Archives

Since 1882, Pacific Union College has been preparing students for a lifetime of service to God and humanity. From April 25-27, the college welcomed alumni back to its Angwin, Calif., campus to celebrate that heritage, share special memories, and to recognize the impact of PUC graduates. During the Homecoming Weekend festivities, the college recognized a group of alumni that have made significant contributions as the 2014 Honored Alumni. The annual Honored Alumni awards are given to individuals who are truly representatives of the PUC Pioneer spirit, and this year’s recipients were no exception. During Sabbath morning worship service, PUC President Heather J. Knight, Ph.D., presented the first award to the 2014 awardees. First to be honored was Lawrence Longo, M.D., pioneering researcher and founder and emeritus director of the Center for Perinatal Biology at Loma Linda University. Longo graduated from PUC in 1949, and established the Frank A. and Florine A. Longo Lecture series at his alma mater in 1993. Though Longo was unable to attend the service, his daughter Celeste de Tessan came to accept the award on her father’s behalf. The next recipient was Joe L. Wheeler, Ph.D., a 1959 graduate of PUC’s history department and a beloved...

Spring vacation can be a much-needed rest for Pacific Union College students who have just completed final exams after a tough ten weeks of winter quarter. Yet, each year groups of students give up their opportunity to spend time with family and take a break. These students, motivated by the desire to give back and serve God, spend their time away from school having a mission-oriented adventure in places far and wide. From March 20-30, a group of 15 PUC students, joined by PUC service and missions coordinator Fabio Maia and professor of biology Floyd Hayes, flew to Manaus, Brazil to work in Rosa de Sáron, found in the interior of Manaus Amazonas. The group traveled to this exotic location to build a health clinic, provide water filters and water education, and teach English classes. Some of the students also participated in a tropical biology course led by Dr. Hayes, giving them the opportunity to experience the wildlife of the Amazon first-hand on morning trips along the river and through the jungle. PUC partnered with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) for the service element of the trip. ADRA supports several projects in Rosa de Sáron—including a school, furniture...

The entire campus—students, staff, and faculty—gathered together as a community of faith during Student Week of Prayer. During this special week, April 14-18, students shared personal testimonies that were both relatable and honest as they described how God has changed their lives in the past and directed their future. Eleven student speakers presented to a full church sanctuary each morning and evening, with the exception of Thursday evening, when two students, Brandon Olds and Jaryn Hart, spoke. Pacific Union College hosts a week of spiritual revival every quarter; however, the Week of Prayer during spring quarter is especially significant as it features student speakers sharing about their faith. Hearing peers—both under and lower-classmen—speak openly about their spiritual journeys made the presentations truly relatable and the lessons even more applicable. “It’s amazing how during Fall and Winter Revival we schedule the ‘big guns’ of Adventism: Jose Rojas, Michael Kelly, etc.,” stated PUC Chaplain Laffit Cortes. “However, they do not have the same effect as the students listening to their peers.” The presenters represented diverse areas of study, from film and television to psychology, and each shared their unique spiritual journey, illustrating that despite the different types of issues an individual struggles...

On April 27, Pacific Union College will present the Napa Valley Off-Road Triathlon, an event that will benefit the non-profit organization Clinica Verde. Clinica Verde promotes sustainable health care for the underserved populations of rural Nicaragua. The Triathlon features events for all ages, including a kid’s triathlon, a 5k run/walk, triathlon relay, beginner triathlon, and the individual triathlon. Uniquely, the triathlon includes a mountain bike course instead of a road bike course, much like the popular Xterra series of races. Pre-registration for the race closes on Friday, April 26, and the race-day registration opens at 5:30 AM. The triathlon, relays, and 5k run/walk will begin at 8 AM with the kid’s triathlon beginning at 10 AM. All participants will receive official finish times, finisher medals, and race t-shirts. Three-deep medals will also be given in age divisions. Sponsored by St. Helena Hospital Napa Valley and local businesses including the Calistoga Bike Shop, Sportago, and the Napa Running Company, the race is directed by Fabio Maia, PUC’s service and missions coordinator. For more information and to register, visit www.napavalleyoffroadtriathlon.com....

After dust storms, construction, and more than 40 hoursof driving, a group from Pacific Union College can say that they experienced aunique, service-focused spring break. Eschewing the typical college studenttrips home or to the beach, this group of students spent ten days, March 21-31, working with a small church in the Navajo heartland.Sixteen students and one staff member from Pacific UnionCollege spent their spring break in Chinle, Ariz., in the center of a Navajoreservation. The group was invited to by Pastor Dale Wolcott of the ChinleSeventh-day Adventist Church, and focused their efforts on installing a new roofon the church. The group’s efforts, declared a blessing by Pastor Wolcott, helpthe church keep its long-term commitment to the local community.Along with providing laborers, PUC was also able todonate $3,000 to the project. With the help of Al, a roofer from Michigan whosupervised the project, a large portion of the work on the church wascompleted. Despite high winds and a heavy dust storm in Chinle, the group wasable to remove the old, damaged roof and begin installing a new metal roof thatwill last for years to come and give many people a place to become acquaintedwith Jesus.In addition to working on the roof...