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Throughout his 31 years at AdventHealth, becoming CEO of a major health system was not necessarily a role David Banks aspired to hold — but his leadership roles in hospital administration, divisional oversight, and as chief strategy officer prepared him well when the CEO opportunity emerged. For Banks, the timing aligned with where he was in life and career — and where the organization was heading.“I'm really grateful to work with a mission-driven Board of Directors and AdventHealth team, and to have the partnership of our sponsor organization, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, within our mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ through whole-person care," said Banks. "For me and many others at the organization, I see the ways Adventist education prepared us for today's work, which requires a strong foundation."Banks regularly meets with leaders, caregivers, the Board, and team members in the service of AdventHealth's mission. He invests time connecting with church sponsors, who are an essential part of AdventHealth, and talks with team members to ensure the company is advancing its mission, meeting industry needs, and advocating for those they serve who need access to care, ranging from rural to more populated communities.Originally from Sonora, CA, Banks immersed...

Holding these titles is very special and significant for PUC, especially for the women’s team, which placed in the conference despite having a hard time having a whole team last year. While the team’s season came to a close, three students moved on to the National Association of Intercollegiate (NAIA) at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, FL, on Friday, November 21, breaking personal records.Senior Andrea Maidan and freshman Manami Uyeyama advanced for the women’s team, leading the 6K race, with Maidan speeding to first, finishing in 25:02.78, over three and a half minutes ahead of the other 28 racers, and Uyeyama soaring in right after Maidan in second place with a winning time of 28:37.91. Both new to the team this year, they earned spots in the national qualifying round.Representing the men’s team was senior Andrew Baluyot, who came in sixth place in 31:32.07, and was the only non-Simpson University student to qualify for Nationals. Baluyot earned a spot on the CalPac All-Conference Team and was awarded the league's Champion of Character Award alongside Maiden, who was the CAL-PAX Cross Country Solo Champion. He was also celebrated by representing PUC on the CalPac All-Academic Team as a chemistry major with...

During a discussion of ways to better support Pacific Union College's mission and culture, a group of faculty, staff, and church pastors expressed interest in further developing the campus community. “We knew we wanted to be able to share campus stories with our colleagues specifically, and we started brainstorming ways we could potentially do that,” said Becky St. Clair, director of Paulin Center for the Arts and office manager for the department of music.When Tara Hargrove, chair of the departments of communication and world languages, mentioned the newly created podcast studio in Irwin Hall—built thanks to the support of a passionate donor—the group knew they’d found their outlet.The studio was fully functional and already supported a student-led podcast, so the group now had a storytelling format and a space to use it. Thus, the Unchart(Ed) podcast was born. A team of podcast hosts was created, comprising Hargrove and St. Clair, alongside Department of Theology Chair Jim Wibberding and Associate Pastor for Worship and Administration Lem Garcia.Coming from different areas of campus, the hosts bring diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas, while sharing a common goal: cultivating a campus culture of growth and inspiring innovation, collaboration, and creativity. To support each other’s...

2020 represented a watershed moment for Pacific Union College, as it faced the full weight of a long-term decline. Years of compounding deficits, organizational downsizing, declining enrollment, and ongoing financial strain began to impact operations severely. The board, administrators, and employees questioned whether PUC could continue to exist. Despite several incremental adjustments, the decline continued. In 2020, it was decided that PUC could not continue with business as usual. In 2021, a new vision plan was implemented.The goal was simple and straightforward: recognize our problems and acknowledge the need for significant changes, all while remaining true to Adventism, our historical mission, and the quality of the PUC campus experience.The vision plan was, in large part, an operational strategy centered on stabilizing the institution, all while maintaining our public image, core mission, and historical legacy. Pacific Union College focused on four key areas: renewing our commitment to the Angwin campus, innovating our academic offerings, expanding our reach and market presence by establishing education centers, and developing online programs.The 2025-2030 vision continues to sustain these four pillars, but with five more focused, strategic objectives to further underline the operational steps taken to bring PUC into a prosperous footing:Experiential Learning: prioritizing hands-on learning...

Pacific Union College’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program has again demonstrated its excellence, earning continuing accreditation and 100% compliance from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) through 2033—the maximum length of time between evaluations.ACEN—which evaluates and accredits nursing education programs based on quality and excellence standards—conducted a thorough, three-day review of PUC’s RN-BSN program earlier this year. The scheduled visit was the culmination of a year-and-a-half of preparation by the department’s faculty and leadership, spearheaded by Sandra Ringer, director of the RN-BSN program, and Kimberly Dunker, former dean of Nursing, Health Science, EMS & Global Health.Ringer emphasized the role of teamwork in achieving these outstanding results. “Without such an incredible RN-BSN team, we would not have achieved this milestone. It was a combined effort by a fantastic group of educators,” she said.ACEN accreditation includes an in-depth review of five key standards, including administrative leadership and resources, faculty qualifications, student support services, curriculum quality, and the program’s effectiveness in preparing graduates for the workforce.In addition to meeting rigorous academic quality standards, the ACEN accreditation highlights how PUC’s RN-BSN program prepares students for career growth. “When students are looking for graduate-level programs, our RN-BSN program prepares them to...