all of whom are committed to taking part in a dialogue for
collaboration and change.
“Interfaith work is actually hard to do,” said committee chairwoman Rev. Joan Brown
Campbell, who explained that difficult conversations need to take place in order
to bring about peace. Having spent years working with world leaders such as
Martin Luther King, Jr., Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter, Fidel Castro and many more,
Campbell has seen first-hand the sacrifices made by others to bring about positive
change for humanity.
“One of the problems with interfaith is that we want to make it look ‘nice.’ We want
people to get along,” she said. “To take this on is extremely important, but it is also
extremely challenging… Don’t forget the high cost other people have sacrificed
for peace.”
Some of the nation’s most prominent interfaith leaders and social activists joined
academicians and leaders of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and other religious faiths
to identify issues and develop ideas for action that can bring about change. “The power
of religions working together for peace is compelling,” said Paul Chavez, whose father,
Cesar Chavez, reached out to different faith communities in the 1970s as a part of his
campaign for worker’s rights. “Interfaith work is always important.”
The committee is comprised of more than 30 members representing a variety of
faiths, cultures, races and beliefs. Some of the more prominent members include
Dr. John Esposito, professor of religion and international affairs at Georgetown
University; author and journalist Susan Katz Miller; Rev. Welton Gaddy, president
of the national nonprofit Interfaith Alliance; Chavez and many more.
CLU President Dr. Eileen Aranda helped to facilitate the meeting, encouraging
everyone to speak from the heart on issues as they see them. “At Claremont Lincoln
we’re really about action,” she said. “The civil rights movement taught us that if you
put people together change can happen. We want to focus on those skills that allow
people to do that. We are all here because we believe in that.”
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PCIA SPECIAL REPORT — 2015
EXPLORING THE ROLE AND IMPORTANCE
OF INTERFAITH IN THE YEAR 2020
A SPECIAL REPORT BY
The President’s Committee On Interfaith Action at Claremont Lincoln University
In July 2015, Claremont Lincoln University brought
several prominent thought-leaders from around the
world together to establish the President’s Committee on
Interfaith Action (PCIA). The principal objective of this
committee is to explore the changing nature of global
interfaith relations and how interfaith leaders should
address key issues that will be of importance in the year
2020. During the July roundtable, the PCIA set out to
answer the following questions:
• What does interfaith mean and what should it look
like in 2020?
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Acknowledge interfaith as a
diverse integration of faith,
religious, and secular traditions
that warrants dignity and respect.
• Commit to personal development.
• Establish non-religious alliances to
promote peace and social justice.
• Address historical pain and
moral conflict.
• What are the most significant issues that interfaith
leaders will likely address in 2020?
• What skills will interfaith leaders need to address
these issues?
By taking an interdisciplinary approach to explore these
questions, the PCIA examined why interfaith action is a
viable resource for interfaith leaders already working in
faith-based organizations, religious communities and other
public arenas such as government agencies and NGOs.The
committee suggested that many of the issues that will be
of key importance to interfaith communities will require
leaders to be knowledgeable of how to approach religion,
implement action plans, and engage diverse audiences to
promote social change.
The PCIA Special Report 2015,
Exploring the Role and Importance
of Interfaith in the Year 2020, and
a complete list of the committee
members can be downloaded at
http://bit.ly/pcia-report2015
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WEEKEND GATHERINGS 2015
Gathering Events Showcase
Change-Makers in Action
CLU’s programs came to life this year in a series of three Gathering Weekend events
that showcased amazing individuals who have drawn from our Core principles of
mindfulness, dialogue, collaboration and change to put their own ideas and ideals
into action.
This year’s Exchange workshops featured prominent experts including journalist and
author Susan Katz Miller, who spoke about interfaith families; Shabnam Mogharabi,
CEO and Executive producer of SoulPancake, addressing the role of ethics in
business and why it’s important; Dr. Edwin J. Nichols, a behavioral scientist who
spoke about cultural competencies; and a panel of former gang-members and
drug-traffickers, law enforcement and nonprofit representatives in a raw look at
crime and reform.
Gala Spotlight dinners paid tribute to key change-makers. Actor Rainn Wilson
and comedian Zach Anner showed how humor can help to facilitate dialogue –
particularly during uncomfortable conversations – by connecting people through
laughter. Human rights attorney Maryann Elliott, author of “Zen Under Fire”,
spoke from the heart about how mindfulness helped her to find self and strength
while working in war-torn Afghanistan; and Jermaine Smith, a senior trainee in the
Homeboys Industries program, spoke poignantly about his transition away from
gangs as he accepted the Lincoln Award for Humanitarianism on behalf of the
organization’s founder, Father Greg Boyle, who was unable to attend due to illness.
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THE
FOR
HUMANITARIANISM
The Lincoln Award for Humanitarianism
recognizes outstanding individuals who have
dedicated their lives to helping others while
demonstrating the values of Claremont
Lincoln University and the principles
inherent in the Golden Rule. Established this
year by university benefactor David Lincoln,
this award represents humanity at its best.
It embodies the spirit of good will and
reflects the indomitable power of individuals
to effect change.
Father Gregory Boyle, a Jesuit priest and founder of Homeboy Industries, was the first
to receive this award for his remarkable work in helping as many as 10,000 former
gang members a year redirect their lives and become contributing members of their
communities. Homeboy Industries is recognized as the largest and most successful
gang intervention and re-entry program in the world and has become a national
model for reform.
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CLU PASSPORT & NEW CERTIFICATES
Tri-Faith Group Pilots New
Interfaith Certificate Programs
Members of a mosque, a temple and a church in Arizona
are feeling more energized about their interfaith outreach,
having come together this year to take part in a new and
groundbreaking online certificate program offered by
Claremont Lincoln University.
