Search - Staff Writer

Pacific Union College (PUC) has released a new Vision for the Future that details the college’s extensive plans for the years to come. This vision will expand the college’s reach, make higher education accessible to a wider range of students, and ensure PUC’s future as a leader in the Christian college marketplace.“It is critical that we look to the future with both optimism and realism,” said Gene Edelbach, PUC’s Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing, and Communication. “Higher education is in a state of dramatic decline, and unfortunately that includes Seventh-day Adventist Christian education. Instead of following an old model of operation that will continue to show us diminishing results, we are choosing reinvention. We will expand, adapt, and innovate to reach more students, including those who require a less traditional path, while remaining true to our commitment to Christianity, Adventism, and the quality of our PUC education.”The focus of PUC’s Vision for the Future includes four main areas: academic offerings, the Angwin campus, education centers, and online offerings.Academic OfferingsTo meet the needs of today’s college students, PUC is building on the strengths of its rich academic history to innovate Liberal Arts and shape a more career-focused education. A shift is...

Dr. Ralph Trecartin has been selected by the Pacific Union College Board of Trustees to be the next president of Pacific Union College. He will begin his role as president on July 1, 2021, and will be the college’s twenty-fourth president in its 138-year history.“Dr. Trecartin is joining the PUC family at a very important time,” said Bradford Newton, board chair and executive secretary of the Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. “The college has launched a new Vision for the future, and we believe Dr. Trecartin is the leader this school needs to move this plan forward.”Trecartin currently serves as the associate provost and dean of the College of Professionals for Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan and has served in higher education for over 30 years. Trecartin received his PhD in finance from Michigan State University’s Eli Broad College of Business, his MBA from Andrews University, and his bachelor’s degree in Theology at Atlantic Union College. Prior to joining the administrative team at Andrews University, he spent 18 years in various academic and administrative roles at The College of Brockport, State University of New York. As Executive Director and then Assistant Provost of International Education at Brockport, he...

It was recently announced that Pacific Union College President Bob Cushman will be leaving PUC at the end of this school year. On behalf of the entire PUC community, we want to thank President Dr. Cushman for his tireless efforts on behalf of our beloved PUC, our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and greater SDA constituency. We are grateful for Bob's years of service and dedication to Adventist education, even beyond those years at PUC."Bob has always approached his various roles in education with a servant heart and he brought that same spirit to his role at PUC and for that we will always be grateful," said Dr. Bradford Newton, Pacific Union Conference Executive Secretary and Chair of the PUC Board of Trustees. "As we look toward PUC's future, our board continues to be confident that PUC has a bright future ahead of us as we seek to prepare students for their life's calling and career path ahead. We believe that we have a strong administrative leadership team at PUC and are certain they will continue to drive a positive future for the campus, bringing us enrollment and programmatic growth, strong financial stewardship and new and exciting opportunities."While there may be...

The local evacuation order was lifted for the Angwin community on Tuesday and we are so happy to welcome our PUC family and neighbors back home! We are very blessed that our campus remained safe and untouched during the Glass Fire and are grateful for the amazing firefighters and other first responders who work so hard to keep our campus and community safe. Students who were residing on campus before the evacuation will be able to join us on campus again on Sunday, October 11 and have received details on the return to campus directly. PUC would like to thank everyone who said a prayer for us or made a donation to help support our displaced students families! ...

PUC offices are open as normal and the campus is under no threat from wildfires in Northern California at this time. Classes will begin as normal on Monday, September 14 via remote learning with exceptions for essential services students and some others. For more information on PUC’s fall campus plan, please visit puc.ed/fall2020.The PUC family is praying for all those affected by the wildfires and for the firefighters and others responding to the emergency.If you are looking for details on the overall wildfire situation, please visit Cal Fire.For the latest on the local Angwin community, please visit Angwin Volunteer Fire Department.To subscribe to urgent notifications from Nixle, text your zip code to 888-777.Visit the interactive air quality map at PurpleAir.com....

