About PUC

President's Welcome Your time here at PUC will be a life-transforming experience. Set on beautiful Howell Mountain, PUC will prepare you not just for that first job, but for your life beyond. Our “Christ-centered” education means Christianity pervades and informs our whole campus. Our “spiritual environment” is not something switched on for Friday night or on special occasions. Jesus Christ shapes our assumptions, our questions, and our world view. This is a place to ponder God’s calling for your life, make lifelong friends, and discover what really matters. Welcome to the college on the mountain. I look forward to meeting you soon at PUC.

The mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is to call all people to become disciples of Jesus Christ, to proclaim the everlasting gospel embraced by the three angels’ messages (Revelations 14:6-12), and to prepare the world for Christ’ soon return.

Pacific Union College is a Seventh-day Adventist learning community offering an excellent Christ-centered education that prepares its students for productive lives of useful human service and uncompromising personal integrity.

PUC is part of the Adventist Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU), with 12 other Adventist colleges located across North America.

PUC provides advantages of a larger university with the added benefits of a Christian community. Mission trips, a variety of worship options, service-learning opportunities, and spiritual leadership positions strengthen students’ relationship with God.

When the school moved to Angwin in 1909, they made sure to bring a few things with them. Among the precious school heirlooms was the original college bell. One of PUC’s most beloved traditions is the ringing of the Healdsburg Bell. Graduating seniors rush to the bell tower and ring the bell after finishing their last college final. It’s something everyone looks forward to!

In the heart of campus lies Pioneer Pete’s favorite boulder. Keep your eye on it because throughout the year it will change! From President Cushman’s face to an effigy of our beloved palm tree, you never know what you’ll see.

We aren’t sure exactly how it started, but it’s been a tradition at PUC for many years to throw tortillas in the air during the graduation ceremony. Bring some cheese and make a quesadilla while you wait to hear your graduate’s name called!

PUC is proud to host several prestigious lectures each year, such as the bi-annual Heubach Lecture; the bi-annual Longo Lecture; and the annual lecture of the Percy and John Christian Civil Rights Conference Center. These lectures bring prominent leaders on campus to share their experiences and expertise from their respective disciplines to the college community.

PUC has partnered with the Land Trust of Napa County to permanently protect, preserve, and manage over 800 acres of the college’s forestland, ensuring its enjoyment for future generations. Ride your bike, take a hike, or simply take a stroll through over 30 miles of PUC’s back 40 property and appreciate God’s gift to Angwin.

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The Pitcairn Islands Study Center houses the world’s largest collection of information about “The Bounty Saga,” the famed 1789 mutiny on H.M.S. Bounty and its aftermath. Founded in 1977, the Center contains over 1,600 books relating to Captain William Bligh, his ship, the Bounty; and to Pitcairn and Norfolk islands, the two Pacific isles on which most of the descendants of the Bounty mutineers now live.

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If you’re interested in seeing some incredible works of art, you won’t want to miss the Rasmussen Art Gallery. Several times a quarter, a new exhibit opens at the college’s on-campus art gallery, which often features students, faculty, and other local artists. The opening reception is a chance to meet the artists, mingle with other guests, and enjoy some tasty snacks while appreciating the talent on display.

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Rich with history, heritage, and childhood memories, the Maxwell Reading Room is the result of a gift from the Maxwell family, including material given by the late Malcolm Maxwell, a beloved former president of PUC. The collection of material celebrates the legacy of Malcolm’s father, Arthur S. Maxwell, and especially his contribution to Adventist children’s literature. The collection gives people an opportunity for nostalgia with first editions of Uncle Arthur’s volumes, as well as original hand-written and typed manuscripts.

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