Life at PUC

Most people don't kick off their freshman year at PUC by becoming a beauty queen. And Amanda Betat, now a sophomore, was pretty certain it wasn't her preferred way to start a college education. So she turned down the offer to run for Miss Lake County three times: "All the negative stereotypes that I initially had about pageantry almost kept me from running at all." Even when she finally agreed to run, she wasn't so sure. "Surrounded by hairspray, false eyelashes, and swimsuit glue I was certain that there was no place for me in the world of pageantry."But Betat quickly began to see that there was more to the pageants than most people realize, from a commitment to making a difference in communities to scholarships for education. "Fashion, makeup, and evening gowns were discussed interchangeably with talk of politics, platforms, and current events," she recalls. "I've made many friends, gotten to know my community, earned money towards college, and learned a lot about myself."When Betat won her local pageant, became Miss Lake County 2008, and went on to the Miss California pageant, the "deeper" aspects of the pageants became even more real in her life. For one thing, she...

For the 15th year in a row, U.S. News & World Report named Pacific Union College among the best educational institutions in the country. PUC ranked in the top tier, at number 17, for the baccalaureate colleges (West) region in the 2009 "America's Best Colleges" issue. It also ranks first in its region for ethnic diversity (not including international students), first for international students, and sixth for both freshmen retention rates and least debt among graduates.One of the most well-known and widely referenced sources of college rankings, U.S. News & World Report released its 2009 "Best Colleges" material in August, 2008. They collected data from more than 1,400 colleges for this year's rankings."As a learning community, we are pleased to be recognized not only for outstanding academics, but for the success of students from diverse backgrounds," said Nancy Lecourt, vice president for academic administration and academic dean. "We are proud to see our graduates changing the world."PUC is ranked in a category for institutions that focus on undergraduate education and grant fewer than half their degrees in liberal arts disciplines. High scores are based on such elements as peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources,...

Pacific Union College is once again offering language studies in Mandarin Chinese. The three-part course will be offered throughout the 2008-2009 school year, meeting for evening classes on the PUC campus in Angwin. Native Mandarin speaker Jun Liu, originally from Beijing, will instruct the courses. Students need no previous foreign language learning experience for the beginning-level courses, and they will develop speaking and listening skills as well as beginning-level reading and writing. A proficiency-based approach emphasizes the practical use of everyday Mandarin Chinese, and elements of Chinese culture will also be featured. Part one of the course will run September 22 to December 8; part two, January 5 to March 16; and part three, March 30 to June 8. The class will meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-7:45 p.m. on the PUC campus. For more information, contact Sylvia Rasi Gregorutti, chair of the PUC modern languages department, at (707) 965-6510 or srasi@puc.edu. You can also contact the instructor, Jun Liu, at jliu@puc.edu....

For the third consecutive year, the Pacific Union College Pioneers Athletic Department received the California Pacific Conference Team Sportsmanship Award. The other nine schools in the league voted that the Pioneers best exemplified the five core values of the Champions of Character program: Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Servant Leadership, and Sportsmanship. The Champions of Character program was established by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in 2000. During the years that the Cal Pac Conference has given the Sportsmanship Award to one of its members, the Pioneers have received the title four times — these three years, and the 2002-2003 season. "This award represents the finest example of the Champions of Character standards," Don Ott, commissioner of the Cal Pac Conference said. "Pacific Union's honor reflects well on the entire conference, and the staff, student-athletes and institution are to be applauded." Another testament to the Champions of Character program and the Cal Pac Conference is that every institution in the conference received at least one vote in at least three different sports. "That really is a remarkable achievement," Ott added. "While our institutions compete fiercely with one another on the field or court, there is a regular mutual respect and...

It was another thrilling week for the 24 participants in the annual PacificQuest program at Pacific Union College, which ran this year from July 27 to August 1. Perhaps a measure of its popularity is the number of fervent requests to return from students who are no longer of qualifying age. They want to come back for one more year, and one of their arguments is that the closer they get to being of college age and participating in the program, the greater the chance of making PUC their final choice of college. Who can argue against that kind of young logic?The PacificQuest program is designed for students who have just completed grades seven through nine, and it introduces them to PUC through a week of activities and classes, with one core class and a choice of two electives taught by PUC instructors.Professors Richard Rockwell, Maria Rankin-Brown and Robert Ordóñez taught stimulating classes in mathematics, creative thinking and writing, and interactive computer programming. On the final day of the program, the students delivered individual demonstrations and group skits that were entertaining and even riveting proofs of concepts and skills learned. Upon completion of the program, each student earned one unit...

