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From June 15-28, seven students from Pacific Union College joined Loma Linda University’s Students for International Mission Service (SIMS) program for a medical mission trip in Manaus, Brazil. In collaboration with the North American Division (NAD) of Seventh-day Adventists and other Adventist universities, such as La Sierra University, Southern Adventist University, and Washington Adventist University, the Manaus Adventist Conference partnered with these institutions to provide medical and dental patient care, health fairs, and Vacation Bible School to the communities living along the Amazon River.“The locals, especially the children, were so happy to see us,” said PUC Marketing and Communication Videographer Josue Hilario. “Many of the locals took advantage of the medical clinic, and we were able to help out so many people. There would be a long line of people waiting for us in the morning every day, before the medical team even arrived.”Hilario had the great opportunity to join the mission trip as the students’ chaperone and helped out in the clinics, while also working behind the lens to capture the 13-day trip. “I was blessed to have a group of great students who were passionate about serving, learning about the culture, and being there for each other,” he...

From June 9-19, Pacific Union College Signal Security Site Supervisor Jennifer Schooley and the campus safety department organized a Green Move-Out for students to donate any items they no longer needed or couldn’t bring back home. From donation stations outside both the women's and men’s dormitories to Dauphinee Chapel and Brookside Park, donations piled up, including kitchenware, household appliances and furniture, blankets, school and cleaning supplies, sports equipment, and clothes, some with tags still attached.For years, Schooley saw many items students no longer needed at the end of the school year go to landfills, when they would have been better off sent to a thrift store. As she thought about why there was no donation program yet organized on campus, Schooley remembered her mother telling her not to complain if there was a problem, but instead to be the solution. That is when she decided to take matters into her own hands.While collecting donations outside Winning Hall, Schooley shared that a student’s father thanked her for organizing the Green Move-Out and expressed his frustration at seeing dorm appliances and clothes, all in great condition, being thrown out at the end of each school year.“It was a wonderful experience to see...

On May 24, Pacific Union College honored 120 of its student-athletes at the Athletic Awards Banquet, with 38 receiving CAL-Pac awards and 29 receiving PUC Team awards. Held in the Fireside Room, this year’s banquet was extra special as CAL-PAC Commissioner Dr. Don Ott joined the event for the first time to present two Conference Awards: the Dr. Jim Davies Scholar Athlete of the Year Award and the Sportsmanship Award.For the first time in PUC history, cross-country senior biology student Andrea Maidan was the first female athlete to win the Dr. Jim Davies Scholar Athlete of the Year Award for standing out within the CAL-PAC for her exceptional contributions in academics, athletics, and the community. She was part of PUC’s Cross Country team that sent two female athletes to Nationals this school year, with Maidan placing first in the CAL-PAC Championships. She was also named All-Conference First Team and CAL-PAC Runner of the Year, all while keeping a 3.9 GPA, which also awarded her this year’s CAL-PAC Female Scholar Athlete of the Year and team Most Valuable Player.“Receiving these awards is an incredibly rewarding achievement,” said Maidan. “To me, these awards demonstrate my work ethic and grit, which I take...

As part of an initiative to enhance the pre-law program at Pacific Union College, Intro to Law will be offered to students starting in the fall 2026 quarter. This 100-level course will be offered not only to PUC students but also to the College Early program for high school students. PUC is also thrilled to announce that Deputy District Attorney Shashawnya Worley of the Napa County District Attorney's Office will be teaching the class on campus. In addition to educating students about the profession, the course will focus on criminal law and its constitutional aspects, as well as on preparing for a mock trial to be held at the Napa County Courthouse. Students interested in Intro to Law can register for the class now.The minds behind forming this course were a committee of pre-law advisors from PUC’s business, communication, English, history, and honors departments, and they have also partnered with Ruthe Ashley of the California Legal Pathways Collaborative (CLPC). Although formed recently, they have already begun creating opportunities for students, such as establishing their honors society, offering internships, and inviting law school representatives to serve as guest speakers.“Intro to Law, as well as the other work being actively promoted by...

On May 28, Pacific Union College’s Visual Arts Department hosted its annual Diogenes Film Festival at the Cameo Cinema in St. Helena. With PUC Professor of Film Melissa Henry Pratt and Film Instructor Nephtali Marin as the hosts, 15 films were showcased to a full house of faculty, staff, and the PUC community. The night was filled with laughter, heart, and, of course, popcorn. With three awards presented, three PUC students, one alumna, and a student from PUC Preparatory received awards for their work.“Diogenes is our graduation. It’s our Oscars,” said Marin. “It’s a big moment for us. A time to celebrate.” As their professor, Marin had the privilege of watching his students grow throughout the projects, from the rough to the final cuts. “They all worked so hard, and each had their own challenges, and each turned out completely different,” he said.Senior Kateryna Popravkina received the Audience Choice Award for her film Albedo. As an audience favorite, her film also left an impression at the 2025 Sonscreen Film Festival, an event hosted by the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which had funded Albedo last year through a pitch competition.Junior Samuel Birky and senior Jonathan Murdick won...

