Criminal justice professor draws colleagues into Christian community and service
After years of feeling alone as a Christian professor on campus, Dr. Laurie Kubicek assembled a supportive group of believing faculty and staff. In the spring of 2015, they launched the Christian Faculty and Staff Network at California State University, Sacramento (Sacramento State).
Colleagues describe Dr. Kubicek as a people gatherer, a charismatic magnet, a visionary connector, and an energetic encourager dedicated to following Jesus in every area of life. She is the key contact and catalyst for this group.
Shari Bedker explains: “One night, I was at a committee meeting at church. In walked Laurie Kubicek. We recognized each other from Sacramento State. By the end of the evening, she invited me to the Christian Faculty and Staff Network.”
When Dr. Kyle Watters arrived on campus, Laurie invited him to the monthly Christian faculty meeting. “It’s unlikely our paths would have crossed had it not been for that Christian group on campus,” Kyle admitted.
Soon, the group members realized they were no longer alone on campus.
They discovered encouragement and strength from the monthly Christian faculty meetings, twice-weekly prayer walks, and weekly email connections. In 2021, Laurie joined the Faculty Fellows cohort sponsored by Faculty Commons. This group of 40 professors from around the country meets monthly online to share ideas and resources—and for encouragement—from each other and Faculty Commons coaches.
Kyle welcomes the ministry ideas Laurie brings back to their group, such as distributing Welcome Baskets to new faculty. He now personally helps deliver them. These Welcome Baskets include an invitation to the group, and some have joined this year.
In 2022, one of the weekly faculty prayer walks grew to include staff and students. At the final prayer walk of the semester, one student tearfully shared: “This prayer walk was the most important part of my week. I would sit in class, waiting for the clock to strike noon because I was so excited to come and pray with this group!”
When David ZagRodny, the local Faculty Commons representative, first met Laurie, she wanted to learn more about integrating her faith in the classroom. “There are several topics in law, as we use the Socratic method of discussion, where I can carefully introduce legal questions that cause students to think,” explains Laurie. “I create a logical conundrum and have them discuss both sides. Then I’m available to present a Christian worldview answer when asked.”
“God is using Laurie to let her students know He is alive and active on our campus,” reported Shari Bedker. “Christian students and seekers know she’s a professor who will listen and answer their questions about Jesus.”
Faculty Profile:
Dr. Laurie Kubicek
Professor of Criminal Justice
California State University, Sacramento
