Admissions & Aid

A fire broke out at approximately 4:35 p.m., Wednesday, June 8, at Angwin Valley View Auto on Howell Mountain Road in Angwin. Pacific Union College CFO Brandon Parker says the probable cause of the fire was an exploding gas tank. The Angwin Fire Department was able to quickly suppress the flames after both natural gas and Chevron gas were shut off. According to on-site witnesses and Parker, there were no injuries, and no students were in the facility.The building, leased from PUC, was located next to the campus Chevron station. Campus facility manager Dale Withers and Chevron employees immediately took appropriate actions. The Chevron station sustained minor damages that should not result in a long-term closure. Howell Mountain Enterprises is working to restore Chevron services as soon as possible....

“This is our Christmas.”That’s how Rajeev Sigamoney characterized this year’s extraordinary 18th Diogenes Film Festival that brought Pacific Union College’s visual art students, past and present, together to celebrate their achievements. Due to the COVID-19, the annual festival was canceled in 2020 and 2021. Sigamoney, professor of film and chair of the Visual Arts department, said he and his colleagues felt it was important to include the students whose projects had been delayed by the pandemic. This year’s festival featured films from three years -- more than 35 showcased over two days. The Student Showcase took place on Sunday evening, May 22, in PUC’s Dauphinee Chapel. Underclassmen projects were viewed by an audience of nearly 120 in two 90-minute blocks followed by an awards ceremony. A panel of judges made up of PUC alumni named Fabiola Ixcot the Filmmaker of the Future for her exceptional work in “Fading.” Filmgoers voted via text message during the event to pick the Audience Choice Award. Josue Hilario and his film “Sanity” won as well as Ysabelle Labaco and Atlas Snarr for “Unconditional.”Part two of this year’s film festival, Senior Showcase, was celebrated Sunday, May 29, and featured eight senior thesis films. “St. Helena...

Balancing being a full-time student and athlete can be challenging. In addition to classes and coursework, student athletes also train, attend practice and travel to events both in and out of state. At Pacific Union College student athletes participate in basketball, volleyball, soccer and cross-country.A record number of 75 PUC Pioneer athletes were named as recipients of the Scholar Athlete Recognition Program at an annual sports banquet on May 15. These honorees were chosen from across the four different men’s and women’s varsity sports teams. Thirty-nine Scholar Athletes had a GPA of 3.0 or higher while 36 Distinguished Scholar Athlete recipients achieved a GPA of 3.5 or above. Tyler Wilensky was named as the Presidential Scholar Athlete of the Year. The men’s cross-country runner had the best academic record among the Pioneer athletes this year as the athlete with the highest cumulative GPA.. As the winner, Wilensky was awarded a $1,000 scholarship. “We have seen an overall increase of awards -- over 15% from last year to this year,” said PUC Athletic Director, J.R. Rogers, “with over 70% of athletes receiving recognition.”On Thursday June 2, these distinguished athletes were also acknowledged at the Student Awards Celebration in the PUC church.View...

The PUC family stands in unity with the town of Buffalo and the victims of the heinous act of terror. Our hearts and prayers are with the 10 people who lost their lives and those traumatized by the horrific act. These acts of hatred and violence is antithesis to the love of Christ. We are called to attest to each other’s humanity and live the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. If there is anyone in our PUC community who is feeling overwhelmed by the recent grievous acts of violence, therapists at the Wellness Center are available to support you. ...

It was the first time in Pacific Union College’s history that a nursing faculty member received this prestigious award. At a special colloquy on May 19, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Serah Choi was honored as the college’s 2022 Educator of the Year. Academic Dean Milbert Mariano, presented Choi with a framed certificate, a green superhero cape and lightsaber, which have become time-honored traditions. Choi’s husband and PUC’s Aviation Program Director, Keunsong “Chris” Cho, paid tribute with a slideshow documenting her life and journey to achieving her dream job as a college nursing professor. As a young girl in Kwangju, Korea, Choi revered her father, a biology professor. She enjoyed watching him teach and going with his class on field trips.Choi excelled in academics. In 1998 she came to the United States to study at Monterey Bay Academy. Choi earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing at Pacific Union College in 2008. After working as a nurse at Adventist Health St. Helena, she completed her Master of Science in Nursing at Loma Linda University in 2013. Finally, Choi’s childhood dream became a reality when she returned to PUC, this time as a professor in the school of nursing. Dr. Sara Kakazu, PUC’s...