The tri-faith group, Salaam Chai Paradise, is made up of
members of the Islamic Center of the Northeast Valley,
Temple Chai, and the United Methodist Church of Paradise
Valley. Twenty-one members participated in the pilot program
to enhance their understanding of what interfaith is and
to develop tools for navigating the infinite differences that
separate us as human beings.
“I feel more empowered to take some risks and step outside
my cloistered background, to gaze upon the faces and lives
of other traditions, and not just their words and images,”
said Keith Sobraske, president of Investigative Research
Incorporated and a member of the United Methodist Church
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of Paradise Valley who took part in the program. “Apart
from providing some basic information about the world’s
faith traditions, the program requires introspection and
self-assessment about one’s own worldview, position in the
community and faith tradition, casting light on the way each of
us see the world, the possible factors and reasons we believe
and act the way we do, and our biases and prejudices whether
conscious or subconscious.”
Azra Hussain, president and co-founder of the Islamic Speakers
Bureau of Arizona, said the organization plans to encourage
members of the community to participate in the program as
one of its interfaith learning opportunities.
“It will be useful in everyday interactions with people of other
faiths and cultures,” she said.
CLU offers two radically accessible, self-paced, online
certificates and individual courses that help people master the
PA S S P O RT
Courses to Expand Your Perspective.™
knowledge and skills required to better navigate and effect
change in any diversely complex organization.
course of study that includes a one-hour free introduction, two
10-hour and two 7-hour courses, and a 10-hour capstone.
An entry-level certificate program in Interfaith Understanding
features a one-hour free introduction followed by two 4-hour
and three 2-hour required courses. The program is self-paced
and enables learners to explore their own points of view in
relation to others. It provides a working knowledge of histories,
beliefs, practices and contemporary expressions of religious
thought, and demonstrates differences and similarities in the
way different traditions approach topics such as suffering, family
life, marriage, death and more.
“The world is full of differences,” said interfaith scholar Dr.
Stephanie Varnon-Hughes, Claremont Lincoln University
Director of Cross-Cultural and Interfaith Programs. “A couple
of generations ago, if a rabbi were officiating at a wedding
or funeral, most of the people there would be Jewish. Today,
that may no longer be the case. Because of today’s growing
diversity and integration across sectors, it is more important
than ever to learn the key capacities to navigate differences.”
PA S S P O RT
Varnon-Hughes said the certificate program is designed to be
™
Courses
Perspective.
The certificate in Navigating Interfaith is designed to
offer faith to Expand
affordableYour
and easy
to use with an immersive and interactive
leaders at the professional level a guided learning experience
that examines historical and current interfaith landscapes in
order to prepare them to engage in a diverse world. Courses
range from Crafting Interfaith Narratives to Profiles in
Interfaith Leadership. The program encompasses a self-paced
experience that makes the learning experience rich, engaging
and transformational. Visit www.CLUpassport.org for more
information.
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PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD’S RELIGIONS — SALT LAKE CITY, UT
Claremont Lincoln Showcases
Interfaith at Parliament
Claremont Lincoln University took the stage in international
conversations on interfaith as a presenter and major sponsor
of the 2015 Parliament of the World’s Religions Oct. 1519 in Salt Lake City. The university spearheaded numerous
presentations during the five-day event and unveiled its
new interfaith certificate programming, highlighting the
growing need for dialogue and collaboration among faiths
to bring about positive social change and to restore health
to communities afflicted by violence, indifference and
discrimination.
Claremont Lincoln University President Dr. Eileen Aranda,
President Emeritus Dr. Jerry Campbell, Founding Board
Member Dr. Mel Gottlieb and Program Director for Interfaith
Action Dr. Darrell Ezell presented significant findings on the
importance of interfaith in the near future. Their presentation,
“Exploring the Role and Importance of Interfaith in 2020,”
outlined key issues for the near future – including climate
change; human rights;
poverty, hunger and
clean water; racism; and
religious freedom – and
explained why interfaith
skills will be increasingly
important for leaders
involved in matters that
require engagement of
diverse audiences to promote social change. The findings they
presented were drafted by members of the Claremont Lincoln
University President’s Council on Interfaith Action, a group
of more than 35 national and international leaders in faith,
nonprofit, academic and government sectors working together
to promote peace.
“Our world is in an era of transition that requires leaders
and practitioners to expand their context of understanding
to include new and diverse forms of engagement,” Ezell said.
“That involves not only interfaith but committing to training
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and personal development, establishing non-religious alliances
and working to heal historical pain.”
Claremont Lincoln’s Master of Arts degrees in Interfaith
Action, Ethical Leadership and Social Impact, along with its new
certificate programs in interfaith understanding, the President’s
Council on Interfaith Action, and its Center for the Study of
Religion, Culture and Foreign Affairs are all reflections of the
university’s commitment to resolving conflict and promoting
positive social change in the world.
Dr. Ezell, an international
speaker on interfaith
issues and author of
“Beyond Cairo: U.S.
Engagement with the
Muslim World”, spoke
on the value of bringing
sacred-secular voices to
the table to enrich the
effectiveness of dialogue
and peacemaking. He
joined CLU faculty
members Dr. Keith
Burton and Dr. William
McGarvey, and Dr. Ejaz
Naqvi, author of “The
Quran: With or Against the Bible”, in addressing strategies to
confront ideological violence and hate speech using a new
paradigm for interfaith action.
