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During a discussion of ways to better support Pacific Union College's mission and culture, a group of faculty, staff, and church pastors expressed interest in further developing the campus community. “We knew we wanted to be able to share campus stories with our colleagues specifically, and we started brainstorming ways we could potentially do that,” said Becky St. Clair, director of Paulin Center for the Arts and office manager for the department of music.When Tara Hargrove, chair of the departments of communication and world languages, mentioned the newly created podcast studio in Irwin Hall—built thanks to the support of a passionate donor—the group knew they’d found their outlet.The studio was fully functional and already supported a student-led podcast, so the group now had a storytelling format and a space to use it. Thus, the Unchart(Ed) podcast was born. A team of podcast hosts was created, comprising Hargrove and St. Clair, alongside Department of Theology Chair Jim Wibberding and Associate Pastor for Worship and Administration Lem Garcia.Coming from different areas of campus, the hosts bring diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas, while sharing a common goal: cultivating a campus culture of growth and inspiring innovation, collaboration, and creativity. To support each other’s...

2020 represented a watershed moment for Pacific Union College, as it faced the full weight of a long-term decline. Years of compounding deficits, organizational downsizing, declining enrollment, and ongoing financial strain began to impact operations severely. The board, administrators, and employees questioned whether PUC could continue to exist. Despite several incremental adjustments, the decline continued. In 2020, it was decided that PUC could not continue with business as usual. In 2021, a new vision plan was implemented.The goal was simple and straightforward: recognize our problems and acknowledge the need for significant changes, all while remaining true to Adventism, our historical mission, and the quality of the PUC campus experience.The vision plan was, in large part, an operational strategy centered on stabilizing the institution, all while maintaining our public image, core mission, and historical legacy. Pacific Union College focused on four key areas: renewing our commitment to the Angwin campus, innovating our academic offerings, expanding our reach and market presence by establishing education centers, and developing online programs.The 2025-2030 vision continues to sustain these four pillars, but with five more focused, strategic objectives to further underline the operational steps taken to bring PUC into a prosperous footing:Experiential Learning: prioritizing hands-on learning...

Pacific Union College’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program has again demonstrated its excellence, earning continuing accreditation and 100% compliance from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) through 2033—the maximum length of time between evaluations.ACEN—which evaluates and accredits nursing education programs based on quality and excellence standards—conducted a thorough, three-day review of PUC’s RN-BSN program earlier this year. The scheduled visit was the culmination of a year-and-a-half of preparation by the department’s faculty and leadership, spearheaded by Sandra Ringer, director of the RN-BSN program, and Kimberly Dunker, former dean of Nursing, Health Science, EMS & Global Health.Ringer emphasized the role of teamwork in achieving these outstanding results. “Without such an incredible RN-BSN team, we would not have achieved this milestone. It was a combined effort by a fantastic group of educators,” she said.ACEN accreditation includes an in-depth review of five key standards, including administrative leadership and resources, faculty qualifications, student support services, curriculum quality, and the program’s effectiveness in preparing graduates for the workforce.In addition to meeting rigorous academic quality standards, the ACEN accreditation highlights how PUC’s RN-BSN program prepares students for career growth. “When students are looking for graduate-level programs, our RN-BSN program prepares them to...

The story begins with two brothers, Franklin and Calvin: the first students of three consecutive generations and 10 family members who would graduate from PUC.Their father, Dr. Henry Yee, who wanted his sons to pursue a career in healthcare, had become aware of PUC’s strong educational program and deep spiritual environment and enrolled them at PUC.Franklin was then enrolled at PUC Academy, now PUC Preparatory, and graduated in 1951. Calvin, on the other hand, attended PUC at the time before he got drafted into the Korean War for two and a half years. Once Calvin returned in 1954 to continue pursuing his biology degree, he decided to reenroll at PUC, where Franklin joined him.Looking back on their time before graduating together in 1955, they found the campus to be a place where they formed genuine connections with “really good and gentle Christian people.” Their PUC experience helped nourish and deepen their faith in Christianity.After their time at PUC, they both went off to Loma Linda University, where Franklin earned a medical degree and Calvin a dentistry degree, graduating together in 1959.Unfortunately, Calvin passed away in 1972 from a sudden heart attack. He was only 43. Franklin, now 94 years old...

Growing up in the Colorado Rockies, Montana-based nature and outdoor photographer Grant Ordelheide was immersed in beautiful landscapes and in a family that took every opportunity to be outdoors. This exposure instilled a fire within Ordelheide that was beyond a passion for nature. Ever since then, he has been chasing every scene to capture not only in memory, but on camera to share with the world.One of the aspects that brought him to PUC was the accessibility and proximity to so many great places around the scenic Northern California region. “As an aspiring nature photographer, there were so many amazing landscapes that provided the perfect setting to hone my craft. Within a day’s drive from PUC, you could be in Yosemite, Tahoe, or the Redwoods. That was a huge factor in why I chose to attend PUC in the first place.”After he graduated from PUC in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science degree in photography with an emphasis in business, Ordelheide has worked as a freelance outdoor and adventure photographer. He has taken photos for many of the magazines in the outdoor industry, including Backpacker, Climbing, Outside, National Park Journals, and more. Ordelheide also began teaching photo workshops with his...