Search - By Laura Gang

Professor of Nursing Susan Bussell was honored as Pacific Union College Educator of the Year at a special Community program in the PUC Church on May 18.Milbert Mariano, vice president for academic administration and academic dean, said Bussell demonstrates the highest level of professionalism and expertise in her field. “She's a true advocate for nursing education, and her enthusiasm for the profession is evident in her work with students,” he said. “She has a gift for inspiring and motivating her students and has been a mentor to many young nurses throughout her career as an educator.” This year marks the second time in the college’s history that a professor of nursing has been selected as the Educator of the Year. Last year’s honoree, Professor of Nursing Serah Choi, spoke about her journey from being a nurse to becoming an educator and looking to Jesus as her mentor. She reminded students that a little progress every day can eventually yield significant results.Mariano and Choi presented Bussell with a framed certificate, balloons, and a bouquet of sunflowers and red roses. She was also honored with a superhero cape and a lightsaber—all traditional gifts bestowed on the college’s previous honorees. Bussell’s husband, Ty,...

After a four-year hiatus, the annual Angwin to Angwish trail run made a triumphant return to Pacific Union College. Due to wildfire threats and the COVID-19 pandemic, 2018 was the last time this event was held.But early on a sunshine-filled Sunday, May 7, 100 runners of all ages from the college and in the greater community gathered atop the mountain to run and have fun. All funds from the race went to support the PUC department of athletics.Race director Abraham Garrido, also PUC’s head coach for both men’s and women’s cross-country teams, said he was surprised and excited about the number of participants. “They all had a great time, and that's something that stood out,” he said.Angwin to Angwish, which began in 1974, is a beautiful forested trail run through PUC’s backwoods property. This year’s event offered four races of varied difficulty and terrain. A 10k, half marathon, and 30k took runners up and over the aptly named “Angwish Hill.” There was also a 1-mile fun run for kids.“PUC has managed the forest well, opened it up to the surrounding area; it’s a huge community asset,” said Napa County Supervisor Anne Cottrell. “It’s great to feature it as part of...

Pacific Union College and Adventist Health have announced a new partnership to better serve rural communities in Central and Northern California, including in Lake and Mendocino counties. This collaboration will further the college's goals of growing its nursing program and help meet the rising need for highly qualified healthcare professionals in these areas. “Partnering with nursing schools is the best way for hospitals to ensure there is a pipeline for recruitment of nurses,” said PUC Department of Nursing Chair Kimberly Dunker. “Because of the long-standing history between our Adventist organizations, we are able to not only partner but share the same values and beliefs for nursing education and talent acquisition.” The Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program will be open to Adventist Health employees and community members in the local areas of Lake and Mendocino counties looking to move into the nursing field. Classes will begin in September. Judson Howe, president of the North Coast Network for Adventist Health, said creating a local nursing workforce is one of the organization’s top priorities. “The nursing program at Pacific Union College creates an additional avenue for our community members to receive a world-class registered nursing education,” Howe said. “Adventist Health North...

In March, over spring vacation, a group of students and faculty from Pacific Union College traveled to Mana Island, Fiji, for a 10-day mission trip.It’s been nearly a decade since the first PUC trip to this remote location. Mana is very small, with only a population of about 500 people. Each mission trip has focused on meeting their needs in a variety of areas. A deep connection between PUC and the community has developed with each return trip to the island.Under the leadership of former Missions Director Fabio Maia and two co-leaders, Biology Professor Floyd Hayes and Nursing Professor Sandra Ringer, this year’s mission trip included 12 nursing students and three non-nursing students. Nicolette Piaubert, a nursing professor at PUC, also went on the trip and helped lead healthcare services.“This year, we focused mostly on providing medical and dental care for the residents of the island, working as a team with American and Brazilian health care professionals,” Hayes said. “We also provided laptop computers, snorkeling gear, solar power systems, Vacation Bible School, and trash removal.”At a spring Week of Prayer program in April, Ringer told students about the recent trip to Fiji and said there is virtually no healthcare on...

When pastors address a difficult subject in their messages, they must do so with great care and preparation, especially if there are no easy answers. It’s not often that a pastor addresses five complex topics in a week. But Pastor Josie Ascencio did precisely that. Pacific Union College held its annual spring Week of Prayer from April 17-21. Students led out in praise and worship songs and icebreaker activities each day. Ascencio, head pastor of the Antioch Seventh-day Adventist Church, spoke on the year’s theme of “Revival.” Her topics included brokenness, isolation, and despair—and the importance of building community and connection by reaching out. Each message centered on a biblical story of physical and emotional healing. Ascencio began with the story of Jacob, who was far from perfect and so concerned with himself that he even swindled his father out of his brother’s birthright. But then, Ascencio said, came the struggle in the desert and the dream revealing angels descending and ascending a ladder from heaven to earth. God showed Jacob he was still with him. “You’re a stealer? I’ll make you a giver! All the world will be blessed,” Ascencio said. In Jacob, she continued, we learn that God continues...

