1996

Pacific Union College's men's soccer team won 3-1 over the University of the Pacific Tigers on Sunday, October 6, at the Tiger's home field. The Pioneers also won 16-0 over Cal Maritime Academy at PUC's home game Tuesday, Oct. 1. "The team has improved a lot since last year," says head coach Isaias Jacobo. "I think our off-season practices helped to increase our stamina and ball handling skills. We play a passing game, which emphasizes a lot of control, and we're getting better at it," he said....

October 10 marks the anniversary of the completion of the Pacific Union College Church's Rieger Organ. At the school's chapel service on this date, the anniversary was celebrated as professor of music Del Case performed music on the world class organ which he had played fifteen years earlier in the instrument's dedicatory recital. A technical and visual masterpiece, the $250,000 Rieger organ is the result of a project which was 18 years in the making. The first commitment by Pacific Union College to build a pipe organ was made in 1963, but insufficient finances and difficulties with the chosen organ company delayed the plans. In 1977 the college was able to pursue the project again, appointing a committee to make recommendations for a builder and for the design. The first task was resolved when, after extensive study, Rieger Orgelbau of Austria was selected from the fifteen North American and European builders considered. The organ was constructed in Schwarzach, Austria, of materials ranging from African mahogany, Austrian spruce, and ivory, to steel beams for internal support. A French approach was taken in the design, which makes use of 58 stops, eight couplers and eight combination stops. Case, who was in charge...

Pacific Union College's Rasmussen Art Gallery presents "Cloudland: Recent Photographs" by alumnus and staff member C. James Reeder ('92), September 28-October 20. In this exhibition, Reeder communicates what he calls "the magical transformation that extraordinary light brings to the most ordinary things." The opening reception takes place on September 28, from 7-9 p.m. The Rasmussen Art Gallery is open from 1-5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Admission is free....

The Pacific Union College Pioneer soccer team played their first home game on Sunday, September 22, with the visiting University of the Pacific Tigers. The match, which was a non-league game, ended in a tie, 2-2. "The game started off well with good passes and ball handling," said Don Anderson, a junior midfielder. PUC was up 2-1 with three minutes to go in the second half when UOP picked up the pace and tied the game. Junior defenseman Rick Mann said playing high caliber teams like UOP do more for the Pioneers than just boost intensity. "It's more of a learning experience in seeing other schools work together--what their strategies are," said Mann. "It benefits our team because we learn how to play together, support each other, and recognize our skills." "I think we're getting better with each game," said Satish Joshi, a sophomore defenseman. The Pioneers will play Pacific Christian College at their next home game on Friday, September 27, at 2 p.m. This is PUC's first year as a member of the California Pacific Conference (CAL-PAC) league, an affiliate of the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). PUC currently has a 1-0 record in league standings....

I think all people have moments in their lives when they ask, 'Why me?' This was my moment," Pam Thum stated, referring to her personal questioning about God, which ultimately resulted in a spiritual breakthrough and her third Benson project, Feel the Healing. Thum will perform in concert at the Pacific Union College Church at 8 p.m. on October 18, 1996. Thum's debut on the contemporary Christian music scene has been likened to a "Cinderella story," as her 1993 album scored numerous hit songs, for which she received a Dove Award nomination for New Artist of the Year. Touring extensively nationwide and abroad, Thum soon saw her songs hit the pop charts in South Africa, where she was named Best International Female Artist by a popular music magazine. This success was followed by the release of her second album, Faithful, which received further acclaim. However, success blurred Thum's vision of her ministry. "I was spinning so fast, trying to grasp everyone else's vision of who I am-but I neglected God's image," she disclosed. It was necessary for her once again to learn to lean on God, and the creation of Thum's third album taught her just that. This spiritual breakthrough...