Other CLU speakers at Parliament included Dr. Stephanie
Varnon-Hughes and Dr. Whitny Braun, Imam Mahmoud
Harmoush, and Interfaith Action student Maneck Bhjuwala.
“We are pleased to have been such a significant presence at
this year’s Parliament of the World’s Religions, and to have
developed from it the opportunity to broaden our interfaith
outreach with new ideas and opportunities for collaboration,”
Aranda said.
CLU Live takes over
the booth in the
exhibitors section
of the Salt Palace.
Dr. Ezell with Rev. Dr. Johnny Ray Youngblood
Dr. Ezell with Lori Fazzino
Dr. Ezell with Mel Lipman
All of our CLU Live interviews
can be found online at
http://bit.ly/CLULive-PWR2015
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CLU STUDENT PROFILES — PUTTING IDEALS AND IDEAS INTO ACTION
MSI Student Draws From the Past
to Promote Change for the Future
At 17, Ely Flores was a kid with a bad reputation. Kicked out of
high school and about to become a father, he was facing three
years of incarceration: first in juvenile hall, then in prison. Now, 10
years later, he travels the nation and crosses international borders
to spread his message of social change and empowerment to
young adults facing the same oppression he learned to identify and
overcome.
“I shouldn’t be in this position,” he said, taking time from his busy
schedule to talk about how he got to where he is today. But
somewhere down the line – from his dad skipping out on the
family and witnessing street shootings in his neighborhood growing
up – Ely learned how to turn the oppression of his surroundings
and experiences into inspiration to promote social change for
good. He has spoken passionately before thousands of people at
the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and counseled young adults
in Mexico on the violence that plagues their communities and
what they can do to impact society in positive ways.
Ely is also founder and executive director of his own nonprofit,
Leadership through Empowerment, Action, and Dialogue Inc.
(LEAD), which has trained more than 200 youth in California and
established a school that empowers underserved young adults
from 18 to 24 to complete their high school education, prepare
for college and/or career and become leaders in their communities.
Now working toward his master’s degree in Social Impact (MSI)from
Claremont Lincoln University, he is more prone to look forward than
back. “I want to be a lifelong agent of social change,” he said.
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MEL Student Applies
Coursework to
Building Future
Leaders in Egypt
Life in Cairo is a far cry from the laid-back lifestyle she experienced as
a child on the beaches of Carlsbad, California, but CLU student Carrie
Johnson says she is where she belongs, doing work she feels called to
do. Sure, it’s chaotic living in a city of 20 million people. The constant
noise clashes with the mental brain chatter that drones continually in
her mind. Then there are the security concerns: two revolutions and
multiple incidents. Threats against Americans. Worries over whether to
take her daughter, Amy, to school or stay home.
Carrie is Deputy Director of the Institute of International Education’s
Middle East and North Africa Region Office and Director of the
USAID-funded LOTUS Scholarship Program in Egypt. It’s her job
to administer U.S.-funded scholarships that have been awarded to
250 underserved Egyptian university students with the objective of
empowering them to make a difference in their communities through
leadership and community service.
So, when it came time for Carrie to consider a graduate school to
enhance the leadership skills she imparts on her team and to her
students, Claremont Lincoln’s Master’s in Ethical Leadership program
stood out. “It wasn’t your traditional corporate or organizational
leadership program,” Carrie said. “The MEL program is more human,
focused on personal development, society and service.”
Joining CLU was about much more than the degree: She said she felt
she was joining a family of like-minded individuals set out to make a
difference in the world. “Every course has been an ‘ah-ha’ moment
for me,” Carrie said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had this kind of
intellectual challenge.”
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CLU STUDENT PROFILES — PUTTING IDEALS AND IDEAS INTO ACTION
Interfaith Student Models Mettle
Courage.
Many people would assign that strength of spirit to Khallid
Shabazz’s long career in the Army, where he faced combat in
Iraq, earned the Bronze Star and Meritorious Service Medal,
and serves today at Fort Hood, Texas, as a World Religion
Chaplain – one of the nation’s only Muslims in that role.
Others would find courage in his outspoken nature to
challenge religion, to scrutinize the role of faith and culture
in society, and to issue a call to action to black males to
reclaim their manhood through unending education and
principled living. Shabazz sees courage more in his everyday life:
demonstrating that anything is possible provided you have the
right mindset, are confident in yourself and have a good heart.
“My impact on the world is that I have a wonderful family
that loves me and knows that I am a good, responsible and
loving husband, father and grandfather,” he said. “My family has
someone to look up to.” He has earned two master’s degrees
and a Ph.D., and is the author of three books: “Losing our
Manhood”, “Islam and Christianity: a Comparative Study”, and
“Faith and Culture: a Call to Reason.”
With so much education behind him, what did he think he could
gain from enrolling in Claremont Lincoln University’s Master’s
in Interfaith Action program? “I have been in the military for
25 years and I work with different faiths every day,” he said. “I
thought it would be a good idea to enroll at a university where
they actually teach interfaith. I thought maybe I could learn some
different strategies to further my development.”
WHAT OUR STUDENTS ARE SAYING ABOUT CLU:
“In my cohort, there are so many people of different beliefs
from all over the country. I’m a protestant pastor.There’s a
woman with a Pentecostal background, a secular background,
a Nation of Islam military chaplain, a Muslim Chaplain,
a Zoroastrian priest. I find it pretty astounding that we sit
together and take these deep conversations on together.
I don’t think there’s any place on the planet where you’ll
find that kind of environment.” — Seth Finch, MIFA
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CLU Students Secure Grants
to Further Their Work
Claremont Lincoln University students are making a difference
in their communities in many different ways. That requires not
only compassion to help others, but the ability to measure and
prove the effectiveness of their work and to acquire funding to
help it grow.