Pacific Union College welcomed alumni back to the mountain for a beautiful Homecoming Weekend on April 21-22.Vice President for Alumni and Advancement Kellie Lind said it was wonderful to be together again. Now that people are traveling more, it made for a much better reunion this year.“It was fun for the alumni to interact and meet future PUC alumni and our current students during the weekend,” said Lind. “Our students were very involved in programming, which made the weekend even more special!”The celebratory weekend began Friday afternoon with PUC Forest guided tours. On the drive, alumni shared memories from their days at the college while enjoying scenic woods and the view of the mountains from Inspiration Point.After the Pioneer Dinner in the fireside room, alums gathered for vespers in the PUC Church in the evening. President Ralph Trecartin warmly greeted attendees and spoke on the evening’s mission theme. “From the beginning,” Trecartin said, “service has been at the center of PUC education.”Throughout the history of the college, many PUC graduates have made sacrifices to make service the mission of their life and work, Trecartin continued. And that spirit of mission hasn’t left. “It’s still here after 14 decades.”A PUC Praise...

What does it mean to be faithful to a spouse who is unfaithful to you? How can we be faithful to a God who seems absent? These are the driving questions of Jericho Road: A Musical Event, which made its U.S. debut in February and April at Pacific Union College.“It’s a difficult topic,” said Lindsay Morton, associate academic dean, who wrote and produced the musical. “But it’s one that’s so important to talk about on a college campus where some young adults are starting to think about life partners.” Morton was inspired to write Jericho Road after watching the musical The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown. She wondered how the storyline might have been different if the characters had been Christian. “Jericho Road is an attempt to answer to that question,” Morton said.The musical’s main characters, Jake and Leila Carver, are a young Seventh-day Adventist couple who meet, fall in love, marry, and have a child, Amalia. But when life doesn’t turn out as he expected, Jacob leaves his wife and daughter to pursue his dream of a successful musical career. This decision shatters Leila and Amalia.Musicals are one of Morton’s passions—so much so that she wrote her first...

Pacific Union College is embarking on a new three-school model for the upcoming year and announced Tuesday the appointments of the deans who will help lead the efforts to maintain and grow the college’s academic excellence.PUC is committed to high-quality academic programs while maintaining the cultural, spiritual, and lifestyle base that gives students a rich, full Seventh-day Adventist campus experience.As part of this new plan, PUC is launching the three-school model, a recommendation initiated and developed by the college’s academic leadership. The three schools are Nursing & Health Sciences; Arts, Humanities, & Professions; and Sciences. To lead each school, the PUC administration announced the following leadership appointments:Kimberly Dunker, current chair of the Nursing and Health Sciences Department and a professor of nursing, will serve as dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences.Milbert Mariano, PUC’s vice president for academic administration and academic dean, will transition to dean of the School of Arts, Humanities & Professions.Aimee Wyrick, an associate professor of biology, will become the dean of the School of Sciences. “Each of these leaders is committed to PUC and its Christ-centered mission and will help us better serve our students and build a bright future,” President Ralph Trecartin said....

Lindsay Morton, an experienced educator with a heart for Christ and the college’s mission and vision, will become vice president for academic administration and academic dean in July, Pacific Union College announced Tuesday.Prior to her current role as associate academic dean, Morton served two years as an English professor at PUC. Before coming to the United States, she taught in Australia at Avondale College of Higher Education for seven years. She was also the assistant dean for the Faculty of Arts, Nursing, and Theology. “Lindsay is a strong leader with insight and wisdom,” President Ralph Trecartin said. “She is innovative, pragmatic, and a consensus builder.”Trecartin said he admires Morton’s leadership skills and her ability to be idealistic but realistic when making critical administrative decisions. Among her duties, Morton will serve on the president's cabinet, drive accreditation, oversee academic support areas, and create additional pathways for students through new strategic partnerships. She will continue to evaluate and reinvigorate the student experience, manage student requests and issues, and work to deepen the integration of faith and learning. All this fits into PUC's vision of offering students a modernized, simplified, Christ-centered college experience on campus and beyond.“In the future, I want PUC to...

Pacific Union College’s School of Nursing has received a $540,000 grant from California’s Department of Healthcare Access and Information (HCAI), funding that will help address the statewide nursing shortage by expanding training opportunities. Chair of Nursing and Health Sciences Kimberly Dunker said PUC will use the grant to ensure nursing student success by funding scholarships and providing support through tutoring. It will also be used to purchase high-fidelity simulation technology along with faculty support, development, and simulation training.“Expanding our simulation program allows us to meet mandatory clinical requirements while still meeting student outcomes. This ensures compliance with minimum clinical hours in the case of a pandemic, fire evacuation or other disaster,” Dunker said. “It also may allow us to expand our RN enrollment in the future.”On March 7, HCAI awarded $16.9 million in grants to 32 registered nurse training programs, including PUC, to help expand programs and improve access to high-quality health care in California. The funding supports 565 new student slots across the state, an increase of more than 150 since the previous application cycle. The awards were made possible through the Song-Brown Healthcare Workforce Training Act, which helps organizations establish and expand primary care training programs. One of...