Pacific Union College senior history and government major Todd Blum recently completed a two-month summer internship in Washington, D.C., for Republican U.S. Representative Frank Riggs. Blum became active in the political scene in 1992, when he worked as a volunteer assistant in Republican Bev Hansen's campaign for State Senate. It wasn't until the end of 1995 that Representative Riggs' Napa District Office contacted Pacific Union College's history department with a request for a student volunteer. Blum was notified of the request, he applied, and was then accepted as a volunteer assistant. Blum spent some of his time at Rigg's Napa District Office researching legislative issues and relaying the information to concerned constituents. As time progressed and he established a hard working reputation, Congressman Riggs asked Blum to be his "shadow" at various fundraisers throughout the Napa Valley. Blum's dedication paid off when the Washington summer internship arose and he was accepted out of a number of other qualified applicants in the district. Blum became part of Riggs' integral team, doing everything from stuffing envelopes to summarizing legislative bills that were presented to various commitees and ultimately to the House floor. Being on the inside of the political scene gave Blum...

Two Pacific Union College students have been selected as United Parcel Service Scholars. Michelle Konn, a senior journalism and communication major, and Erik Lundstrom, a sophomore business major, will each be the recipient of a $2,650 scholarship provided by the UPS Foundation's educational endowment fund. The opportunity for involvement in a summer internship program at a UPS distribution center will also be available to the students. The UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of United Parcel Service, originally established the educational fund with a $4.2 million endowment in 1974. Since that time, more than $17 million has been provided in scholarships and student aid. The fund, which is administered by the Chicago-based Foundation for Independent Higher Education, has grown this year to provide nearly $1.5 million in scholarships and financial aid to 599 of the nation's private colleges and universities. Selection of the UPS Scholars is determined independently on each campus. PUC evaluated students involved in course work which could be practically applied in a UPS internship program, focusing on the business and communication departments. Konn and Lundstrom were chosen based on GPA and financial need. Said Lundstrom, "The award is exciting because it could lead to good business experience." Konn...

For the third year in a row, U.S. News and World Report has ranked Pacific Union College among the top ten western regional liberal arts colleges in the United States. In its tenth annual America's Best Colleges issue, which came out on September 9, U.S. News ranked Pacific Union College sixth in its category of western regional liberal arts colleges. U. S. News also ranked Pacific Union College eighth in its list of best discount values for western regional liberal arts colleges. The best value rankings, which came out in a special section of the September 23 issue of U.S. News, relate the cost of attending an institution to its quality. To determine its overall rankings, U.S. News tallied the results of 2,730 surveys of college presidents, deans, and admissions directors. The resulting reputational rankings, which were counted as 25% of the overall score, were combined with educational data dealing with the following measures of academic quality: student selectivity (15%), faculty resources (20%), financial resources (10%), retention rate (25% for regional schools like PUC), and alumni giving (5%). The best value rankings identify where students can get the best education for the money. U.S. News calculated value in two separate...

The PUC Lady Pioneers played Simpson College during PUC's second league match of the year. The Pioneers lost in four sets, 13-15, 15-7, 10-15, 9 15. They have a 1-3 overall record with a 0-2 record in league standings. With only four returning players from last year, this 14-member squad is working to build communication and team unity. "We are a very young team and there are areas that we can improve on," said coach Bob Paulson. "We're fortunate to have so many talented players this year," said senior team captain Michelle Konn. "With a little time, we should be playing to our maximum potential. Right now, we're just learning how to adjust to each other."...

For many, reaching sweet 16 is a milestone in life. For Jaci Velasquez, the newest and youngest artist on the Myrrh Records' roster, it means another year of travel in support of her new album Heavenly Place. The contemporary Christian musician will perform in concert at the Pacific Union College amphitheater at 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 21, 1996. At age 16, Velasquez is an ordinary teenager with abundance of energy, dreams, and ambitions. What makes her unique is her voice, which has been likened to that of an up-and-coming Whitney Houston, and her wish to minister through music. "I've always known what I wanted from life. I think I know what I want out of my ministry. I want to go and reach people my age-people that maybe even a youth pastor couldn't reach," Velasquez said. Velasquez has been recording and performing since age ten. She won a contest over 3,000 other entrants in an entertainment pageant at age 11, and she sang at the White House before she turned 13. The roots of Velasquez's musical talent are in her family, which has been active in both music and speaking ministry. She has sung as a part of her...