Archives

The solidification of REVO as an official campus club this year sets the movement as more than a fad at Pacific Union College. It is the student body's lasting commitment to social justice. REVO PUC 2009 proves that last year's movement and event (and $10,000 raised for trafficked children in Peru) was by no means an anomaly. REVO is a student-led movement now nationwide, to host events that raise awareness and funds for various humanitarian causes. The concept of REVO plays off the word "revolution" and is as much a mindset as it is a cause. According to the movement's website (www.startarevo.org), REVO is "based on the concept of LOVE. To live the REVO everyday is to think beyond ourselves and redefine our modern conception of necessity. It is taking a homeless man out to dinner. It is seeing beauty in the disfigured, seeing wholeness in the lame, seeing a dance in the invalid." Student leader Grace Jung and alum Rachel Thompson are responsible for planting the REVO movement at PUC and nurturing its foundation. "Post-REVO PUC 2008, many people expressed their anticipation of the 'next' REVO and that they couldn't wait to make REVO happen again," says Jung. "So,...

For the third year, the annual Pacific Union College Student Film Fest will be held at the historic Cameo Cinema in St. Helena. Giving PUC student filmmakers a chance to show their up-and-coming work in the community, the festival will feature multiple short films in a variety of genres, from documentary and "mockumentary" to drama and even some trailers for next year's films. The festival is hosted by the film and television program of PUC's visual arts departments, which has recently seen its students recognized with film awards from National Geographic Channel and SONScreen, with another student completing a prestigious internship with DreamWorks Animation. The festival will showcase addition PUC film talent on Thursday, June 4, with showings at 5:30 and 8:15 p.m. Tickets are available at the door, $3 for students and $5 for adults. The Cameo Cinema is located at 1340 Main Street in St. Helena. For more information, call 707-965-6308....

The Dramatic Arts Society at Pacific Union College presents their 2009 one-act festival, titled "All That Glitters Is Not Gold: A One-Act Festival on the surprises in life." The One-Act Festival started last year with "Love: is a Four-letter Word." The show featured seven one-acts performed for six nights, and explored the different facets of love. The 2009 show features eight one-act plays performed by 17 actors under four different directors. The One-Act Festival plays on May 23 (Saturday), 24 (Sunday), 27 (Wednesday), 28 (Thursday), 30 (Saturday) and 31 (Sunday). All shows are at 7 p.m. and are held in the Alice Holst Theater in Stauffer Hall on the PUC campus in Angwin. Admission cost is $5 for students and $7 for everyone else, and tickets are available at the door 15 minutes before each show....

Craig Church is a senior film and television production and English major at Pacific Union College. He was recently selected from a massive applicant pool to intern at DreamWorks, one of the leading animation studios in Hollywood. The 13-week internship ended early in May. Craig's internship at DreamWorks is a landmark achievement for the PUC Visual Arts department. His involvement with a feature-film ("How to Train Your Dragon" is scheduled to debut in 2010) is unprecedented. Craig worked primarily in the story department, where he assisted the story production supervisor in processing and preparing storyboard panels for editorial. He was also involved with the character effects and modeling department and the surfacing department while also assisting the script coordinator in prepping scripts and sides for scratch and professional voice recording sessions. Historically, Craig was the first intern to be invited to one of the professional voice recording sessions at the famous LA Studios, where he saw Hollywood stars such as John C. McGinley (Scrubs) and the new Star Trek cast. During his internship, Craig also met Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder and CEO of DreamWorks Animation. "Getting to talk with directors like Katzenberg about everything from what he looks for in pitches...

When I walked into Norm and Carolyn Low's St. Helena house late on Sabbath afternoon, they were looking a little stunned. I knew it had been a Home Lunch day - when church members invite college students home for a family-style meal - and the Lows often serve up to 30 students at their house. The day had been idyllic, so students could eat out on the deck; but I could see that something else must've happened. "You won't believe it," said Norm. "Oh, my, goodness!" exclaimed Carolyn. Norm finally explained: "We had 70 kids." The Lows live in Modesto but make St. Helena their weekend home, and they are regular attendees of the Pacific Union College Church. Through Jessica Shine, then pastor of worship and outreach, the Lows got connected with a program called "Home Lunches" and joined on as hosts - though it was a stretch of faith (and personality) to do so. Before too long, they were helping Shine lead the program; and when Shine took a call to pastor in another church, they were left at the helm. Home Lunches began about three years ago when the PUC Church staff was talking about how to get...