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Nobel Prize winner Stanley Prusiner, M.D., will present the 5th annual Breakthroughs in BioScience Lecture at Pacific Union College (PUC) on Monday, April 15, at 8 p.m. in Dauphinee Chapel. The topic of Prusiner’s lecture is “Mad Cow Disease: Prion Biology and New Therapeutic Approaches.” Dr. Prusiner won the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for his pioneering research on the unusual infectious agent of this disease. He is currently a member of the department of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco. Prusiner is the fourth Nobel Prize winner to speak for the Breakthroughs in BioScience series....

Bill Hemmerlin, Educator of the Year for 2000-2001, presented his goals for Pacific Union College’s teaching environment in a lecture to his colleagues during faculty and staff college assembly on Tuesday, April 2. Hemmerlin is a professor of chemistry who has taught at PUC since 1979. Last year’s award marked the second time he has been recognized as Educator of the Year for his excellence in teaching at PUC. Hemmerlin spent much his presentation recalling the significant teachers who shaped his educational experience. From elementary his days through graduate school, Hemmerlin noted the devotion, inspiration, and challenges his teachers presented, highlighting the specific impact each teacher made on his life. Hemmerlin concluded his lecture by outlining his goals for the teaching environment at PUC. He suggested mentors for new teachers, to be chosen from more experienced faculty, and an open policy of visitation by teachers between classrooms. Hemmerlin also noted the advantages of a videotaping service whereby a faculty member can record a class for later observation of his or her teaching style. This, together with an independent teaching evaluation system, will allow educators better insight into how they are perceived by students. He concluded the lecture by calling for...

Catherine Babcock, a student in the teacher credentialing program offered through Pacific Union College’s Center for Continuing and Professional Education (CAPE), was recently honored as one of 1,000 students in California selected to receive a Governor’s Teaching Fellowship. This $20,000 award is designed to help pay education and living expenses for qualified students enrolled in a teacher credentialing program. In return, Catherine will teach for four years in a state designated, low-performing school. So how does it feel to receive a $20,000 check from the government? “I couldn’t believe it at first,” says Catherine. “They sent a letter of congratulations—and you get so many letters promising stuff that isn’t true. I thought, ‘Is this real?’ Now I’m very proud and excited.” The education department at Pacific Union College shares Catherine’s excitement. “We are extremely proud of Catherine’s award,” said Jean Buller, professor of education and chair of the education department. “We always knew we had special students at PUC and this award only confirms that.” When asked what she will do with the money, Catherine says it will help her pay off the thousands of dollars she owes in student loans. Ever since she came to the United States from...

On April 10, Bob Trinchero announced that he is in the process of donating St. Helena Corporate Child Care to Pacific Union College. Mr. Trinchero, chairman and CEO of Sutter Home Winery, and his wife, Evalyn, developed this property as a child care facility in 1992 in order to provide Sutter Home employees and local residents with a convenient, quality child-care option. The Trinchero family chose Pacific Union College because of its long-standing reputation for excellent child care. Pacific Union College has operated a preschool in Angwin—Discoveryland Preschool—since the 1960s. Its preschool has not only provided a valuable service to the community, but also a training ground for PUC's highly regarded Early Childhood Education program. St. Helena Corporate Child Care will continue to be operated by its current child care provider, the Knowledge Learning Corporation, until May 17, 2002. At that time, the facility's administrative operations will be transferred to Pacific Union College, managed by the college's Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Program. According to John Collins, Ed.D., vice president for financial administration at Pacific Union College, "We're delighted that the Trincheros have confidence in our ability to provide a high quality preschool program for the children and...

George Knight, well-known Adventist author and educator, is the speaker for this year’s Heubach Lecture. His topic is “Ground Zero in the Battle Between Christ and Satan.” The Heubach Lecture on Thursday, April 18, marks the start of Homecoming Weekend at Pacific Union College. Knight is currently a professor of church history at Andrews University and is the author of dozens of books, including a recent series on Ellen White. The Heubach Lecture, created in honor of PUC alumnus Paul Heubach, was established to examine the great central truths of Christianity in light of the character of God. Lecturers strive to communicate these truths in simple language—“terms understood where people live.” The goal of each lecture is to leave the listener with a clearer comprehension of God, and thus more confidence in Him....