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From August 10 to 20, 36 Maranatha Volunteers International and Pacific Union College volunteers, faculty, staff, students, and community members collaborated to renovate McReynolds Hall, a residence hall primarily used when academies and other groups visit campus.The PUC Administration team has anticipated Maranatha’s return to PUC for a few years now, since their last project visit in 2019, when they successfully renovated and refreshed 31 Newton Hall dorm rooms and bathrooms, and continued the same project in 2020.The goal was to refresh as many of the 48 rooms and common areas as possible, starting with 16 rooms in wings A and C on the first floor. The plan was to remove old carpets and obsolete desks, paint the rooms, and install new vinyl plank flooring (LVT), shades, and lights. During this project, they completed 24 rooms and 12 bathrooms across two first-floor wings and the third wing, excluding floor preparation and installation of the new vinyl plank flooring in the B wing, which was more than they had originally planned.They began their project by removing loose furniture, including two beds and a dresser, old blinds, existing built-in desks, and carpets from the rooms. They painted the rooms and bathrooms, including...

Pacific Union College is delighted to announce that Brandon Broome has been appointed as PUC’s new athletic director, bringing 16 years of coaching and program-development experience. With six years of collegiate-level experience, Broome envisions creating a place where athletes pursue excellence and acceptance is a priority.He graduated from Oakwood University with a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 2010. As a collegiate basketball player for OU from 2007 to 2010, he helped build the school’s first of four United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) teams. Broome also held the USCAA Slam Dunk Contest title as part of the National Championship team in 2008– a precursor to the passion, drive, and determination that has followed him into his coaching career.Before joining PUC, he served as head men’s Basketball Coach and Compliance Administrator at Walla Walla University for six years, guiding players on the court and contributing to the institution’s success.Broome began his role as athletic director on September 30. When you see him on campus, say hi and welcome him and his family to Angwin’s beloved college on the hill....

On August 24, Pacific Union College Enrollment Counselor and Angwin to Angwish Coordinator Abraham Garrido participated in the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (TDS), a 100-mile race that crosses through the scenic views of the French Alps in Chamonix.The race began at midnight in freezing rain, foreshadowing a long night and day in the mountains for the 1,290 starting participants. The course included about 31,000 feet of elevation gain, taking runners through what Garrido described as “incredible terrain” in France and Italy, with mountain refuges on standby to house and care for participants. One of the coolest things he shared was being able to run with people from so many different countries and backgrounds, and how running can bring so many people from all over the world together.As he endured this life-altering experience, his wife, PUC Director of Recruitment, Isabella Malan-Garrido, along with his brother and sister, cheered him on at different aid stations, making it even more meaningful. “Honestly, one of the coolest parts of the whole experience was getting to share it with my family. I couldn’t have done it without them.”More than anything, getting to be in the Alps, running through the night, and sharing the experience with so...

From August 30 to September 1, Pacific Union College held its 36th annual Publication Workshop, hosting 129 high school and academy students, along with sponsors, from 13 schools. Faculty and staff from the visual arts, communication, marketing, and enrollment departments collaborated to put together this event. Students received hands-on practice in writing, journalism, video production, photography, design, newswriting, and social media, taught by PUC’s very own faculty– professionals in their respective crafts and fields.This year, PUC welcomed Armona Union Academy, Central Valley Christian, Columbia Adventist Academy, Lodi Academy, Miramonte Christian School, Mesa Grande Academy, Mountain View Academy, Pleasant Hill Academy, PUC Preparatory, Redlands Academy, Roseburg Christian Academy, San Fernando Valley Academy, and Tualatin Valley Academy.Sponsored by the communication and visual arts departments, students learned valuable skills through teacher-led activities while also getting a glimpse of the Christ-centered campus and its wide range of offerings. Faculty and staff members involved in this year’s workshop were PUC Dean of Arts, Humanities, and Professions and Director of Publication Workshop, Milbert Mariano; Associate Professor of Communication Tara Hargrove; Professor of Communication Patricia Maxwell; Professor of Graphic Design and Department Chair Brian Kyle; Instructor of Visual Arts Nephtali Marin; Adjunct Professor of Photography Mike Murtaugh;...

Pacific Union College is delighted to announce that it has been ranked #15 in Overall Rank in the Regional Colleges (West) category and #5 in California in that same category in the 2026-2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges List. PUC has also earned a new ranking of #12 in Top Private Colleges, a category for private institutions funded entirely by non-government sources like tuition, endowments, and alumni gifts.U.S. News Best Colleges rates about 1,700 educational institutions nationwide, weighing factors like academic quality, graduation and retention rates, post-graduate outcomes, and academic resources, with the Regional Colleges (West) category awarding only 49 schools based on the career- and job-focused degrees they offer.Currently, PUC is #15 in the Overall Rank and #34 in Top Performers on Social Mobility– all in the Regional Colleges (West) category.Proudly embracing the tagline, "Learn with Purpose, Rise in Faith, and Serve with Love," PUC takes pride in and is known for its dedicated faculty and staff, who are fully devoted to serving the entire student body– from fostering a Christ-centered environment to a robust academic program."At PUC we are focused on quality and student experience," said PUC President Ralph Trecartin. "Whenever the U.S. News rankings come...

