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For a week in early August, Pacific Union College Professor of Biology Aimee Wyrick-Brownworth took the students in her Biological Foundations summer class to PUC’s Albion Retreat and Learning Center on the Mendocino coast. The class, which focused heavily on understanding species diversity, implemented outdoor, hands-on lab sessions so students could see how plants and animals had adapted in unique and specific ways to their environment. “The students’ understanding was improved because they could actually see what these animals deal with and the adaptation became an obvious outcome,” said Wyrick. Biomathematics major Taleah Tyrell appreciated the opportunity to get an up-close view of the organisms she’d studied in. “It was great to go to a place and see these organisms we had spent hours memorizing in their natural habitat,” she stated. “It’s one thing to memorize; it’s a completely different thing to see the animals.” In addition to the outstanding academic setting, the students formed new connections with each other. “It was a great opportunity for us all to come to know each other much better,” said Wyrick. “The students really bonded during the week and it felt like a family. Having the group in camp also facilitated learning. There...

Pacific Union College has been honored as a College of Distinction for the 2014-2015 school year. PUC is one of a select group of colleges to earn this prestigious designation, based on its excellence in Four Distinctions: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant campus communities and successful outcomes. High school college counselors and educators nominate colleges and universities for recognition by Colleges of Distinction, which then evaluates each school based on qualitative and quantitative research. The colleges and universities are not ranked and instead are members of a consortium of other equally impressive schools. “It is an honor to be recognized as a college that excels in providing a student-focused education,” shares PUC Vice President for Marketing and Enrollment Services Jennifer Tyner. “In keeping with PUC’s mission, we are committed to offering our students an excellent Christ-centered education that prepares them for productive lives of useful human service and uncompromising personal integrity.” Colleges of Distinction looks beyond rankings and test scores to find colleges that are the ideal places to learn, grow and succeed. The selection process reviews such factors as the school’s first year experience, general education program, experiential components of the curriculum, the strategic plan and alumni success and...

Where better to view the work of the masters than in the hub of European artistic ingenuity itself? That’s exactly what 15 students in Pacific Union College’s Honors Program did this summer when spending four intensive weeks studying art in Florence, Italy. The summer seminar abroad was a combination of lectures, artistic assignments, and tours aiming to provide the students with a comprehensive and contextual idea of “Beauty” (the course’s title) from the medieval age to Modernism. With a huge amount of material to cover, the students worked hard to digest the most information possible in each three-hour class session. “The trip was a once in a lifetime experience to actively learn about art and the pursuit of beauty,” said senior Spanish and music student Rachel Veszpeller. “I learned first-hand how to see ordinary objects how an artist might see them. And to get to know art in Italy was incredible. Especially in Florence, you could almost feel the creativity in the air. It was a challenging trip that opened my eyes to a lot of concepts that I had never encountered before.” Villa Aurora, an Adventist school in Florence, hosted the PUC travelers for the duration of the trip....

An important element of Pacific Union College’s mission is preparing students for productive lives of useful human service, and during the 2013-2014 school year the college further committed to this calling by establishing a formal service-learning program and hiring a service-learning coordinator. “Ultimately, service-learning aims to create a reciprocal relationship between the college and the community in which both students’ learning goals are met, and the community also benefits in a positive way,” explains Alisa Jacobo, PUC’s new service-learning coordinator. Jacobo, a PUC graduate who holds a master’s in social work from the University of Michigan, accepted the new role in addition to her teaching responsibilities as an instructor in the department of psychology and social work. Service-learning is a teaching method that involves service projects selected by the faculty. Projects chosen for a course will addresses a community identified need while simultaneously fulfilling student-learning goals. Students work directly with the local community while receiving assistance from community leaders and a specially chosen professor. In completing the service-learning process, students increase their knowledge of human service while expanding their viewpoint about their own involvement in the community. Although PUC has always been dedicated to including service as part of its...

Academically outstanding students in grades seven to ninegot a weeklong taste of college life from July 20-25 at PacificQuest, PUC’sannual summer program. During the week, the 19 PacificQuest campers livedon-campus and experienced college-level coursework.“The mission behind PacificQuest is to provide academicallygifted junior-high students with an opportunity to collaboratively exploretopics that they may not have the opportunity to engage in otherwise within thetraditional school curriculum—all while getting a small taste of PUC campusculture!” shared PacificQuest Academic Director Tauva Hellie.Students participated in two courses, a core class and anelective option. This year’s core class was Music and Storytelling, taught byRachelle Davis, professor of music and chair of the department of music. Thecourse explored the fundamental elements that are used to express emotion andtell stories through music. At the awards program on July 25, groups ofstudents demonstrated what they had learning by sharing short videos thatutilized carefully chosen music.In addition to the Music and Storytelling course, studentschose between The Legacy of Graphic Design: Leave Your Mark and Physics: Beyonda Mere Observation, both challenging and inspiring options for the buddingintellectuals in attendance.In The Legacy of Graphic Design course, students learnedabout the exciting history of graphic design through hands-on learning and techniquesincluding calligraphy, bookmaking, and...