Adapted from the cover article of the March 18 Campus ChroniclePUC’s student newspaper won second place in its division of the College Media Association Conference Apple Awards in New York City this March.The Chronicle’s editor-in-chief, Lauren VandenHoven, assistant editor, Madison Brogan, and layout and design editor, Sarah Franklin attended the conference workshops accompanied by their faculty adviser, journalism professor Lynne Thew.Their submitted issues placed alongside publications from Rice University, Castleton University, and Missouri Western State University in the “Best Newspaper, 4-Year College, Under 5,000 Undergraduates” competition.The editorial team was thrilled to receive this award, and brought back congratulations to the rest of their staff who worked tirelessly to put together each issue. They are also grateful to the departments of Student Life and Academic Administration, as well as to PUC alumni, for their generous donations which made the trip possible.The conference featured four days of educational workshops and interactive sessions led by media professionals and journalism professors from colleges across the United States. The conference hosted two keynote sessions, the first given by Roy Wood Jr., radio personality and correspondent on “The Daily Show w/ Trevor Noah,” and the second featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalists Jodi Kantor and...

After years apart, alumni, friends and family gathered once again on the mountain.Pacific Union College welcomed over 600 alumni to celebrate 140 years during its annual Homecoming on Sabbath, April 16, 2022. The day was filled with special programs, including the inauguration of PUC’s new president and the opening of the Walter C. Utt Center. Social events reconnected classmates and friends at their beloved alma mater.This was the first time since 2019 the college was able to hold an in-person Homecoming due to the COVID-19 pandemic.“We will be eternally grateful for how the campus pulled together to help us create a meaningful homecoming weekend,” said Kellie Lind, PUC’s vice president for alumni and advancement. “Faculty, staff and community volunteers worked together to generate a really special weekend.”This year’s honored classes were ‘60-’62, ‘70-’72, ‘80-’82, ‘90-’97, ‘00-’02 and ‘10-’12. These included classes that could not gather together in person over the past two years. Honoring three classes from each decade was a hit, Lind said, and something many people have requested for next year’s reunion.Homecoming celebrations began on Sabbath morning as alumni gathered in the PUC church sanctuary for a program centered on the college’s 140-year history. David Trim, director of...

Dr. Ralph Trecartin was inaugurated as Pacific Union College’s 24th president in April, taking over leadership of the institution in its celebratory 140th year and vowing to build on the college’s mission of faith, love and service in writing the next chapter of its storied history.“God has called us to this place for this time,” Trecartin said in his inaugural response themed on how the college’s past inspires its vision for the future. “We have an exciting adventure before us. Join me in watching to see the amazing things that God will do and jump in with me to join Him in any way we can to help.”Pacific Union College’s Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Trecartin in July 2021 as the successor to Dr. Robert Cushman, citing his leadership, innovation and experience in academic, enrollment and financial administration and his devout commitment to the mission of Seventh-day Adventist higher education.Trecartin's formal inauguration service coincided with the college’s alumni Homecoming Sabbath on April 16, 2022.The momentous occasion began with a special procession of board trustees, faculty, program participants, administration, and representatives from other Adventist institutions, many dressed in full academic regalia. Former and current students and faculty, as well as members...

If you ask Pacific Union College about their spring break, 22 of them will have an outstanding answer for you! The students dedicated their break to serving with love by joining professor Floyd Hayes, Ph.D. on a service mission trip to the country of Kenya.“Our mission trip to Kenya was unforgettable and eye-opening,” said student Drielly Martins. One objective for the PUC students was to resume an ongoing building project at the Kensington Hall Oloosinon Girls Secondary School. Students from a previous PUC service mission trip began the project at the school, which serves Maasai girls in a rural area of Kenya, in 2019 with the construction of a foundation for the school’s administration building.Safety concerns related to the Covid-19 pandemic interrupted plans to return to the country for three years, except for one limited trip, so Hayes and the students were excited to resume the project. This year, they assisted with the construction of a new building by digging trenches and pouring concrete. In addition, Hayes and the students were able to address some of the school’s technology needs. Before the trip, the group acquired 18 laptop computers that they delivered to the school during their visit, and PUC...

Pacific Union College administrators and its Board of Trustees presented and agreed upon a plan to balance the 2022-2023 budget at the February 28, 2022, board meeting. Although multifaceted in the involvement of several reductions and new revenues, a notable portion of this plan was the reduction of employees. PUC administration met a self-imposed deadline of mid-March to contact each affected employee with only one exception. The final individual was contacted approximately a week later. With this final announcement, all individuals affected by this particular vote have been contacted. All downsizing has resulted in the elimination of only one degree area — photography. There are no plans to eliminate other degrees or concentrations. All current programs can be covered by current personnel or several additional contracts. The cycles of course offerings may change, but currently, with only the one exception, all courses and emphasis areas remain intact.These adjustments will not only bring us to our operational goals but will allow us to look forward to a future of growth. We will remain ever grateful for the contributions each employee has made to the institution of PUC and its many students. Again, it is with great sadness that PUC is saying...