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In a rare public appearance, acclaimed writer Chaim Potok lectured at Pacific Union College on Monday night, February 16. Fortunately, the organizers of the lecture moved the event to a larger venue-the college's church sanctuary-in order to seat the more than 1,200 students, professors, and Potok fans. The lecture was part of the Longo Lecture Series, founded in 1992 by Lawrence D. Longo, M.D., in honor of his parents, Frank and Florine Longo. Dr. Longo wanted to benefit students with a quality public discussion of religion and society, so he established the lecture, intended to be an annual event. The lecture committee, with Dr. Longo's approval, chose to stage the event biannually in order to have the necessary funds to invite internationally eminent guests. Potok in his lecture described his difficult-but inescapable-quest to be a "storyteller," a surprising decision for a boy growing up in a Jewish Hasidic tradition. He said, "I remember telling my mother, 'I want to write stories.' She looked at me and said, 'That's wonderful. You can write stories on the side when you are not working as a brain surgeon." According to Potok, "Nothing is sacred to the novelist." A good novelist can take a...

For most people, flying is something to dream about. If they want to get into the sky and soar among billowy, white clouds on a sunny, spring day, they will have to pack themselves elbow to elbow with strangers in a crowded, jumbo jet at a smoggy, big-city airport. For most people, airplanes are about transportation, not about freedom or escape. However, most people do not live with Parrott Field in their backyard or with easy access to a flight training program, as we do at Pacific Union College. This year, PUC's technology department began offering a B.S. degree in aviation. This exciting, new major is designed to prepare students for everything from piloting for major airlines or commercial cargo operations to medical evacuation and missions flying. However, there are rich resources left for those of us who just want to get off the ground. Allan Payne, the airport's director and the chief instructor in aviation, estimates that anyone can earn a pilot's license in about two quarters, English or business majors alike. Some faculty members have even begun to realize that there is no reason to let students have all the fun. Gary Gifford, associate academic dean, is currently...

This summer, July 12 -16, Nike and Pacific Union College will present a volleyball camp for girls ages 12-18. The camp is offered at major universities throughout the United States, and this is the first year it has come to the Napa Valley. Lori Endicott-Vandersnick, member of the US Olympic volleyball team in both 1992 and 1996, will teach many of the sessions. Participants will develop important volleyball skills, achieve a new level of play, and-most important-gain added self confidence. The program will offer both a general skills camp and a setter specialty camp. While the curriculum is designed to be challenging, past participants have come away with a new excitement about the game. The resident price for campers is $455, which includes room and board. Campers will stay in the dormitories of PUC's campus, located in Angwin, California, (north Napa Valley) and will eat their meals in the PUC dining hall....

Is there a secret to great teaching? L. Monique Pittman, assistant professor of English, pauses only for a second before answering. "Well, it has to be my absolute conviction that what I am doing matters and has great importance." On May 21, Pittman became the youngest professor to receive the Educator of the Year Award here at PUC. Seated in a "throne" of sorts, Pittman was honored by students and fellow faculty members in what was supposed to be a roast, but turned out to be a touching tribute. She was lauded for many things, from her impeccable fashion sense to her one page, single-spaced responses to her students' papers. "I'm very sensitive, so I'm glad it wasn't a roast," smiles Monique. "The whole morning turned out to be overwhelming emotionally, because people usually don't say such nice things in such a short amount of time." Surprisingly, Pittman didn't really intend to become a teacher. Early childhood photos show her dressed in medical garb, giving her mother a shot with a plastic syringe. She seriously considered going into marketing, so that she could do promotions for the arts. Entering into her freshman year at Andrews, she registered as undecided. It...

Wednesday, April 29, two key issues were discussed at Pacific Union College's regular meeting of the board of trustees: faculty wages and the possible sale of PUC property. The board voted to increase salaries and benefits for faculty and staff to the mean paid by similar Christian institutions in the area. The increased wages are contingent on raising additional funds, which is as yet an unresolved discussion. As for the sale of land, no definite decisions were made. The board simply voted to meet again on June 15 after more dialogue. College president, Malcolm Maxwell, has established an intranet newsgroup for continued dialogue among campus employees and students, and he encourages response from the school's constituency. The Finance Committee did, however, favor the concept of selling land in order to "establish an endowment to maintain the fiscal integrity of the institution, to fund an increase in faculty salaries, and to retire college debt, and." But after further deliberation, the board decided that more discussion and feedback was needed before a decision could be made....