Life at PUC

PUC’S RIGHT BRAIN Art and Music on the Hill By Lainey S. Cronk Through the double wooden doors of the Paulin Hall choir room seep rich waves of harmony, in patchwork pieces—three measures of tenor and bass, a phrase repeated four times by sopranos, and a page of weaving notes. Above the gray carpet stretching past the practice rooms, layers of music fade into each other. A piano jazzes up “Amazing Grace.” A flute flies over scales. A voice and a guitar mingle like rain in a river. There’s plenty of formal music around campus—concerts, recitals, choirs …but at the heart, many of us just love music, and that love shows up in all kinds of ways, including less formal means of expression. The Stage is Open For those with strong voices and stout hearts, there are plenty of places for up-front student involvement and leadership in music. Every Sabbath, PUC church’s worship pastor coordinates a group of vocalists and musicians to lead out in the worship portion of the church service. Each week, the group consists almost entirely of PUC students. Students also organize and lead out in the music for every vespers and collegiate Sabbath school, in addition...

When wildfires recently raged in Southern California, and Napa County firefighters began forming Strike Teams to lend their assistance, the students at PUC did not go untouched by the events. Eight Angwin volunteer firefighters, three of whom were PUC students, and two Angwin fire engines joined Napa County strike teams from Calistoga and St. Helena. Jon Huff, a junior at PUC, went with the Strike Team led by Gary Kraus, chief of the Calistoga Fire Department, and was assigned to the Julian Fire northeast of San Diego. Leo Lutz, senior, and Brandon Craig, sophomore, went to the Old Fire above San Bernardino. Cassaundra Lutz didn't get much warning about her husband, Leo's, departure for the Old Fire. "He drove by in the fire engine and waved," Cassaundra says. A friend dropped off the Lutz' vehicle and said, "Leo's on his way to San Bernardino." Not only was the experience rather unexpected, it was also very new for some of the participants. PUC student Brandon Craig hadn't had much fire experience before he went down south with Engine 18; besides his training, he had only been on two fire calls. Fighting the San Bernardino fire was intense. "We worked from Sunday...

Rasmussen Art Gallery presents ... With a Touch of Whimsey, featuring the work of Napa Valley artists Marvin Humphrey, Mark Mattioli and Micki Voisard, from January 12 through February 5. Inventive artworks and a touch of humor add interest to this exhibition at the Pacific Union College gallery. Popular Napa Valley painters Marvin Humphrey and award-winning Mark Mattioli are joined by Micki Voisard, who adds sculpture to the mix with her playful manzanita branch animals....

Organist Robert Murphy performs at Pacific Union College on Saturday, Jan. 12, as part of the college’s Fine Arts Series. The performance will also feature the school’s well-known Rieger organ. Murphy, a graduate of Pacific Union College and native of Vallejo, Calif., began playing the piano at the age of seven, eventually switching to organ during high school. He received a master’s degree in sacred music from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, N.J., and is now a music director at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in North St. Paul, Minn. Murphy oversees and conducts eight ensembles, including choral, handbell, and wind ensembles....

Soprano Rosa Lamoreaux, an internationally recognized vocal artist who has been hailed for her radiant, engaging, and effortless singing, will perform at Pacific Union College, on Sunday, February 3 at 7 p.m. Ms. Lamoreaux has given recitals in Germany, Italy, Austria, Denmark, England, and Brazil, as well as throughout the United States. Acknowledged as one of the finest Bach soloists of her time, she has been critically acclaimed for her performances at Bach festivals in the United States and Germany. Ms. Lamoreaux is also an active chamber music performer. Singing with “Musicians from Marlboro,” Hesperus, and the award winning Vocal Arts Quartet, she has performed at music festivals throughout Europe and had her performances broadcast on National Public Radio. Truly an accomplished and versatile musician, Ms. Lamoreaux also enjoys teaching master-class sessions and private students....

Two new T1’s will be installed on the Pacific Union College campus by February 15, which will mean much faster Internet service for students. The new T1’s, as well as a server that rations Internet use, are a result of a bill proposed by PUC senator Al Ochoa. Student senate and the school administration are combining funds to help make the faster Internet possible. The idea for this bill came from computer science major, Jason Whitney. Concerned about the sluggishness of the Internet making his homework more difficult, he spoke to Ochoa about some possible solutions. Senate and the administration agreed upon a plan: Senate and the administration will each pay half of the cost for the new server, and Senate will pay for the first month’s fee for the new T1’s if the administration will continue paying it. Ochoa was not only surprised that the administration agreed to this plan, but also pleased that the work is being completed so quickly. There have been some concerns regarding the new rationing of the Internet, however. Cassaundra Shewmake, a graphic design major, has already been disconnected from her Internet service. “It doesn’t bother me to not be able to listen to...

