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This Sunday, April 24, the Trinity Alps Chamber Players will be performing at Pacific Union College. The concert begins at 4 p.m. in the college’s Paulin Hall Auditorium. The Trinity Alps Chamber Players is a collective of classically trained musicians dedicated to providing access to exceptional chamber music to younger generations through education and outreach performances. Affiliated with the Trinity Alps Chamber Music Festival, an organization founded in 2011 by pianist Ian Scarfe, the TACP tours across Northern California and has presented over 100 free public concerts and visited dozens of schools for educational outreach performances. The troupe includes violinist Luke Fatora, cellist James Jaffe, and pianist and group founder, Ian Scarfe. Fatora is a violinist who received his B.M. in violin performance at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and served as the conductor of the Summit Community Orchestra before beginning his master’s degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Jaffe has performed as a cello chamber musician and soloist in venues across the world: music festivals in Italy and Switzerland, appearances in Beijing, and a Canadian quartet tour. Averaging over 100 performances each year, pianist Scarfe has performed as a soloist, collaborator, and chamber musician throughout the U.S....

Pacific Union College alumni were welcomed back to campus for the college’s annual Homecoming Weekend during the beautiful weekend of April 15-17. “Welcoming our alumni family back to the PUC campus is the highlight of our year. It’s such a blessing to see old friends and make new ones,” shares Mark Ishikawa, associate vice president for advancement and strategic partnerships. The festivities began with the second annual PUC Talks on Friday afternoon. This series of mini lectures is modeled after the popular TED Talks. This year’s featured speakers were Katy Van Arsdale, archivist and special collections librarian for the Nelson Memorial Library and the Walter C. Utt Center for Adventist History at PUC; Dr. Stanley Sturges, a 2016 Honored Alumni and a graduate of the class of 1950; and Dr. Floyd Hayes, a professor in PUC’s department of biology since 2003. Friday evening, a banquet was held in the Dining Commons in recognition of the 2016 Honored Alumni. The program began with special music by the PUC Octet, under the direction of Dr. William Chunestudy, associate academic dean. President Heather J. Knight recognized each honoree’s extraordinary service to “leave these sacred grounds and go forth to make a difference and...

On April 14, Pacific Union College held the 2016 Inaugural Lecture of the Percy and John Christian Civil Rights Conference Center. The lecture entitled “Percy W. Christian and Adventism’s Academic Jackie Robinson” was given by professor Terrie Dopp Aamodt, Ph.D., followed by a question and answer session with honored guest Donald F. Blake, Ph.D. The Percy and John Christian Civil Rights Conference Center was founded to honor two influential Adventist educators who were fiercely committed to the goal of racial equality. As trained historians, Percy and John devoted their lives to strengthening Adventist education. During his esteemed career, Percy served as president of Pacific Union College (1945-1950), Emmanuel Missionary College (now Andrews University), and Walla Walla College (now Walla Walla University). While president of WWC, Percy initiated the acceptance of black students. He also hired Dr. Donald Blake, the first black professor to teach at an Adventist institution outside of Oakwood University in Alabama. He is credited with integrating Adventist higher education. John, Percy’s son, was academic dean and professor of history at PUC (1972-1977, 1994-2000). Like his father, he was also deeply committed to racial equality. He also served as an influential professor at Walla Walla University, Atlantic Union...

Following a week of mourning, Pacific Union College students, faculty, and staff gathered together daily for student week of prayer, held April 4-9. Typically, the annual event launches spring quarter, a time of renewal and celebration. However, this time, the campus assembled together for support and healing. And for six days, student speakers spoke from their hearts to share personal testimony on the theme “Home.” Every quarter, the college hosts a week of prayer event, but the spring week of prayer is particularly meaningful as it features students rather than a guest speaker. Students are given the opportunity to courageously share intimate testimonies of their walk with God in hopes of rejuvenating the spiritual life on campus. This year’s speakers were Eunice Lee, Tim Patten, Alma Musvosvi, Paul Chung, Chris Dorsey, Sacha Samuels, George Tuyu, Madison Brown, Paula Martella, Kevin Galeano, and Robell Nyirendah. Special staging was designed for the event. Armchairs, a couch, a bed, and even a working refrigerator created a “home” on the church platform. “Home,” by the Planetshakers, was chosen as the week’s theme song which the PUC praise team led the congregation in singing at each meeting. A highlight of the event was the mid-week...

As part of PUC’s burgeoning Service Learning program, Alisa Jacobo, an instructor in the department of psychology and social work, created a different sort of social work course, one that combines her passion for combatting human trafficking with a four-week service trip to Kolkata, India. “It’s a three-part course,” explains Jacobo. “First the students are prepared, they then go into the field to experience the life first hand, then they come back and spend a quarter debriefing and identify a social action project.” This past summer, Jacobo traveled abroad with several PUC students to see the issue of human trafficking firsthand to gain a better understanding of the crisis. They visited in Kolkata’s Sonagacchi district, the largest red light district in India, where it’s estimated 11,000 women and girls are prostituted every night. While there, students worked with Freeset, a fair trade business offering employment to women trapped in Kolkata's sex trade. “They provide alternative employment for women in the sex trade, many of whom are trafficked,” says Jacobo. “Lack of alternatives is what keeps most women trapped in the sex trade.” A holistic model, Freeset also provides for retirement, healthcare, daycare, and even offers group therapy sessions. PUC students...