Katie Gordon (right top), a student in the Master’s in Interfaith
Action program, recently obtained a $50,000 grant to help
spread interfaith service throughout Grand Rapids, Michigan,
where she is program manager of Grand Valley State University’s
Kaufman Interfaith Institute. The grant from the Grand Rapids
Community Foundation will help support interfaith outreach
by funding student interns from Grand Valley State University,
Aquinas College and Calvin College, to expand their leadership
skills and launch interfaith programs on their own campuses and
into the broader community.
Social Impact student Evette De Luca (pictured right) recently secured a $250,000
grant under the BUILD Health Challenge to help reduce high rates of obesity and
related diseases through a community partnership called The Healthy Ontario
Initiative. She is executive director of Partners for Better Health, one of a handful
of community partners working together to improve health and provide health
resources to a five-square-mile area within the City of Ontario, California.
“Through CLU, I’ve learned to pause – just pause –
and not react. I am listening actively and I’ve learned
to not take things personally.That eliminates a lot of
the noise that interferes with thought during conflict.
Today, I’m working smarter. I wasn’t fully formed
before beginning this program. CLU has accelerated
my work. I feel already like a more powerful leader.”
— Evette De Luca, MSI
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CLAREMONT LINCOLN FACULTY IN THE FIELD
Faculty Serve as Expert Sources
at Conferences and in the Media
Dr. Whitny Braun, (right) an international expert on bioethics,
and Director of Educational Programming at Claremont
Lincoln University, spoke widely on the topics of Sallkehanā,
(the Jain ritual of fasting until death), and bioethics including
presentations at the Parliament of the World’s Religions,
the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities Annual
Meeting, the Kaiser Permanente National Symposium on
Bioethics, and the Annual Conference on Medicine and
Religion. She was an expert source in the Scientific American
article, “Rite to Die: Sallkehanā and End of Life,” and her
research and dissertation work was cited extensively in an
appeal filed this year in response to a case in India, where the
Rajasthan High Court said the practice of Sallkehanā is not an
essential tenet of Jainism and banned it, making it punishable
under laws that prohibit abetment of suicide.
Claremont Lincoln Director of Interfaith Action Dr. Darrell
Ezell (below left) joined faculty member Dr. Alisher Faizullaev
(a former Ambassador of Uzbekistan) as speakers at the
Pan-European Conference on International Relations in Italy.
Ezell addressed U.S. diplomacy after 9-11 and the need to
consider religion when negotiating for peace. “Washington’s
shortcomings highlight what often occurs when a country
devalues the impact of religion and relies on secular-based
communications tools to persuade religious audiences,” Ezell
said. “As faith-based issues become prominent in foreign affairs,
diplomats must consider honing a special set of soft-skills linked
to Interfaith Action to limit the projection of symbolic violence
in the world.” Faizullaev, a former Uzbekistan ambassador to
the United Kingdom, Benelux countries, European Union and
NATO, has published works and made presentations around
the world. He addressed symbolic violence in international
negotiation and bargaining.
Imam Mahmoud Harmoush (right), a frequent speaker on
Middle East affairs and Religious Director of the Islamic
Center of Yorba Linda, California, addressed circumstances in
Syria at a presentation hosted by the Council of Murrieta &
Temecula Valley, an organization he co-chairs. He joined Dr.
Jeremiah Bowden of Claremont Graduate University in a panel
discussion, “The Syrian Crisis,” addressing how conflicts there
relate to world peace. He was also a guest speaker on the
topics of Islam and ISIS for The Rick Amato Show, a prime time
political news program broadcast nationally on One America
News Network.
Social Impact contributor Joy Amulya, Ed.D., spoke on the role
of digital technology in boosting literacy rates among children
at Literacy Lab’s First Innovation Meetup held at the SF Impact
Hub. Her presentation, “Leveraging Interactive Literacy for
Low-Income Families through Access to eBooks,” cited both
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hopes and concerns for early childhood literacy acquisition
through access to tablet devices such as iPads. She also joined
faculty member Cynthia Luna in leading a workshop, “The
Power of Storytelling in Women’s Development as Leaders,”
at the International Leadership Association’s annual Women &
Leadership Conference.
Social Impact instructor David Pritchard was a featured
speaker at the Nirun Sahingiray International Forum held in
Istanbul, Turkey, where he spoke on “Impact Evaluation.” The
presentation focused on the essence of impact evaluation, why
it is important for nonprofits and program evaluators, and
how to be a good consumer and commissioner of an impact
evaluation. The forum was coordinated by the Educational
Volunteers Foundation of Turkey in cooperation with Harvard
University John F. Kennedy School of Government, and Kadir
Has University.
Social Impact instructor Dr. Michael Harnar was cited in a new,
fourth edition of the highly acclaimed textbook, “Qualitative
Research & Evaluation Methods” by Michael Quinn Patton,
considered one of the nation’s leading experts in qualitative
methods and reporting, which he believes are not just for
research and evaluation. In the text, Harnar addresses the
personal experience of qualitative inquiry by describing his
most memorable evaluation: a rail safety intervention program
aimed at reducing safety-related incident rates through peerto-peer observation.
Claremont Lincoln University’s
Director of Curriculum
Development, Lisa Brown,
spoke at the Association for the
Advancement of Computing
in Education’s 2015 World
Conference on E-Learning,
exploring learner control as an
opportunity to allow the student
to increase learning retention by
creating a more meaningful learning
experience, and how an active
learning environment can enhance
student engagement, retention and learning. She also spoke on
a case study of the successful redesign of a large, universitylevel lecture course from traditional face-to-face, to an active
learning environment in which the subject, Dr. Donald Ehlers,
adapted a SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Review, Recite)
method of learning for better outcomes.
