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In September of 2009, Dr. Heather J. Knight became the new president of Pacific Union College. On April 15, 2010, the college hosted the official inaugural ceremony and installation of Knight as 21st president. In a program replete with regalia colors, inspiring music, and the PUC Church filled with faculty, staff, students, community members, educational and church leaders, and family and friends, Knight was welcomed with speeches of accolade and advice. PUC's history and future were celebrated by the entire college body and representatives from across the country. Brief speeches were presented by Napa County Supervisor Diane Dillon, St. Helena Mayor Del Britton, Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities President Jonathan Brown, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists General Vice President Ella Simmons, Association of Adventist Colleges and Universities President and Walla Walla University President John McVay, Andrews University President Niels-Erik Andreasen, University of the Pacific Jacoby Center Director and College of Arts and Sciences Dean Emeritus Robert Benedetti, and University of the Pacific Provost Phillip N. Gilbertson. Dr. Knight was also presented with gifts from four representative groups at PUC: a crystal bell from the administrators, a miniature grape vine from the faculty, a painting by former PUC art...

On April 11 after a Napa Valley Symphony concert at Lincoln Theater in Yountville, Pacific Union College music students joined their professor Asher Raboy on the stage to meet pianist Leon Bates. Raboy, who has been music director of the symphony since 1990 and teaches music at PUC, directed a concert featuring several of his original compositions. The concert included a piano concerto featuring Bates, one of Raboy’s long-time collaborators (and one of America's top pianists). After the concert, many of the PUC students who had attended came to the stage to meet Bates, pose for photos, and receive autographs. Four of these students had enjoyed a Master Class with Bates the previous evening, and one turned pages for him during the Symphony concert. The PUC Musical Arts Symposium, a student music club, also organized to attend. Some students in the current Survey of Music class were there to fulfill concert attendance assignments, and PUC music ensemble members attended as well. "It was delightful to see so many of them," Raboy said later. "It's great to see PUC and the Symphony have this great interaction." As Raboy nears the conclusion of his time with the Symphony, having decided to step...

In March, social work professor Monte Butler and three senior social work majors from Pacific Union College traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, for the annual conference of the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD). Butler and four students had submitted two posters to the conference, both of which were accepted — a notable achievement in this competitive professional conference. But the honors escalated when the poster by student Brian Rodriguez and Butler was given Highest Honors, the equivalent of first place in the nation. The conference only recently began featuring posters, and this is the second year PUC students have participated and received honors. Last year, two students won "high honors" (second place) for a poster. This year's honored poster was titled "Aggression Replacement Training for At-Risk Youth: Will Gender Matching Help?" and evaluated a program at a local agency that was designed to help at-risk teenagers manage their anger. Rodriguez, who's considering postgraduate work and law studies, explains how his work on the project was facilitated by two required social work classes, one guiding field research and another teaching the process of compilation and writing. Taking the resulting work to the BPD conference proved to be even more...

On Earth Day, April 22, L. Hunter Lovins, a globally recognized leader in sustainable practices, will speak on "Sustainability in Napa County: An Environmental and Economic Imperative" at Pacific Union College. In demand worldwide as a speaker and consultant, Lovins has consulted with scores of industries, governments and communities worldwide and was named Time Magazine's 2000 Hero of the Planet and Newsweek's 2009 Green Business Icon. Trained as a sociologist and lawyer, Hunter co-founded the California Conservation Project and is a founding professor of business at Presidio Graduate School. She is the recipient of the Lindbergh Award, Right Livelihood Award and Leadership in Business Award. Lovins is also the author of numerous books and is president and founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions. Lovins' "Sustainability in Napa County" lecture and reception will take place on Thursday, April 22. at 7 p.m. in Scales Chapel, located in the church building complex on the Pacific Union College campus at One Angwin Avenue. The event is open to the community and free of charge. Other events for a student Green Week will include a special colloquy presentation, an Earth Day Fair, a green service day in Angwin and St. Helena, and a nature walk....

For 45 students at Pacific Union College, a recent ministry has taken over their Wednesday nights. Each week, the members of the PUC Gospel Choir attend rehearsal in Scales Chapel, bringing the campus to life with their music ringing through its halls. The gospel choir came into being fall quarter when a few members of the Black Student Union decided that a fresh sound was needed on campus. Senior business major Jonathan Young combined forces with PUC president Dr. Heather Knight to bring DeBrenia Williams of Capital City Church in Sacramento to conduct the group. With a talented leader lined up, the group organized at the end of the quarter. After their first performance in front of the student body, the choir underwent a rapid growth in membership, jumping from about 20 members to 45 in a matter of weeks. “We have a little bit of everything in our members,” says alto Emily Wills. “We want to reach out to everyone, every race, and spread God’s word.” And they have. Wills says that the diverse group of students has had the opportunity to “meet a lot of new folks” that they otherwise would never have met. “We get along,” she...