Throughout the year, the Pacific Union College aviation program has received many provisions from God, including acquiring Charlie, their Cessna 206 missionary plane, and adding several talented instructors to their team. Recently, a glider was generously donated to the PUC aviation program. Flight Center Director Nathan Tasker has been working diligently on plans for a glider program on campus, so this was nothing short of an answer to prayer for Tasker and his team.Several months ago, Tasker met with a fellow Adventist glider pilot who had been working on his glider instructor certificate and had recently acquired it. This milestone encouraged Tasker and the instructor to schedule a meeting for July 6 to plan next steps. Among those steps was the acquisition of gliders. They met at 12 p.m. as planned, and, just 30 minutes into their meeting, the daily mail arrived. In it was an unsolicited letter from someone named Joanne Lessard. In the letter, Lessard explained that her husband, George Lessard, a 1963 PUC alumnus and a passionate glider pilot, had passed away this past January. After reading the recent article circulating on the PUC website and in ViewPoint publications about “Charlie,” she inquired whether PUC could use...

With roots in Angwin, Pacific Union College was no stranger to ‘97 alumna and passionate children’s author and illustrator, Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson, who grew up witnessing the early-morning fog over the valley, the sound of the Paulin Hall fountain, and the winding roads adorning the hill. Having been inspired by these experiences, Fujimoto-Johnson said it was during her time at PUC that she tapped into some of her most significant and creative projects, which, to her, marked the roots she is pursuing all these years later.In her early years, she recalls writing poetry at the tender age of six, which grounded her in a love and fond appreciation for expression. She said, “The truth is that I feel most alive when I am creating, and I have circled back to that truth many times in my life so far. But really, I create in the hopes that my work will outlive me and continue to make an impact for many years. I am committed to making space for diversity, beauty, and kindness in my work.”Her family moved to Japan when she was nine, which exposed her to her cultural and familial roots, and her passion for writing grew while being homeschooled...

On June 12, Elizabeth (Libett) Muñoz Beard stepped into the role as Pacific Union College’s new Registrar in the Records Office, following Craig Philpott’s retirement after 40 faithful years at PUC. Coming to campus from Riverside, CA, Muñoz is a distinguished and experienced educator with a deep passion for the Seventh-day Adventist mission and education– a valuable contribution that PUC is delighted and proud to have.She faithfully served in the education sector for 33 years, including 28 in Adventist education, where she served as principal at La Sierra Academy for the last six years, after beginning her career at La Sierra University, followed by Loma Linda University and Cal State San Bernardino. With roots grounded in LSU, Muñoz earned a BBA in accounting and both an MA and an Ed.S. in educational leadership and administration. She has also been working on her Ed.D. this past year and is actively completing her dissertation.Muñoz brings a wealth of experience in leadership, higher education, program, staff, and curriculum development, and community outreach. She is passionate about the Seventh-day Adventist mission within academia, where God wholly impacts each student because her greatest reward is “seeing students grow, flourish, and later return to share how...

Throughout the 2025-2026 academic year, Pacific Union College Assistant Professor of Psychology Libna Arroyo invited guests to her psychology courses to give students real-world learning experiences through the college’s experiential learning opportunities.For the PSYC 235: Child Development class, Professor Arroyo invited two families, one of whom is PUC Assistant Professor of Kinesiology Matt Evans’ family, with children under five, to participate in age-appropriate activities with college students during the child development lab.PSYC 264: Social Psychology featured a Holocaust survivor, Anita, who was a hidden Jewish child during World War II. She has been sharing her story for five years and is currently 93 years old. Also, National Association of Veterans Affairs Chaplain (NAVAC) Board Certified Chaplain and Air Force Chaplain Jonathan Arroyo spoke to the students about altruism.Arroyo invited two families from the community who have adopted children through foster care in California to her PSYC 335: Adolescent Psychology class to share their experiences with adolescents. These families shared their experiences in parenting children who have suffered trauma. The parents also shared their relationships with professionals who work with their children, such as social workers, school counselors, and teachers, and provided tips for interacting with families in their future careers.Arranging...

On July 1, Sam Heier transitioned to his new role as Vice President of Financial Administration and Chief Financial Officer. Having served as the Executive Director of Financial Administration since 2023, he has since established strong financial rapport across campus, bringing a wealth of experience, strategic thinking, and a vision to keep PUC moving forward.Heier’s story began long before he settled in Angwin with his wife, Jodel, whom he met during his time at PUC, and their two sons, Rylan and Luke. After moving to PUC from his hometown near Stuttgart, Germany, in 1996, he was a determined ESL student in a completely new environment, working at the Howell Mountain Market to support his education. Heier credits his work experience there and the manager he worked under with influencing the management philosophies he holds and practices today.“I think what makes PUC unique is not that we are here to teach students in the classroom alone, but we really help them grow as human beings and future leaders,” he said. “Students are mentored by amazing educators and pastors. That was my experience back then as an international student, and it still holds true today.”Heier described his time at PUC as a...