Several CLU faculty and directors made presentations at this
year’s Parliament of the World’s Religions, including:
Dr. Stephanie Varnon-Hughes and Dr. Whitny Braun,
“Extending inclusivity: Using Online Resources to Sustain
Radically Accessible Dialogue”; Dr. Darrell Ezell, Dr. Keith
Burton, Dr. William McGarvey, Dr. Ejaz Naqvi, “Confronting
Ideological Violence and Hate Speech: Introducing a New
Paradigm for Interfaith Action”; Dr. Eileen Aranda, Dr. Jerry
Campbell, Dr. Mel Gottlieb, Dr. Ezell, “Exploring the Role and
Importance of Interfaith in 2020”; Mahmoud Harmoush,
“The Future of Syria and the Region: A New Faith-Based
Governing Model”; Dr. Ezell, “The Value in Bringing SacredSecular Voices to the Table: Peacemaking in an Interfaith Era”;
and Dr. Braun, “Death Without Destruction: How Sallekhanā,
the Jain End-of-Life Fasting Ritual, Provides an Ecologically
Friendly Exit,” and “Trauma, Death and Dignity: How Faith is a
Source of Strength.”
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CLU IN THE COMMUNITY
Proud to be a Part of the
Claremont Community
CLU is located in the heart of Claremont, a much-loved
college town with tree-lined streets, stately Craftsman-style
homes and quaint Village shops and restaurants that rank it as
one of the best places in the nation to live.
Being a part of a community means giving back in order to
maintain and elevate the quality of life it offers its residents
and visitors. To that end, we happily supported numerous
local causes and events in 2015.
Construction began this year
on the CLU Community
Performance Stage, which
will provide a venue for local
organizations, youth groups
and private citizens to gather
and share their gifts and their
voices with others. Funded
through community donations and Claremont Lincoln’s title
sponsorship, a grand-opening celebration is scheduled for
January 9, 2016.
President Eileen Aranda and E.V.P. Laura Burgis rode down
Indian Hill Boulevard in an old Model T representing CLU,
which was a sponsor of Claremont’s annual Fourth of July
celebration. Several other representatives from the university
helped out during the event,
which also included a pancake
breakfast, 5-K run, flag-raising
ceremony, speaker’s corner,
games and exhibits and a
fireworks show.
16
We dined with athletes from Curaçao,
Latvia, Bolivia and the Republic of
Georgia, who stayed with host families
in Claremont while preparing for and
competing in the Special Olympics
World Games, which took place this
summer in Los Angeles. CLU helped to
sponsor their stay.
We were honored this year to receive
the Claremont Chamber of Commerce
Business Award for Nonprofit of the Year, a recognition
bestowed upon organizations that model the importance of
giving back to community. The chamber presented us with this
award based on our many sponsorships for the year, which
also included the chamber’s Women’s Leadership Conference.
David Lincoln Marks 90th Birthday
With Philanthropy Award
Claremont Lincoln founder and benefactor David Lincoln has spent his life promoting
Golden Rule values through his successful business ventures and his generous
support of multiple causes, including higher education, health care and community.
It is only fitting, then, that he recently celebrated his 90th birthday as the recipient of
the Outstanding Philanthropist award, presented by the Association of Fundraising
Professionals Greater Arizona Chapter at its 31st Annual Philanthropy Leadership
Awards event held in Phoenix.
He and his wife, Joan, have drawn from their successes in business to fund forwardthinking donations to a number of nonprofits and educational institutions including
the John C. Lincoln Health Network, the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics at Arizona
State University, the Lincoln Center for Ethics at the Thunderbird School of Global
Management, and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
Claremont Lincoln University was born from their idea of creating a university that
reflects the power and potential of the Golden Rule, treating others as you would
like to be treated. They believe the outcome of this approach to education will be
respect among different cultures and religions, and the ability to better address global
problems where collaboration and cooperation are needed to reach resolution and
repair the world.
Peacemakers from West Bank
Share Stories of Hope at CLU
Claremont Lincoln University in 2015
hosted peacemakers from the Middle
East, a Palestinian and Israeli who have
been reaching out through non-violence
to promote dialogue, collaboration and
change in the Holy Land. Ali Abu Awwad
and Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger spoke
of their new coalition, Roots, which is
focused on bringing coexistence and hope
in the heart of the conflict.
The Roots project draws together Israelis
and Palestinians who, despite living next to
each other, are separated by walls of fear.
To promote reconciliation, the project’s
outreach program includes monthly
meetings between Israeli and Palestinian
families, a women’s group, work with
school children, engaging local leaders,
a summer camp, language learning, and
cultural exchanges. Formed in 2014, it
built a following from around the world.
For information, visit http://friendsofroots.
net/about-roots.html.
In the past, Schlesinger said, he never
really saw the Palestinians. “We were on
the same land, but we lived in completely
different worlds; we had different schools,
different media outlets, different laws,” he
explained.
Awwad, credited with establishing the
Palestinian nonviolence movement, said he
was enlightened when a group of Israelis
had contacted his mother and came to
his house for a visit after his brother was
shot and killed. “For the first time, I had
Israelis in my home, treating me with
respect,” Awwad said. “It was shocking.
I saw their humanity and the meeting
changed my life. I became an activist for
peace and reconciliation.”