Each spring, PUC students are asked to vote for a professor who has had a tremendous impact on the lives of their students. This year, hundreds of students went to the polls during a two-week period in April, and on May 8, the results of the vote were announced at the annual Educator of the Year colloquy program."Because of the grace, sweetness, and courage with which he lives and works among us, PUC is pleased to name Dr. Robin Vance as 2008-2009 Educator of the Year," said Nancy Lecourt, academic dean and vice president of academic administration.The honor was a surprise to Vance and, he admits, overwhelming. Fellow professors offered up a roast, a student gave a tribute, and Vance's brother, Rodney, surprised him with a humorous and touching slideshow that followed Vance from childhood to present."It was really neat to have some heart-felt appreciation from the students, and that was very touching to me," said Vance. "I was uncomfortable being the center of attention but enjoyed the affirmation from the students. That was very nice."The youngest of three brothers, Vance grew up in California and earned his bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees from Loma Linda University. After completing his...

For several summers now, digital cameras (and their owners) have been collecting at Pacific Union College's station at Albion. A one-week digital art photography course brings photographers of all levels — and their families — to the cabins in the estuary valley. This year, a group of 23 gathered, with 13 participating in the class. Under the tutelage of Marlowe Burgess, the group visited photographing points of interest such as the Mendocino Botanical Gardens, areas in and around the station and the village of Albion, the Point Arena Light House, and Bowling Ball Beach. In addition to the photo trips, the group enjoyed lectures and lab time, where they used Photoshop to work with their photographs. The class focuses on the use of art principles and elements in digital photography, with the goal of helping students unleash their creative potential. Wil Cook, the station manager, observed that the students were enjoying themselves thoroughly, even making plans to come the next year. "The group is made up of a number of church school teachers and many individuals that are retired and just wanting to learn more about their cameras and the many things they can do with the computer. We have...

This year, a SIFE team formed at PUC, bringing three significant projects to the campus and community — and winning recognition at the regional competition.SIFE, or "Students In Free Enterprise," is an organization for university students around the world to help their communities and to develop business leadership skills. Each year, SIFE teams take their written reports and live presentations to a series of competitions judged by panels of business leaders.The PUC business department decided to start a SIFE team at PUC this year. Wally Lighthouse, JD, CPA, associate professor of business administration, and the SIFE PUC sponsor, explains that SIFE participation can benefit students because it's a big draw for employers. "SIFE participation is looked upon favorably by a number of major employers for recruiting and hiring purposes," says Lighthouse, who has already been contacted by Unilever, a major consumer products company that recruits from the SIFE alumni pool.Lighthouse recruited students and built a SIFE team with elected student officers. The team then embarked on three community projects, all managed and staffed by student team members: a Dollars and $ense program, a business lecture series, and a public service announcement (PSA) on anti-piracy.The Dollars & $ense program reached out...

Makala Anders has been interested in skin since he was a kid. As a child he often wondered why he was so pale compared to his dark-skinned Polynesian father and set to find out. In the eighth grade he discovered dermatology, and his career path was set. Anders left his native Hawaii and did undergraduate work at Pacific Union College, where he also met his wife, Brandie. While studying at PUC, both had the idea that they wanted to settle down in the area, but first Anders had to go to medical school. After graduating from PUC in 1995, he went to Loma Linda University, where he immersed himself in the Department of Dermatology, working hard and doing research as he advanced in his studies. During his residency, his hard work resulted in his being elected "chief resident" of the LLU dermatology department.It was in his chief resident role that he got involved in a unique program that helped ex-convicts and gang members by providing free tattoo removal. It was a long process that took anywhere from six to 20 treatments, and through the course of the treatment Anders got to know some of his patients and see how they...

Every summer for 41 years, artists have been convening at the Albion Field Station on the Mendocino coast. There, the Summer School of Art brings people of all ages, all levels of expertise, and from a variety of places together in a green valley beside the Albion River estuary. The station, run by Pacific Union College, was established in 1947 in "Happy Valley", former home of a lumber mill and a sheep-grazing area. Over the years, the station has been used for biology studies, group retreats and family getaways, workshops and classes, and outdoor schools for elementary students. In 1967, the Summer School of Art was started by renowned watercolorist Vernon Nye, then chair of PUC's art department. John Hewitt and Dennis Simpson, now teachers at the school of art, were both students of Nye's. This year, Nye returned to join the group for a few days. The two weeks of the course are characterized by family-style art and exploration typical of the field station. Painters range in age from early 20s to 80s, and many of them are returning participants who have fallen in love with the experience. Many bring along family members who take advantage of the tidepools,...