Pacific Union College has launched three new academic programs available for the 2020-2021 school year. The Global Health, Data Science, and Paramedic programs are especially timely for students looking for ways to serve their communities in meaningful ways.PUC's Bachelor of Science in Global Health is designed for those interested in improving the health and wellness of communities worldwide. The study of global health stems from the need to educate and keep large groups of people healthy in a way that individualized medicine cannot. A student who is fascinated by health and well-being, driven to helping others, and enjoys research and education makes an excellent candidate for this degree.The B.S. in Emergency Services, Paramedic is a unique hybrid program that allows students to complete three years at PUC in the Emergency Services Program and then take their paramedic training at any accredited (CAAHEP) program. Upon completion, they will be awarded their degree from PUC.The Data Science major will prepare students to be employed to work with data and analyze it in a variety of industries, including healthcare, technology, entertainment, and political and social science. The B.S. degree also provides a background for further graduate study in data science or related fields....

Pacific Union College’s associate nursing program has been granted continuing accreditation through 2027 by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). “Congratulations on this outstanding achievement! We look forward to continued successes for your nursing program,” the formal notification from ACEN’s Chief Executive Officer, Marsal P. Stoll, read. “On behalf of the Board of Commissioners, we thank you and your colleagues for your commitment to quality nursing education.”The college’s associate nursing program is part of the department of nursing and health sciences, PUC’s largest department. The college also recently received a Top 25 ranking by Gradreports for undergraduate nursing schools.“We are very pleased to receive this long-term continuation of our accreditation,” said Milbert Mariano, PUC’s Academic Dean. “This achievement speaks to the excellence of the program and the trust that ACEN has in our longevity. Most importantly, it validates the commitment we have to our nursing students today and into the future.”...

In response to Pacific Union College's (PUC) most recent accreditation report to WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), the college received a Notice of Concern from the accreditation commission and has responded accordingly by notifying WSCUC of recent financial updates. PUC has already begun the implementation of a two-year turnaround plan, which will address the concerns outlined in the Notice.The letter of concern was triggered when the college self-reported its financial challenges to WSCUC in November 2019. The Notice, which was received by the college's administration in March 2020, praised PUC for its transparency to candidly address the financial difficulties the college has undergone. The college also received praise for already taking steps for improvement, engaging the entire campus, including the Board of Trustees, in financial and enrollment planning, and adhering to the college's mission even when responding to challenges.PUC President Bob Cushman said, "We take this very seriously. A notice of concern from one's accrediting body is an alert to an institution that, if current trends continue, the institution will be out of compliance with one or more accreditation standards. In our case, this relates specifically to PUC's financial situation, which we are aggressively working to address."PUC has...

For up-to-date information please visit our Coronavirus Updates and Resources page.Napa County has confirmed that two quarantined patients are now under isolation at a county medical facility after being transported back to the United States. PUC is taking this development seriously, but it is not a cause for alarm.One of the affected patients has tested positive for nCoV2019, commonly known as novel coronavirus, while the second is still being monitored while in isolation. Both were transported to the Queen of the Valley Medical Center on Monday directly from Travis Air Force Base after arriving in the United States from Japan where they were under quarantine on the Diamond Princess cruise ship.There is minimal risk for the PUC campus and surrounding area at this time."Out of caution, the patients are being monitored in special isolation rooms that have negative pressure to minimize the risk of exposure," Amy Herold, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Queen of the Valley, said. "We are following established infection control protocols and working closely with our partners at CDC and Napa County Public Health to ensure the safety and well-being of our caregivers, patients, and visitors."Preventative measures for the viral outbreak are no different than precautions...

The U.S. News & World Report has released its annual Best Colleges list, and Pacific Union College has again been ranked in the top ten colleges. PUC was placed in the top 15 in the following categories:#10 in Regional Colleges West#7 in Best Colleges for Veterans#4 in Best Value Schools#14 in Top Performers on Social Mobility#1 in Campus Ethnic Diversity (West)"We are incredibly proud of our rankings in U.S. News & World Report," says Milbert Mariano, academic dean at PUC. "These results speak to the quality of a PUC education, as well as an overall PUC experience that puts students at the heart."Regional Colleges are split into four regions and are placed in this category based on the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education's Basic Classification system, the accepted standard in U.S. education. A few of the factors and weights included in the methodology are graduation and retention rates, graduation rate performance, social mobility, faculty and financial resources, student excellence, and alumni giving. PUC is the only Adventist school in the top ten.Best Colleges for Veterans are selected based on meeting the following criteria: certified for the GI Bill, participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, for the third consecutive...