PUC Brings a Piece of Home to 62nd General Conference

Every five years, the governing bodies of the Adventist Church come together to worship, choose new leaders, and vote on policies and procedures, all while seeking God’s guidance for the future. This year’s General Conference Session was no different. From July 3 to 12, the Conference convened in St. Louis, Missouri, and in attendance were many representatives of PUC, all of whom left their mark and were undeniably affected by what they experienced.

The atmosphere was collegial, organized, and friendly at every turn, with many excited attendees who were happy to attend the meetings and visit the many booths that were set up. One such booth was our very own, manned by Enrollment Counselors Isabella Malan and Abraham Garrido, both of whom did their best to promote our beloved school to parents, grandparents, and students in attendance. “There was a lot of foot traffic to our booth, and some visited a few days in a row,” said Malan. Much of the foot traffic was a result of interest in the offered majors, and perhaps a campus visit in the future, though, of course, this was all aided by a constant supply of pens, stickers, and bags to give away.

At the forefront of this promotion, however, was the importance and role of higher education, something the college has been very vocal about, with PUC President Ralph Trecartin saying, “Education is a major part of our core mission…We talked at great length about how education can meet the needs of people in our communities, and how we can prepare students for careers of service.” Specifically, the commitment of PUC to the attending students, the desire to see them succeed not only in their chosen careers, but to grow as individuals and spiritually in the light of God’s love, was of the utmost importance to impart to not only the interested students, but to the GC as a whole.

Many connections were made with students, parents, grandparents, and other institutions, who all heard PUC’s latest news. PUC’s church, and the efforts of the theology department, pastoral staff, and chaplain were spoken of with great pride, and the hopes that more good would follow in its wake. The attendees and the PUC representatives palpably felt this hopeful outlook for the future— it was infectious. “The most fun thing was watching our staff talk to students, parents, and grandparents,” said Trecartin. “All of us handed out hundreds of PUC pens and stickers to little boys and girls with big smiles and mischievous grins. There will be thousands of PUC-branded giveaways popping up in the most remote parts of the world. That is fun. We talked to people really interested in our academic programs and to many alumni who would share stories and reminiscences about PUC.”

Beyond all this, though, was the presence of God felt throughout the event. God has said that where two or three gather together in His name, He is present and pours out His blessings on everyone. Here, thousands gathered in the hopes of forging a brighter future for Adventist education, sending up prayers for support and guidance that touch every part of their lives. It is safe to say that with His support, and with the vessels He has chosen with which to work His wonders, PUC’s hopes and dreams for the betterment of the school, students’ education, and growth as people look bright indeed.