On May 21, Pacific Union College Professor of New Testament Ross Winkle was honored as the 2025-2026 Educator of the Year during a special Community program at the PUC Church. He was selected by the student body for his spirited teaching, dedicated mentorship, and commitment to faith.“Ross Winkle has great knowledge and wisdom and a wry sense of humor. After watching him and listening to him over the years, it is no wonder that students love him and his courses,” said PUC President Ralph Trecartin. “His character and vast knowledge content begins to change your worldview, and helps us reorder our perspectives on life and scripture in a persistent and powerful way.”Reigning him with this new title was last year’s Educator of the Year, PUC Assistant Professor of Nursing & Student Success Coordinator Nicolette Piabert, who also gave Winkle the Educator of the Year cape, with Lindsay Hayasaka, PUC academic dean and vice president for academic administration, handing him the award. As an introvert, Winkle attempts to avoid the spotlight whenever possible, so hearing his name called as the new Educator of the Year came as a shock.“To me, being named as Educator of the Year means that I am...

The English Department at Pacific Union College received 230 entries for its fourth annual high school essay contest. With this many students submitting their stories, the Emerging Voices of the Pacific Union has grown tremendously in the last few years, surpassing last year’s total of about 103 submissions. “We host the contest with the aim of encouraging young writers to continue pursuing their craft,” said PUC English Department Chair Emily Logan. “We read every single essay with care.”With more essays to read, the department added two more judges to dissect each essay that focused on a meaningful memory associated with one of the five senses. Alongside Logan, the selection committee included Education Chair and English Professor Jennifer Peñaflorida, Assistant Professor of English Leah Dopp, English Professor Linda Gill, Vice President for Academic Administration Lindsay Hayasaka, and Adjunct English Professor of Art History Karl Wilcox. As they dissected each original story, only three students could be awarded.Boi Dinh (Daisy) Quan from San Gabriel Academy won first place after greatly impressing the judges with her essay titled “Journey in a Bowl,” which she wrote with a focus on all the sensations simply by enjoying a bowl of pho. “I got chills when...

Athletics in North American Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities date back only 40 years. Because there was not a long history, Pacific Union College’s Men’s Pioneers Volleyball Team was established only during the 1989-1990 school year, when the college began its athletic program.During this time, Chuck Evans was PUC’s athletic director and oversaw the development of the athletics program. In this role, he was appointed the first head coach of PUC’s men’s volleyball team, a position he held for three years. While their team was not accepted into a national organization or conference, they competed in a club setting and set their record during their first year as a team: 14-1. “The first year the men’s team was absolutely dominant,” shared Evans.The team later competed in the California Coastal Conference, and it was not until 2017 that the team was adopted as a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) sport. PUC was the second school to join the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the national organization that many other Adventist colleges later joined to start competing in interscholastic athletics. As PUC was in the California Coastal Conference, they moved on and joined the California Pacific Conference (CAL PAC).In the 1994-1995 school...

Through the collaborative efforts of those within the School of Arts, Humanities, and Professional Studies, Pacific Union College is thrilled to announce that its new Associate of Arts degree in Humanities has been approved and will officially be open for enrollment in fall 2026.A highlight of this newly created degree is that it gives students the flexibility to tailor it to their academic schedules. This degree has been carefully designed, from foundational education to specialized humanities, to offer students a two-year structured program that challenges them in cultural literacy and in critical and ethical thinking. Students may also pursue this major as a double major or minor if they are interested in adding a deeper understanding of the humanities as it relates to their career.“The program affirms Pacific Union College’s identity as a liberal arts institution, while also serving an important completion and retention function for students whose academic trajectories shift during their time at PUC,” said Milbert Mariano, dean of the school of arts, humanities, and professions. “We are responding to the needs of our students who can design and construct their own individualized emphasis (with guidance). This is not a major you would normally see at other Adventist...

For over 35 years, Pacific Union College has offered the Introduction to Dentistry taught by alumni dentists from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry and PUC. By testing their hand-eye skills and personality characteristics, this course has given pre-dental students early exposure to the field, preparing them for future careers in dentistry or dental hygiene.Since 2012, PUC and LLUSD alum Dr. James Yoo has been the class and lab instructor. With eight students in his class this quarter, they have expressed their appreciation of this class being the first step into their careers. “The students are wonderful and eager to learn when they show up to class,” said Dr. Yoo. “It is very rewarding on a personal level to give back to PUC in this little way.”In his experience, the most common challenge first-year dental students face that PUC’s introduction to dentistry class helps with is the wax lab, which is extremely helpful as they learn the anatomy of each tooth and start training their eyes to the details required in dentistry. While this course introduces students to the world of dentistry, they are encouraged to reach out to local or family dentists, volunteer on mission trips, and find shadowing...