Archives

Over 20 Pacific Union College students gave up their spring break to work on construction, health, and education projects on a service trip to Empalme De Boaco, Nicaragua, March 23-31. The trip is part of a partnership between PUC and Developing Communities, Inc., a non-profit group founded in 1988 by PUC alumnus Jake Scheideman. In Empalme de Boaco, students worked with locals to rebuild and renovate the town’s clinic, which had fallen into disrepair. While providing care for residents’ basic health needs, the clinic will also serve as a base of operations for future medical work as Developing Communities and PUC pursue a long-term commitment to the town. “Initially, I heard it was a medical trip; I wanted to go and get some experience,” said sophomore pre-med biology student Meena Kim. “Then they told us we were building a clinic. Regardless of whether I would be doing the actual medical work, I went because we would be providing the assets and the means for them to better their healthcare system.” At the clinic, the students worked with residents of Empalme De Boaco to replace the building’s old tin roof, which had been damaged by a bat infestation. The group also...

For many students, spring break means sunny beaches, fun with friends, quality time with family, or maybe just a quiet week of relaxation. For about 19 Pacific Union College students, however, it meant a week of hard work on a service trip to the former Bennet Freeze in the Navajo Nation, near Flagstaff, Arizona. The trip, which took place from March 23-31, was planned by the Pacific Union College chapter of Project Pueblo, a student-run organization founded at the University of California at Berkeley in 2009. The organization aims to help alleviate the effects of the Bennet Freeze and improve living conditions in the Navajo Nation. This is the second PUC Project Pueblo trip; the first took place over winter break. “The trip helped people restore their homes after the lifting of the Freeze in 2009,” explained Lorie Johns, PUC’s nursing student success advisor, who accompanied students on the trip. “It’s about supporting people as they are working to rebuild and better their living situation.” The Bennet Freeze was a federal policy enacted in 1966 prohibiting any building—even basic repairs—on a 1.5 million-acres portion of Navajo territory.The Freeze resulted in decades of crumbling infrastructure in the affected areas and was...

At Thursday morning’s Faculty Awards Colloquy, PUC business professor Lary Taylor was named Educator of the Year. This is the third time Taylor has won the award—an unprecedented feat in PUC history. The Educator of the Year is decided by student vote, and the results are a closely guarded secret in the weeks between the balloting and the Colloquy program. Professor emeritus of chemistry Bill Hemmerlin, a longtime friend and colleague of Taylor’s, introduced the award, revealing the winner gradually with a series of childhood photos and biographical hints. As the final clue was revealed, Taylor stood and approached the stage with good-humored reluctance as the church audience rose to applaud the repeat honoree. Academic dean Nancy Lecourt presented him with a framed certificate, and then he took a seat on the dais as Hemmerlin delivered a teasing roast of his friend. Later in the program, business department colleagues Wally Lighthouse and John Nunes and business students Chris Madrid and Kelly Chung presented tributes to the professor. Each speaker highlighted the major factor that keeps students voting for Taylor again and again: his warm and welcoming attitude to those around him. “Simply put, my friend Professor Lary Taylor has an...

Three Pacific Union College varsity athletes have been named to the 2012 Daktronics NAIA Division II Scholar-Athletes List, two of which are receiving the honor for the second time. Both Carla Bartlett and Michael Giang were listed for the second year, with first time honors going to Josh Jewett. Carla Bartlett, a guard on the Pioneers women’s varsity basketball team, is a senior Exercise Science major. Earlier this year, Bartlett was also an Honorable Mention from the conference for the all-conference team at the conclusion of the season. Last December, Bartlett , who is from Banning, Calif., was named a Cal Pac Player of the Week. Yucaipa, Calif., native Michael Giang is a four-year member of the men's varsity basketball team. He majored in both chemistry and biochemistry at PUC; following graduation, he will attend Loma Linda University Medical School this fall. New to the list is Josh Jewett, from Scottsdale, Ariz. Jewett was named First Team All Conference player for the men’s varsity basketball team and was also named a Cal Pac Player of the Week in December. He will graduate this June with degrees in Intercultural Communication and Spanish. In order to be a recipient of the Daktronics-NAIA...

An article posted today online in the North Bay Business Journal highlighted Pacific Union College’s state-of-the-art cogeneration plant. The facility produces electricity for the campus with the help of recycled steam power, and the efficiency of the process saves the college $1 million per year in energy costs. Read the full article below. Co-generation plant saves Pacific Union College $1 million a year in energy costs – Monday, March 19, 2012...