Life at PUC

Rasmussen Art Gallery hosts some of its own with “New Work,” the art department faculty exhibition beginning on February 16 and showing through March 17. “New Work” will feature the art of seven Pacific Union College faculty members and include everything from photography to calligraphy. “It is a privilege to work with such talented faculty and artists,” says designer and assistant professor of art, Milbert Mariano. Mariano’s work will be shown along with the creations of Jerry Dodrill, Rita Hoshino, Thomas Morphis, Cliff Rusch, Bob Seyle, and art department chair, Tom Turner. Despite busy teaching schedules, the latest ceramics, paintings, photographs, and graphic designs showcase the artists’ continued exploration of new concepts and materials. Many of the them have also been featured in solo and group shows around the country. The faculty show sets a high standard for aspiring student artists at Pacific Union College. “It’s great that the students can see their professors active in creating new work,” explains Mariano. Student art will be featured in an upcoming exhibition....

The inauguration of Pacific Union College’s 20th president, Dr. Richard C. Osborn, on Thursday, February 7, drew distinguished educators and delegates from across the country. Lyn Behrens, president of Loma Linda University Adventist Health Science Center, spoke for the ceremony, which included tributes from students, community members, and colleagues, as well as musical performances by PUC ensembles. District 3 Napa County Supervisor, Mel Varrelman, represented the community in extending a welcome to the incoming president. Varrelman challenged Osborn to lead the school in its continued efforts to educate service oriented students who are actively involved in leadership. “My wish for PUC,” Varrelman said, “is that it become a center for learning about democracy in action.” The new president responded to the challenge by emphasizing the college’s “commitment to the broader Napa Valley community as [PUC] serves the citizens of this valley.” Osborn accepted the PUC presidential medallion in recognition of his new role, but he was clear in asserting, “Today is a celebration of PUC, not an individual.” Responding to the prayer of dedication offered by PUC President Emeritus, Malcolm Maxwell, and Behrens’ keynote address, Osborn pledged that “this morning, we rededicate ourselves to productive lives of service and uncompromising...

Sabbath afternoons have taken on a whole new meaning at PUC. Instead of taking a nap after Sabbath lunch, students are worshiping God. One night, near the end of winter quarter, students Tim Cress, David Moore, and Jason Decena tossed around the idea of having a 2 o’clock church service. A week later, they made it happen. “The 2 o’clock service was formed from the desire to have a family atmosphere where we can seek God,” said Tim Cress, a senior theology major who was very instrumental in starting the service. The first 2 o’clock program was held on Dec. 8 in Dauphinee chapel. “The first service was mainly just an experiment,” said Jason Decena, senior theology major and service coordinator. “We just decided to let God lead.” Since the first service, the congregation size has grown from about 40 people to a consistent 150 to 200 people. “I really enjoy the informal quality of the 2 o’clock service.” said Debbie Gorbencko, senior Public Relations Major. “I feel like the service is on my level and is is doing a good job in relating to the struggles that young adults have.” “We wanted to create a service that was not...

he Board of Trustees at Pacific Union College met Thursday to discuss the school’s budget and outline future goals for ensuring the long-term success of the institution. In the past few months, PUC has experienced challenges common to most colleges in America: including rising energy and health care costs and reduced investment income due to the economy. The final board report was presented at a special College Assembly meeting for faculty and staff on Thursday afternoon. Outlining benchmarks for excellence based on averages at similar-sized colleges was a major goal of the meeting. “In a number of areas,” said president Richard Osborn, “PUC has been spending more generously than these benchmarks indicate a college such as ours should to maintain long term strength. While not reducing the excellence of the college, we are attempting to bring our costs into better alignment so that we can aggressively implement strategic goals of even greater excellence.” Academically, PUC continues to hold its own on a national level. For the eighth year in a row, the college has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top ten western comprehensive colleges—a regional ranking that measures PUC against institutions in 14...

Academy students from throughout Northern and Central California recently attended the 37th annual Math Science Workshop hosted by Pacific Union College. During the last weekend of February, more than 100 students participated in demonstrations highlighting the fields of math, biology, chemistry, physics, and computer science. Sitting in the chemistry classroom waiting for a presentation to begin, Max Keller, from PUC Preparatory School, echoed a sentiment shared by many of the visiting students: “There is so much to learn. It goes too fast!” In the course of the afternoon, Max’s group of about 30 students participated in three of the Workshop’s five presentations, each one organized by a different department. Bill Hemmerlin, professor of chemistry, is excited about what the Workshop offers students. One benefit of the weekend is the opportunity to see what college life is really like. PUC students in white lab coats lined the back of the chemistry classroom, and they did more than simply provide beakers and pour solutions, “The instructors model for the academy kids what this is all about,” says Hemmerlin. Like the other departments—which had students taking polygraph tests and rolling dice to simulate the spread of contagious diseases—chemistry sought to involve the students...