The inauguration of Pacific Union College’s 20th president, Dr. Richard C. Osborn, will take place on Thursday, February 7, 2002, in the Pacific Union College Church sanctuary from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. The ceremony will be followed by a reception in the Fireside Room of the PUC Church Complex. Richard Osborn has been a multidimensional educator with vast experience as a teacher, administrator, writer, researcher, and historian. He obtained his early education in Montevideo, Uruguay. He attended Monterey Bay Academy for four years before attending Columbia Union College, where he majored in history and graduated magna cum laude in 1969. In graduate school at the University of Maryland, Osborn continued his studies in history, obtaining a Master’s degree in 1975 and a doctorate in 1990. Before assuming the role as Pacific Union College’s 20th president, Osborn was Vice President for Education of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists. In the fall of 2001, Osborn was elected President of the Council for American Private Education (CAPE), an organization representing about 80 percent of private schools (grades K-12) in America. The presidential inauguration ceremony follows the Higher Education Symposium taking place at Pacific Union College on Wednesday, February 6, from...

Angwin audiences should prepare for an evening of brilliant vocal harmonies on Feb. 9, 2002. Together with an inspiring lyrical creativity, and powerful, uncompromising testimonies the award-winning Heritage Singers will delight listeners at their evening concert. This talented group of young, professional musicians features seven carefully selected vocalists with vocal styles ranging from traditional to contemporary Christian. Celebrating 30 years of ministry, Heritage has continued to bring the love of Jesus to millions through the international language of music. Sharing their message to audiences in all 50 states and to over 50 foreign countries around the world, this group has recorded more than 70 albums and released numerous music videos highlighting praise gatherings and mission tours in countries such as Australia, Brazil, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Jamaica, and Tahiti. Awarded more Angel Awards from “Religion in Media” than any other gospel group, Heritage Singers have been honored with “Album of the Year,” “Best Children’s Album,” “Vocal Group of the Year,” “Best Christian Television Variety Show,” and “Best Music Video.” For 11 years, Heritage produced their own weekly television program on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN)....

Pacific Union College students presented a week of prayer for nearly 130 students at Lodi Academy (LA) in mid-January after a scheduled speaker canceled, leaving the school without a week-of-prayer program. Kelli Fessler, a sophomore physical therapy major at PUC, helped organize the program together with six other members of her family group. Fessler’s family group, like others on the PUC campus, is a small group of students who meet regularly on Sunday evenings to fellowship and interact—a sort of counseling session in which the students can talk openly about what’s happening in their lives and turn to prayer and scripture as a source of encouragement. The idea, initiated by PUC student Jason Decena and headed by group leaders like Kelli Fessler, has spread across the PUC campus. Decena’s suggestion that the leaders try to do something unique for their respective groups prompted Fessler to contact Samir Berbawy, the principal of Lodi Academy. The goal of the project was to plan something that would help make each group and its members stronger. “I called the principal to see whether there was anything we could do,” said Fessler, a graduate of LA. “ He asked if we would put on their...

PUC students are in action. You see them everyday: in class, walking to the cafeteria, loitering in the hallways, studying. But what happens behind the scenes is even better. Students are taking a spiritual initiative to organize worships and fellowships which supplement school-planned programs. Senior theology major, Jason Decena, originally organized what were called cell groups, a term they have moved away from because of recent terrorist activity. Under the new title of family groups, Jason, and others like him, participate in an interactive group that finds inspiration and a deeper commitment to God through communication and fellowship. “The groups, in a nutshell, help everyone on his or her way through life,” explained Jason.“The small number of students in each group helps make it very intimate so real communication can take place” One of the main functions of the group is accountability—making sure each and every person in the group feels included and cared about. “The first thing we ask each other when we meet is, ‘How are you, really?’” The groups meet at least once a week and are comprised of about eight students. Each dorm at PUC already has at least one group. Jason and his group leaders...