CLU Founder and Board Member Rabbi
Mel Gottlieb, who met Schlesinger and
Awwad during a trip to Israel, credited
them for their work to bring peace to the
Holy Land. “I was so impressed by what
they’re doing,” Gottlieb said. “Their work
brings hope for humanity.” CLU President
Dr. Eileen Aranda agreed: “Clearly, we have
kindred souls and shared goals,” she said.
17
CLU DONOR PROFILE
Donor Ambassador Barbara Barrett Calls
Education ‘Most Important’ Decision in Life
Barbara Barrett has shoed horses, harvested crops, hiked to the peak of
Mt. Kilimanjaro, and was the first woman in history to ever land an F/A-18
Hornet on an aircraft carrier. She has worked with U.S. presidents, governors,
international politicians and CEOs and once addressed the United Nations
General Assembly on behalf of the U.S. She was a U.S. Ambassador to Finland,
and oh… did we mention she’s also a certified astronaut? Surprisingly, this
amazing whirlwind life of accomplishments sprang from very humble beginnings.
“Education is the key to success,” she said. “It is the first major decision a young
person must make, and the most important.” Today, she is President and CEO
of one of the world’s top-ranking hotels, Triple Creek Guest Ranch in Montana,
and she serves on the governing boards of the Smithsonian Institution, RAND,
Aerospace and Sally Ride Science corporations and the Lasker Foundation.
Her husband, Craig, is an international businessman and former CEO and
chairman of Intel Corporation.
The couple’s philanthropy focuses on education, which includes a generous gift
to Claremont Lincoln University. “Our lives were both transformed by our grade
school, high school and college educations,” Barbara Barrett said. “We recognize
that education must meet modern and future needs. CLU represents a new
institution to meet new global challenges.”
She was also drawn to Claremont Lincoln for its educational offerings, which
she believes will provide a pathway to peace. “In the long term, building
understanding across religious lines is pivotal to a peaceful future,” she said.
Giving to Claremont Lincoln University
Claremont Lincoln University (CLU) is a
non-profit graduate school in Southern
California that educates ethical leaders to
reach across cultural, political, economic
and religious boundaries, and was founded
on the conviction that the world’s
great philosophical, religious and ethical
traditions are deep wells of wisdom for
bringing people together to address
perennial social problems.
CLU relies on the generosity of alumni,
friends, corporations, and foundations
that endorse the university’s mission
of excellence. Now, more than ever,
philanthropic funding is essential to sustain
this important legacy.
Why give to CLU? The reasons are
personal and varied.
Perhaps you are grateful for your CLU
student experience and want to give
something back. Maybe you would like
to leave a legacy to benefit future CLU
students for generations to come. Perhaps
you feel passionate about our mission and
simply want to make sure we thrive. Or
you may wish to take advantage of the tax
benefits of making a gift. When you make
a gift to the CLU, you have tremendous
flexibility in determining how the funds
will be used, as well as many options for
making your gift.
Unrestricted Gifts are among the most
valuable to CLU, because they allow the
university to allocate funds wherever the
need is greatest, and to take advantage of
unique opportunities as they arise.Your
unrestricted contribution may be used to
support costs associated with financial aid,
innovations in teaching, facilities, and much
more.
Directed Gifts allow you to designate
your gift to one of the three disciplines of
the university. When you make a directed
gift to CLU, you enjoy the satisfaction of
knowing you are supporting a program
that is personally meaningful to you.
For more information on giving to CLU, please visit ClaremontLincoln.org/giving or call us at (909) 667-4422.
18
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS
Claremont Lincoln University recognizes the generous donors, alumni, staff, corporations, and foundations that help CLU
excel every day. Their contributions of time and money allow the university to provide the diverse opportunities that
define CLU as a world-changing institution. Thank you for helping us continue to put wisdom to work into the world.
*List compiled as of November 30, 2015.
Individuals
Yolande Adelson
John L. Alexander
Robert Anderson
Eileen Aranda
Thomas Armbruster
Anantjit S. Aulakh
Daniel T. Bane
Sandra N. Bane
Marta BarcenasMooradian
Nancy Barnes
Navdeep Singh Bassi
Gurbax Bhasin
Judith Blau
Nurjahan Boulden
Jatimder Brar
Whitny Braun
Robert L. Brizee
Marian Brown
Laura M. Burgis
Jerry D. Campbell
Joan Brown Campbell
Lesley Carter
Heather Case Pryor
Constance Celustka
Elizabeth A. Cervantes
Jaswinder Chattha
Sohan Chaudhary
Vijay D. Chheda
Seth Clayton
John B. Cobb
Madison Cole
Renee Courington
Kenneth W. Coy
Catherine Curtis
Siddhartha Dalal
Clyde Derrick
Ashok Desai
Verde Dickey
Brianne Donaldson
Don Donaldson
Bruce Dyer
Chad Dyer
Duane L. Dyer
Ken Dyer
Natalie Dymchenko
Alexis Easton
Clay Edmands
Frank Ellsworth
Virgil Elsberry
Darrell Ezell
