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Dr. George R. Knight spoke for Pacific Union College’s annual Adventist Heritage Colloquy on Thursday, October 26, in remembrance and celebration of the historic roots the Seventh-day Adventist Church has with the Protestant Reformation. Knight is a leading Seventh-day Adventist historian, author, and educator, and considered to be one of the most influential voices within the denomination for the past three decades. He is also an alumnus of PUC, a graduate of the class of 1965, and professor emeritus of church history at Andrews University. Dr. Nancy Lecourt, academic dean and vice president for academic administration, took to the podium to welcome students back to campus after a week-long hiatus due to the wildfires in Napa County, saying, “It’s great to see everyone back on campus.” She then brought up J.R. Rogers, director of recruitment and fire chief for the Angwin Volunteer Fire Department, along with 16 volunteer firefighters, most of whom are PUC students, faculty, and staff. The audience clapped and cheered their appreciation in recognition of the volunteers’ tireless efforts and heroics during the recent fires. Rogers reported how the department assisted with fighting both the Atlas Peak and the Tubbs fires, during which many AVFD volunteers worked...

Pacific Union College is proud to announce two new scholarship opportunities available to students entering Fall 2018; the STEM Scholarship and the Campus Impact Scholarship. Recognizing the financial difficulties families face when planningfor college, PUC has strengthened its commitment to make a Seventh-dayAdventist liberal arts education accessible and affordable to all admitted students.PUC’s new STEM Scholarship recognizes first-time freshmen who have obtained a strong understanding of and competence in advanced mathematics and science during high school. Recipients must have completed three years of college preparatory laboratory courses (biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy & physiology) and three years of college preparatory math courses (intermediate/advanced algebra, pre-calculus, calculus, geometry, and statistics) to receive the $1,000 renewable award. (Please see scholarship guidelines for specific requirementsand details.)The Campus Impact Scholarship is a $1,000 renewable scholarship available to students who are invited to participate in PUC’s orchestra, wind ensemble, iCantori, or octet, or are selected for specific roles in campus ministries or CONNECT outreach. These awards are renewable upon continued participation inthe specific programs.In addition, amounts for many existing scholarships have been increased, including the President’s and Dean’s Scholarships for both transfer and first-year students.These scholarships are automatically received by qualifying incoming students, based upon GPA...

Today students return to the Pacific Union College campus after a week-long hiatus. In an act of caution, last Tuesday, October 10, PUC canceled classes, closed non-essential offices, and encouraged students to return home to their families while first responders and emergency personnel from across the country worked on containing the wildfires spanning Napa and Sonoma counties and throughout Northern California. “Even with the continued assurance of Angwin’s safety from local fire professionals, it gave PUC’s senior leadership team extra peace of mind knowing the majority of our students were far from the situation,” said Jennifer Tyner, vice president of student life, enrollment, and marketing. “The outpouring of love and support from the community to our remaining students, faculty, and staff was uplifting during this trying time for our campus.” Among the responders working tirelessly to contain the wildfires were several PUC students who volunteer with the local Angwin Volunteer Fire Department, along with many college staff and faculty members, including J.R. Rogers, director of recruitment and fire chief for the Angwin Volunteer Fire Department. He says, “Over 11,000 firefighters and first responders have been working around the clock and the containment of the fires continue to increase, which is...

In an historic move, the Pacific Union College Board of Trustees voted Monday to withdraw from negotiations for the sale of more than 100 acres of agricultural land. Trustees rejected a multi-million-dollar proposal from a Napa County winery. “I am pleased the board has given Pacific Union College the opportunity to pursue a vision that includes stewardship of the PUC lands,” said President Bob Cushman. “We intend to develop a campus physical master plan that will include the development of auxiliary revenue streams while preserving the legacy of our land. The land is our endowment.” This decision follows a similar vote at the May 11, 2017, when the board voted to remove four other land parcels from the market. The board also voted to suspend further discussion of land sales until the campus physical master plan is approved by the board. Dr. Cushman outlined a 12-15 month timeframe to revise a plan that has not been updated since 1975. “The new college senior leadership team is offering an attractive vision for the future of the college, one that myself and the board are excited to see put into action,” said Bradford Newton, board chair. “We are encouraged by this new...

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...