St. Helena High School students wearing goggles to simulate blood alcohol levels of .16 were forced to walk the line on Friday, March 1, at a Wellness Fair hosted by nursing students from Pacific Union College (PUC). There was no alcohol present, but using a pair of goggles to distort vision and balance, students got a feel for the kind of control drunk drivers really have—not much. The drug and alcohol awareness booth was only one of over a dozen booths, each focusing on a different wellness issue; from skin cancer and stress to depression and diabetes. Each booth was designed and hosted by one or more nursing students from PUC, who received clinical credit for the research and work they put into the project. St. Helena students were encouraged to visit as many booths as possible, collecting samples and literature with information that could someday save their lives. PUC sophomore Josh Moldre and Shelby Talbert, a junior, worked with St. Helena students at the Walk the Line booth. “It’s all fun and laughs until something happens,” Moldre said, referring to the often casual attitude students have toward drinking. “But at our booth they’re having a good time—and if they’re...

Pacific Union College plans to expand its virtual classroom for Spring Quarter, 2002. PUC CyberCourses, the college’s online program, provides students with the flexibility to earn credit for a variety of general education classes from the convenience of a personal computer. Eight classes from five of the school’s academic departments—biology business, chemistry, math, and exercise science, health, and nutrition—will be offered. Adding fitness for life to the lineup, PUC CyberCourses include biological foundations, natural products, introductory algebra, statistics, PC operating systems, PC spreadsheets, and jogging. All of the classes meet either general education or elective requirements and many can be applied towards a specific bachelor’s degree. The PUC CyberCourses program is a balanced blend of online instruction and interaction with professors and fellow students in the virtual classroom. The format of PUC CyberCourses facilitates discussion while allowing students to work at their own pace. "Throughout PUC's history, we have attempted to provide well-tested new approaches to learning,” says PUC President Richard Osborn. “Our new CyberCourse program now enables individuals to take classes from their homes from Christian teachers; which opens many new possibilities for traditional and non-traditional college students." Students are required to take at least one proctored exam for...

On February 16, 2002, Maxwell Academy alumni participated in the Sabbath morning service at Middletown Adventist Church. The students, who now attend Pacific Union College, filled the divine meeting with a lively song service, a trumpet duo, and a song in Ndebele—one of the languages spoken in Zimbabwe, by the musical group Agape. To top it off, Richard Doss, a junior theology major, gave a sermonette on salvation. Maxwell Adventist Academy is situated in Nairobi, Kenya, and over the years, PUC has recruited more than 20 of Maxwell’s graduates. Alumni from Maxwell are from a variety of different countries around the world. Comprising 25% of the international student population at PUC and living thousands of miles away from home, Maxwell alumni share a unique bond with each other. One of the highlights of the Middletown service was the music. At Maxwell, all students are required to earn two credits in a music class to graduate. Some students choose choir or piano lessons, while others opt to learn a new instrument. As a result, Maxwell’s graduates appreciate music in one way or another. Singing brings Maxwell alumni together; at first it was just a way to remember good old high school...

Pacific Union College invites the community to attend a retirement planning seminar on Monday, April 1, from 7-9 p.m. Presented by Maynard LeBrun, financial planner, in connection with a consultant from Estate Design and Family Wealth Transfer, the seminar will answer important questions about money and your future. The seminar will cover retirement plan options and how to calculate retirement income needs. Those who attend will also learn important information about investments, government regulations, Social Security, and insurance....

Donald John, professor of philosophy, religion, and history at Pacific Union College, recently contributed a chapter to the book, Radicalism in British Literary Culture, 1650–1830: From Revolution to Revolution, a collection of interdisciplinary essays by leading scholars published in January 2002 by the prestigious Cambridge University Press. John was solicited to write the article by Nigel Smith, who edited the book with Timothy Morton. Smith, currently a professor of English at Princeton University, studied at Oxford with John. John’s article, “They became what they beheld: theodicy and regeneration in Milton, Law and Blake,” examines changing concepts of the problem of evil and the regeneration of self. In the book, which argues that the radical agendas of the mid-seventeenth century did not disappear throughout the long eighteenth century but were present in a more continuous transmission, John addresses the theology of redemption. This theology underwent a substantial change over the years as God was ‘interiorised’ in the believer. In his conclusion John refers to the radical "envisioning [of] God who 'becomes as we are, that we may be as he is.'" It is this concept John links to the concerns of the English Romantic poets. In doing so, he shows how...