Patricia Farris
Michelle Fell
Barbara Ferguson
Nina Fernando
Tamar Frankiel
James Gates
Kevin Goetz
William Gotthold
Mel Gottlieb
Virginia Green
Lowell Grieves
Michael A. Harnar
Jennifer Hooten
Jon D. Hooten
Joseph C. Hough
William Hrinko
Larry Hughes
Ron W. Hyrchuk
Nora B. Jacob
Anudeep Jain
Vandana Jain
Ronald Johnson
Thomas Johnson
Donna L. Jones
Charles Jordan
Mark Juergensmeyer
Luke Kao
Subhash Khara
James King
Ryan Kirkhart
Eric Knorr
Charles Koch
Brjinder Kochhar
Charles Kunkel
Janice Lau
Mark Lee
Stanley W. Levy
David C. Lincoln
Kathryn J. Lincoln
Anandrao Lingayat
Becky Loosen
John Lubans
Julie Madorsky
Anil Malhotra
Charles M. Manley
Jasbir Singh Mann
Philip F. McKean
Brian McLaren
Madeline S. McMillen
Margaret McNulty
Amy Medina
Shrikant Mehta
Paul Mitchell
Pedram Mizana
Jasvant Modi
Pravin J. Mody
Ellie Montazeri
Judy Moravitz
Chad J. Nash
Jonathan Oskins
Lonnie Ostrom
Martha Ostrom
Allen L. Parker
Narendra Parson
Gordhan Patel
Mark Payne
Claudia Pearce
Arthur L. Peterson
Lorena Petzoid
Jon Piehl
Jim Porter
Julia Price
Scott Price
Thomas Prince
Ijaz Qayyum
Nayeem Qureshi
Linda Rabitoy
Eric Rainbolt
Brenton Reading
Deniene Rivenburg
Anne Rivero
John Roberts
James Rogers
Steven Rogers
George Roleder
Rex S. Romeiser
Terri Rosett
Ali Sahabi
Harvinder Sahota
Jay Sample
Nancy Sample
Amee Shah
Manahar Shah
Mitul V. Shah
Nitin Shah
Rika Shah
Siddharth Shah
Robert Sheldon
Ravinder Sidhu
Carol S. Siegel
Navjot Singh
Dorothy L. Smith
Richard K. Smith
Tom Smith
Patsy S. Spatz
Kenneth Stevens
Karl R. Stutterheim
Valerie Thelma Todd
Hoa Tran
Jihad Turk
Vincent Turner
Stephanie Varnon-Hughes
Rohak Vora
Mahesh Wadher
Charles Wagner
Lorraine Wagner
Darius Wampler
Leah Wells
Dexter M. Welton
Robert Wiens
Hugh Wire
Jane Woodward
Ronald Yates
Jacob Zighelboim
Companies &
Foundations
A White And Yellow Cab
Alleve Animal Hospital
Amazonsmile Foundation
Amercian Academy Of
Religion
Aromatique Skin & Body
Care
Arthur Vining Davis
Foundations
AS&F Foundation
Bruddhamouse Emporium
California Community
Foundation
Chautauqua Institution
Chesed, Inc.
Jungcho
Church Publishing
Incorporated
Claremont Community
Foundation
Cottage Pet Hospital, Inc.
Council for a Parliament of
the World’s Religions
Derby Community
Foundation
Deutsche Bank
Dharma Civilization
Foundation, Inc.
Fiesta Village
Flappers
Foothill Independent
Bancorp
Foundation for Indic
Philosophy and Culture
Indian Film Festival of Los
Angeles
Jain Academic Foundation
of North America
Jain Center of Southern
California
Jain Conference CashOnsite Registration
James Irvine Foundation
John Templeton
Foundation
Laemmle Theatres
Laguna Hills Korean
United Methodist Church
Laser Island
Lenox World Mission, Inc.
Lilly Endowment, Inc.
Mahavir Vision, Inc.
Pandya Jain Family
Foundation
Pico Rivera Animal
Hospital, Inc.
Ron and Cheryl Howard
Family Foundation
S R H Management
Scandia Amusement Park
Scottrade, Inc.
Sequoia Capital
Operations, Llc.
Silicon Valley Community
Foundation Edison
International
Somaiya Foundation
Speedzone
Stanislawski & Harrison,
CPAs
State of California
Superior Realty
Teagle Foundation
The Ahmanson
Foundation
The Hugh and Hazel
Darling Foundation
The Prem and Sandhya
Jain Family Foundation
The Press Restaurant
The Stuart Foundation
The Uberoi Foundation
for Religious Studies
The Whitman Institute
Union On Yale
Wm. Keck Foundation
Weingart Foundation
19
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NEWS
CLU Appoints University’s First Alumni President
Catherine Curtis, (Master in
Ethical Leadership, 2014), was
appointed this year as the very
first President of Claremont
Lincoln University’s Alumni
Association – a position she says
she looks forward to building on
in 2016.
“I am honored by this
appointment, and excited to
contribute to the design and
launch of CLU’s new alumni association,” she said. “I envision
the association as a place where CLU’s creative and dynamic
graduates can continue to grow, exchange ideas, and remain
engaged after their coursework is complete.”
As a student and alumna, Curtis has been steadfastly involved
in the CLU scene, attending events, promoting the university
and supporting fellow students. Throughout her affiliation with
CLU, she has been a frequent supporter of the university,
an ardent ambassador and liaison, and friend to many CLU
students, faculty and staff.
She is looking forward to hearing from students and alumni
interested in brainstorming ideas for the new group. To reach
her, email [email protected].
CLU ALUMNA PROFILE
Alumna Finds Success Comes Best from the Heart
Jessica Smyser (Master in Ethical
Leadership, 2015) has a job title
that many people would envy.
As Director of Relationships and
Reciprocity at the Academy for
the Love of Learning in Santa
Fe, New Mexico, her position
reflects a life that is driven
by heart, and a career with a
nonprofit whose mission is to
nurture wonder, curiosity and
critical thought.
Her work has been transformational in sparking ongoing
conversations with community about the nature of leadership
through public events and video. Participants in this dialogue
have included Academy President Aaron Stern, Gloria Steinem,
Alice Walker, Dr. Chung Hyun Kyung, and many others.
