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It is not uncommon for small towns, local institutions, and rural communities throughout the nation to partner on ways to build on local assets, strengthen their economies, and provide better quality of life residents. Yet, here in Angwin, Calif., an unincorporated village in the Napa Valley, PUC administration and local residents have been at odds for years over the future of the 3,000-plus residential town on Howell Mountain. PUC and Save Rural Angwin (SRA) are now committed to work together to protect and preserve the rural setting. Moving forward, leaders have pledged to focus on collaborative efforts to address issues affecting Angwin and the greater Napa Valley. This summer, PUC administrators and SRA leadership met at President Bob Cushman’s Angwin home. Over a home cooked meal of cottage cheese loaf and roasted vegetables, the group expressed their hopes and dreams for their shared community. PUC administrators conveyed a desire to work with SRA on initiatives to safeguard Angwin’s rural character. “We look forward to partnering with our neighbors to preserve Angwin’s unique and irreplaceable natural environment,” said Dr. Cushman. One such initiative is the forest conservation easement and management project. Along with the Land Trust of Napa County, PUC and...

The Pacific Union College Church sanctuary was filled with students, staff, and faculty for the first Colloquy service of the year, Thursday, September 28. The campus and community family gathered together to hear the inaugural address from the college’s new president, Dr. Bob Cushman. Megan Weems, the Student Association (SA) president, began the service by introducing this year’s SA theme, “Family.” It is their goal that every PUC student be intentional about building a family atmosphere. “We want to make sure it’s more than just a word on a t-shirt, or a word on a video … we want to make sure everyone feels it in their heart of hearts. We want to make sure everyone feels they belong and are loved. At PUC, we’re all here together,” she encouraged. A hymn of praise followed, then a reading of Matthew 22:36-40. “Pie Jesus” by Andrew Lloyd Webber was performed by I Cantori, conducted by Jenelle Westerbeck Anderson, assistant professor of music, featuring solos from Whitney Weems and Christina Allen. Dr. Aimee Wyrick, chair of the department of biology, introduced Dr. Cushman, and revealed he was her professor at Loma Linda University. She shared fun anecdotes from studies they conducted together;...

In its 2017-2018 College Salary Report, Payscale.com recently ranked Pacific Union College as second in the country for having the highest earning alumni with two-year degrees. For the report, Payscale surveyed approximately 2.3 million graduates from more than 2,700 colleges and universities throughout the United States, asking them to report their highest degree earned, major, school name, and salary. For the two-year degree granting schools category, PUC placed second for highest-earning alumni, following Helene Fuld College of Nursing in New York. According to the report, the early career pay for PUC graduates with two-year degrees is about $60,700, with their mid-career salary being around $85,400. In 2015, the most recent year such information is available, the Social Security Administration determined the national average wage index was $48,098. “While earning potential isn’t the sole reason students and families should consider when deciding on a college, it is an important factor, as college is a significant investment of both time and money,” says Jennifer Tyner, vice president of student life, enrollment, and marketing. “We are so pleased PUC graduates with two-year degrees are out in the workforce and receiving a high return on their college investment.”For more information about PUC's 70+ degree...

Pacific Union College will host 16 financial aid workshops across Northern California and Hawaii, in a special collaboration with La Sierra University, during October and November. For the first time, the college will also be holding several online workshops throughout the fall. The goal of these workshops is to provide families with the critical information they need to help finance a quality, Christ-centered college education. Topics to be covered include PUC scholarships, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Cal Grant, and other scholarship and aid opportunities. “PUC understands how critical finances can be for families when planning for college, which is why we strive to offer as much assistance and information as possible through our financial aid workshops. I want to personally invite anyone considering PUC to attend a workshop so we can discuss how we can make an Adventist education possible for your family,” says J.R. Rogers, director of recruitment. “Traditionally, we held these events in January and February, but we’ve moved them up to assist families with college financial planning.” Workshop dates are as follows: October 2 - Mountain View AcademyOctober 4 - Lodi AcademyOctober 9 - Redwood Adventist AcademyOctober 10 - El Dorado Adventist SchoolOctober...

This summer, Pacific Union College is embarking on a creative, yet ambitious educational initiative to raise awareness and funds about the global water crisis and water poverty. The college is partnering with Water for Good and private donors to launch the 5,000 Drops campaign. Private supporters donated an environmentally-friendly Tesla Model-X to serve as the foundation of the project. The electric vehicle has been custom wrapped with 5,000 transparent water drops. Each drop represents a Central African Republic family who lacks safe and reliable water access—water poverty affects an estimated 667 million people around the world. For the next two years, PUC staff and students will be touring the United States in the Tesla, offering presentations on water poverty and accepting donations for “drops of water.” The team’s schedule is already filling with requests for assembly programs, class presentations, and workshops. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the Tesla too. “We want to start conversations about clean water access and sustainability,” says Fabio Maia, PUC’s director of missions and service. “An estimated 667 million people around the world drink contaminated water. We hope to use this project to provide an innovative way for people all over the country to...