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Phaidra Knight’s first class doesn’t start until nine in the morning on Monday, but the new Pacific Union College freshman is already making PUC home. Like the rest of her peers in the PUC Class of 2018, Knight arrived on campus with a car full of boxes on September 17 for new student orientation ready to join the PUC community. “It’s happy and sad all at the same time,” shared Phaidra’s mother Sheilvina Knight as she left the Family Orientation session. “With college, once you start it’s like you’re an adult. It’s a big difference between high school and college, so I’m teary-eyed.” Though the moment can be bittersweet for families like the Knights, the PUC faculty and staff were excited to have the new students on campus. Many faculty members welcomed the new students by helping them move in to the residence halls, making multiple trips back and forth to the parking lot and travelling up and down many sets of stairs as part of Porter Power. Lary Taylor, professor of business administration, experienced a few special moments while moving in children of his former students. “The surprised looks and comments from parents and their children when seven or...

Grizzly bears, Dall sheep, moose, and orcas are unusual college classmates. Pacific Union College students enrolled in this summer’s Polar Biology class encountered these animals and more as the thriving Alaskan ecosystem became their classroom during an 11-day immersion into true field biology. After flying from San Francisco to Anchorage, PUC biology professors Floyd Hayes and Scott Herbert led their students to the city of Seward and on to Denali National Park. The course focused on the natural history of the region; students observed and studied plants and animals first-hand in their natural setting. Living in relatively close quarters with the native wildlife and experiencing the immediacy of the learning environment were incredible learning experiences. “Being able to see and experience the sights and sounds of Alaska firsthand is a much better learning experience than looking at photos and videos in the classroom,” explained Hayes. “You can’t forget watching salmon spawn while wading in a frigid river, a killer whale swimming right under your boat, clown-like horned puffins perched on narrow ledges of an island cliff.” Sophomore environmental studies major Dylan Turner said the trip significantly helped him broaden his understanding of ecology through direct interaction with the environment. “It’s...

Budding journalists, designers, videographers, and editors from throughout California and Hawaii travelled to Pacific Union College for the 24th annual Publication Workshop September 2-4, 2014. The workshop provided high school and junior high students with training and inspiration to make their academy yearbooks, newspapers, and other publications shine. Students from the 20 academies that attended returned to their schools with what Publication Workshop director Milbert Mariano describes as “targeted, practical training and useful tips for jumpstarting yearbooks, newspapers, and video yearbooks.” Students learned how to utilize design and photography software; strengthen writing, design, and photography skills; and edit video yearbooks. Industry professionals and PUC professors, including recent educator of the year John Nunes, presented the training sessions. Nunes, a professor of business administration, led workshops on project management and team building for publication editors. “Be consistent and simple,” were the lessons Rheanna Garcia took away from the Workshop. Garcia, the designer of San Fernando Valley Academy’s yearbook, appreciated the presenters’ real-world advice. “They were really helpful since they were all designers who knew what they were doing,” she said. This year’s workshop marked the tenth year Mariano has led the workshop. At the closing program, Mariano, chair of the department...

Daniel DeCaires has a passion for Pacific Union College and is ready to lead. DeCaires, a senior from Benicia, Calif., majoring in business administration, will be serving as the president of PUC’s Student Association (SA) during the 2014-2015 school year, which begins September 22. As president, DeCaires will lead the campus-wide Student Association with a team of eight fellow officers elected by the student body. The goal of the SA is to serve and assist students so they can enjoy their time at PUC as much as possible through social events, religious experiences, and by serving on committees as student representatives and leading the Student Senate. DeCaires has been excited about PUC since arriving on campus after attending public school and community college. He’s proud to be a Pioneer, and even shares his enthusiasm with future students as a Student Ambassador for the office of enrollment services. “As students, we should take more pride in where we live and the opportunities that are presented to us,” the student leader explains. One of DeCaires’ goals as SA president is to encourage students to engage productively with campus life. Rather than waiting for something to go wrong and complaining on social media,...

Early Sunday morning, August 24, a large earthquake measuring an estimated 6.0 struck southern Napa County at 3:20 a.m. While Angwin residents definitively felt the tremors, very little damage has been reported in the community, which is approximately 30 miles from the epicenter. No damages or injures were reported at Pacific Union College. The campus experienced a brief power outage, but all critical services were functioning following the earthquake. The college, College Market, Chevron station, and other Angwin Plaza businesses were open as usual on Monday, August 25. Campus officials have inspected all the exteriors of all buildings and structures on the campus property, including Angwin Plaza and the Chevron station. No visible damage has been identified. Individual interior building inspections will continue, and if any structural damage is found during these inspections the college will assess the damage and respond appropriately with necessary repairs. As of Monday, August 25, the college had received laboratory reports on the college water supply, and the water was declared safe to drink. All water tanks appear safe and have no signs of structural damage. The intense shaking stirred up sediment in the lines. This is completely normal given the magnitude of the quake....