Homecoming: Reminiscing the PUC Experience

Pacific Union College was excited to welcome back over 250 alumni to Howell Mountain during Homecoming weekend. From April 18-19, alumni reconnected with the campus community and friends through endless events, activities, and gatherings.

The weekend began on Friday afternoon with Pioneer games of men's and women’s volleyball and basketball, which were newly included this year. As more people made their way to campus throughout the afternoon, a Pioneer dinner was held before vespers to continue welcoming alumni. PUC Chaplain Arturo Lopez welcomed everyone at vespers before alumnae Kathryn (Hopgood) Sculatti and Elle Wheeler led the congregation in the school song, “Our College on the Mountain”.

The speaker for the night was alumna Pastor Samantha Angeles Peralta, who was also the guest speaker for PUC’s Week of Worship in the days before Homecoming. She spoke about feeling homesick during her college years, but expressed how PUC shaped her and many others through the community they all built. With the celebration of Homecoming, she emphasized the true homecoming to Heaven.

On Saturday, alumni Pastor Joey Oh spoke during Sabbath school and began with a quiz to test everyone’s PUC knowledge. He showed photos of famous Adventists, such as Ellen White, Joseph Bates, and J.N. Andrews, to have people guess who they were, and he also threw in a baby photo of PUC President Ralph Trecartin. With the introduction of photos, he focused on how people are constantly changing, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally.

During church service, Vice President for Alumni and Advancement, and alum, Carlos Garcia, presented this year’s honored alumni by sharing biographies of their lives and service, while Trecartin presented their awards. Those honored this year included Bruce Anderson, '60, for his work as a psychiatrist and leadership roles in the PUC and Napa Valley community; Duane Wall, '69, for his journalism, Army service, and establishing the Wall Family Endowed Scholarship Fund with his sister Alice to support students; Dale Galusha, '82, for his pastoral ministry and work as president of Pacific Press; and Justin Wilson, '03, for his music career and dedication to church ministry.

PUC Communication Professor Dr. Tammy McGuire recognized the last honoree, Andy Bishop, '15, who tragically passed away in 2021. He loved sports and people, dreaming of becoming a sports broadcaster one day, which he pursued by broadcasting high school football games and creating his own sports website and podcast, “Best Coast Sports Connection.” Bishop loved serving others, volunteered with Big Brothers, coached high school basketball, and participated in mission trips. His legacy lives on through the Andy Bishop Scholarship, supporting students passionate about sports, broadcasting, and community service. Bishop’s parents, Doug and Lori Bishop, and his sister, Maddie, accepted his award. Afterwards, Sylvia Rasi Gregorutti, professor of world languages, paid tribute and read the names of other alumni who passed away last year.

“Alumni weekend is always filled with multiple affirmations for the PUC experience,” said Trecartin. “We hear great stories about our former students and their academic exploits, their practical jokes, the kindness and wisdom of their work supervisors, and the loves that they have gained and sometimes the loves that they have now lost.”

For the sermon, alumni George Knight titled his message, “I Wonder Why: A PUC Question”, saying there are many questions about the college, such as why it was built on top of Howell Mountain. “My conclusion is it’s 10 miles from the nearest known sin,” Knight said. With laughter from the audience, he continued about the history of Adventism, starting in 1847, and how the number of believers and colleges grew throughout the years. With that, he wondered why Adventists built colleges everywhere they went. Throughout his message, Knight talked about having faith and salvation in Jesus as it determines how one will live, tying it to the mission and message PUC has and shares before He comes.

Sabbath afternoon had many activities, including department open houses, a student art show at the Rasmussen Art Gallery, and a gathering for friends of Walter Utt at the Nelson Memorial Library Utt Center. Later, the Wilson family had a concert at Dauphinee Chapel, followed by a club food festival—an addition this year—and honored class parties. This year's honored classes were 1955, 1965, 1975, 1985, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2015.

“Homecoming was a success,” said DeAnna Cordis, director of alumni relations and stewardship. Jenica Nieto, alumni and advancement database manager, also said, “We wanted to show alumni that we still have a sense of tradition and “Pioneer pride.” We wanted them to know that we care about their alumni experience and are constantly looking for ways to create opportunities for engagement and connection. We wanted them to enjoy the opportunity to reconnect with their peers and reflect on “the old days.”

She shared that they especially wanted to cater to younger alumni to ensure they felt included in the festivities. “There were even a few alumni from within five years who returned to play in the Pioneer Games,” she shared. “I thought it was so special, as sometimes our young alumni can feel forgotten or overlooked.”

Another thing Cordis and Nieto were intentional about was having PUC students involved during the weekend, such as planning Vespers and activities. “Homecoming weekend is not just about alumni,” Nieto said. “It’s about everyone who has experienced life at PUC and finds identity in being part of the PUC family.”

Throughout the weekend, Nieto and Cordis received wonderful comments from alumni, such as how above and beyond they went and how great it was to speak with the president and new staff. They also appreciated PUC students, welcomed them, and asked them about their time in college. “We couldn't believe it,” one alumnus shared. “When we were students at PUC and they had Alumni Weekend, we would say, ‘Oh no, here comes a group of old people.’ We don't ever remember talking to any of them. We were impressed.”

“Through all the stories and anecdotes we hear the theme of our PUC mission and our efforts to support life-long disciples of Jesus Christ,” said Trecartin. “We are so grateful for our alumni as they show by example how to live lives of purpose and for coming back to affirm and encourage those of us committed to carrying forward this important mission. We love our current students and are immensely proud of our alumni.”