Her experience with CLU’s Master’s in Ethical Leadership
program has helped her to become focused on her place in the
world and where she is headed in the future, she said. “I entered
the program to be a more responsive leader,” she explained.
“Now, I’m finding that becoming a leader is no longer a career
move, it’s a ‘me’ move. I am no longer becoming. I am being.
Leadership may happen organically, but it’s no longer the goal.”
Mindfulness has been an important tool in her own life, she
said, and the practice is helping her in the business world.
“I’m trying to move away from spread sheets and market
research. I’m thinking more about how do I connect with
people in order to find their true voice?”
Jessica said she’s privileged to work for a place where that’s
accepted. “The MEL program gave me the tools, knowledge
and opportunity to explore leadership,” she said, “and I apply it
every day.”
Save These Dates
JANUARY
S helton Park Community Performance Stage Ribbon
Cutting Ceremony — January 9, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m., Corner of
Harvard Ave. and Bonita Ave. in Downtown Claremont
20
APRIL
Weekend Gathering — April 8-9 (times and locations TBA)
Graduation Ceremony — April 10 (time and location TBA)
To receive updates and to be added to our mailing list please
visit ClaremontLincoln.org/news — Thank You!
37%
47%
Male
Female
CLU STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS 2015
37%
Male
16%
Not stated
GENDER
16%
Not stated
Program Enrollment
Residence
CLU students learn alongside one another in the Claremont
Core, taking an advanced sequence of courses in Mindfulness,
Dialogue, Collaboration, and Change. Each cohort then
pursues its own course of study in Ethical Leadership,
Interfaith Action, and Social Impact.
Our current students represent a growing population of rich and diverse perspectives
from around the world. Our roots are in Claremont, CA, but our reach is global.
37%
M.A. in Ethical Leadership (MEL)
28%
M.A. in Interfaith Action (MIFA)
35%
M.A. in Social Impact (MSI)
37%
Ethical Leadership
Social
Impact
28%
RESIDENCE
Interfaith
Action
8%
International
Student Diversity
The majority of our students
are working professionals,
balancing career, family, and
community activities. They
are multi-generational, each
bringing a unique perspective
to the classroom discussion.
25
30
35
40
RACE/ETHNICITY
8%
from outside U.S.
Majors
Undergraduate Degrees Only
Range
24–74 yrs.
50
55
60
65
25%
70
Graduate Degrees (Master’s/Doctorate)
3.2
44%
Avg. G.P.A.
21%
er
ic
A an I
la n
sk di
A
fri
a an
N o
ca
at r
H
n
Ra
iv
i
A
s
ce
pa
e
m
er
ni
an
c
ic
d
o
a
n
Et
fa
hn
ny
ic
ra
ity
ce
Tw
U
nk
o
or
no
w
m
n
or
e
ra
ce
s
W
hi
te
12%
Industries
American Lit and Chicano Studies
American Sign Language
Anthropology/Psychology/Sociology
Arts Management
Business Administration
Communications
Counseling
Design
Engineering
Gender, Women, and Sexuality
Health Science
History
Human Performance
Human Services/Social Work
Law
Music Performance
Nursing
Organizational Leadership
Philosophy
Political Studies
Public Administration
Religious Studies/Theology/Ministry
Spanish
Speech Communications
Urban Studies and Planning
A
m
Our students represent a cross-section of professionals and experts in a growing number of
industries, spanning the private sector, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and
faith-based institutions.
4%
Bl
ac
k
or
37%
from other states
75%
16%
4%
54%
from California
mean
median
45
International
While most students are earning their first graduate
degree at CLU, one-fourth of our students have already
attained a graduate degree from another institution.
Among these are MBA, MA/MS, JD, PhD, and other
professional degrees.
38 yrs.
33 yrs.
United States
Education
Our vision is founded on the conviction that the world’s great philosophical, religious
and ethical traditions are deep wells of wisdom for bringing people together to address
perennial social problems. Our new educational approach immerses students in a
dynamic learning community and encourages the exploration
of diverse beliefs, values and traditions.
AGE
8%
U.S.
ENROLLMENT
35%
92%
92%
Aerospace
Beauty/Cosmetics
Consulting
Education
Engineering
Government
Healthcare
Insurance
Manufacturing
Military
Nonprofit
Pharmaceutical,
Medical & Biotech
Publishing
Real Estate
Religious
GENDER
47%
Female
37%
47%
Male
Female
37%
Male
16%
Not stated
GENDER
16%
Not stated
Residence
Our current students represent a growing population of rich and diverse perspectives
from around the world. Our roots are in Claremont, CA, but our reach is global.
21
Claremont Lincoln University is a graduate university
that provides innovative educational offerings with a
global imperative. Students will develop capacities for
compassionate leadership across social sectors. In an
interconnected age, these individuals will engage in
dialogue and collaboration across cultural, ideological,
religious and economic perspectives. We achieve our
mission with three areas of advanced inquiry and
practice: ethical leadership, interfaith action, and social
impact. Our students will integrate self-knowledge
with critical perspectives and contemporary skills to
create sustainable social change.
250 West First Street, Suite 330, Claremont CA 91711
Ph: 909-667-4400 email: [email protected]
Visit us online at ClaremontLincoln.org
Twitter: C_Lincoln_Univ Facebook: claremontlincoln
Claremont Lincoln University has been recognized as a Candidate for Accreditation by the WASC Senior College and University Commission and each of CLU’s degree programs has been
approved by the WSCUC, 985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501, 510.748.9001.This status is a preliminary affiliation with the Commission awarded for a maximum period of four
years. Candidacy is an indication that the institution is progressing toward accreditation. Candidacy is not accreditation and does not ensure eventual accreditation.