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Melissa Rose, an Angwin resident and an engineering technology student at Pacific Union College, was sponsored by Mitsubishi to participate in the National Design Engineering Show and Conference in Chicago. During her all expenses-paid trip, which lasted from March 9 to 13, Rose enjoyed royal treatment: a room in the Hyatt Regency, a hefty stipend, and job offers from engineering firms around the country.Rose's job at the conference involved demonstrating how Mitsubishi's 3D Pro accelerator program could speed up Microstation, a computer automated design (CAD) program by Bentley Systems. Rose also answered visiting engineers' questions about the different capabilities of Microstation."It was interesting to meet all the different engineers and talk to them, and to see all the job opportunities out there and how well my major is preparing me," said Rose, who plans to go into aerospace engineering. She especially benefitted from talking with the aerospace engineers: "They told me what people are looking for and what they expect their incoming engineers to know," she said.Rose made such a good impression on the visiting engineers that she received twelve job offers, several of which were for management positions in computer-automated design. But she wants to finish her education first....

Pacific Union College's Dramatic Arts Society is presenting Twelfth Night, a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, from May 8 to 13.The plot involves a twin brother and sister, Sebastian (Eric Ortner) and Viola (Kami Schey), who have been shipwrecked off the coast of the island of Illyria. The twins become separated, and each believes the other has drowned. Illyria is governed by Duke Orsino (Ciprian Gheorghe), who has been unsuccessfully trying to court a noblewoman, Olivia (Anna McCart).Viola decides to dress as a man in order to survive in her new found position as a single woman in a strange country. She obtains a position with Duke Orsino and is given the task of delivering the Duke's messages of love to the Lady Olivia. Viola complies, but in the course of doing so finds herself in love with the Duke. To complicate matters further, Olivia falls in love with the Duke's messenger, not knowing that he is really a woman. This sets the stage for an intriguing love triangle whose resolution will delight viewers of all ages.Sophomore Anna McCart said working on the play has been a challenge. "The language of Shakespeare is difficult to learn, but I think it...

The Pacific Union College men's volleyball team took third place at the California Pacific Conference (Cal-PAC) tournament last Thursday night, April 10. The Pioneers lost during the playoffs to the Bethany College Bruins in a short-lived match 13-15, 5-15, 13-15.The Pioneers took the lead in the first game, forcing the Bruins to call a timeout at 6-9. Strong blocking by middle hitter Steve Dulcich and setter Dorian Silva secured the Pioneers' lead at 11-8. But the Bruins came back to tie the game at 13-13. The Pioneers rallied but could not regain control, and lost the set 13-15.The second game was plagued with passing and blocking errors by the Pioneers, who made it easy for the Bruins to win, 15-5."We lost the intensity from our first game," said co-captain Scott Eastman. "Young teams tend to let errors slip into their thinking process instead of moving on, and we definitely showed that in our play."The final game looked like a comeback for the Pioneers as they led 9-6. However, the Bruins pulled a repeat performance of game one and tied the set at 13-13. Bethany middle hitter Bill Richardson served two aces for an anticlimactic end of 15-13.The Pioneers were led...

The Pacific Union College men's volleyball team took a surprising victory at home this past Saturday night, April 5. The Pioneers defeated UC Davis' club team in three straight sets: 15-7, 16-14, 15-8. Previously, the Pioneers had lost at Davis in four sets.The Pioneers got off to a strong start, forcing Davis to call a timeout as they trailed 1-6. Plagued with passing errors, Davis tried to regroup with another timeout at 7-12. The Pioneers took Davis out of their game and won 15-7.It looked like a repeat performance, as the Pioneers led 12-6 in the second set. However, Davis' outside hitter Owen Roberts served five straight points, forcing PUC to call a timeout at 13-11. A close rally continued until Scott Eastman and Rob Wells teamed up with back-to-back kills and ended the set 16-14.Davis trailed 6-10 in game three and never got on their feet. Strong jump serves, including an ace by Pioneer Joe Kim, brought the score to 13-7. With middle blocker Rob Wells on the front line, Davis didn't have a chance. The Pioneers took the game 15-8 with ease."We really didn't get a chance to play our game at Davis," said outside hitter David Rai....

The Pacific Union College men's volleyball team emerged victorious in an intense five-game match against Sonoma State University last Tuesday night.The match opened with a tribute to senior Pioneers David Rai and Rob Wells, who were each honored at their last home game with a signed volleyball.Outside hitter Scott Eastman set the pace for game one as he pulled off one of the most incredible plays of the season. Jonathan Paden picked up a dig, which deflected high off Steve Dulcich into the stands. Eastman ran from mid-court to outside of the back line and managed to get the ball across the net. A stunned Sonoma team, who thought the ball was irretrievable, lost focus and could not get the ball back over. The crowd went wild as the Pioneers went on from a 12-5 lead to win the set 15-9.In game two, the Pioneers picked up where they left off. Outside hitter David Rai impressed the crowd with strong jump serves, including an ace, to give the Pioneers the lead at 7-4. Rai later brought PUC up 12-4 with a kill from the right side. The Pioneers looked like they were on a three-set victory as they ended the...

Christian singers Bryan Duncan, Crystal Lewis, and Anointed will perform in concert at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 28, at Lincoln Theater, Veterans' Home of California in Yountville. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Children under six are free.The concert is sponsored by Pacific Union College and the Pacific Union College Student Association. It is part of the artists' Big Voice Tour, which is taking place from April to May and September to November of this year, and will include performances in 40 U.S. cities.The Big Voice Tour concert will last approximately two and a half hours, featuring distinct, although complementary, styles of music. Bryan Duncan and Crystal Lewis both have a pop soul style with a bit of R & B, and the trio Anointed's style is R & B with a hint of gospel. Duncan will perform songs from his tenth solo album Blue Skies, which was released in late 1996, as well as from his other albums. Lewis will sing from her 1996 album Beauty for Ashes. And the up-and-coming trio Anointed will present songs from their latest album Under The Influence. Bryan Duncan, Crystal Lewis, and Anointed have all been nominated for...

On a Christian campus such as Pacific Union College, religious and social programs are specially designed and planned to enrich the lives of college students. However, despite the choices available, some students find themselves searching for a more personalized spiritual experience and meaningful relationships. Fortunately there are options and opportunities here at PUC that students can seize and use to change their lives, but it takes some personal effort.Lana Feiss, a senior liberal studies major, and I decided to plan a group weekend trip to Albion, Pacific Union College's marine field station, located on the Mendocino coast.We ended up with nineteen eager adventurers who desired to spend some time in nature, make new friends and get to know the Lord better. After the four hour drive to Albion, everyone devoured the pancake and waffle breakfast we prepared in our cabins.The Albion River was begging for us to canoe its salted estuary, full of seals, osprey, and kingfishers. Joel Dulhunty, a senior biochemistry major, was the first to trek out towards the river and lead the way to our canoes, paddles and life-jackets. He especially enjoyed observing all of God's creatures on the river. Dulhunty commented, "The seals were mangy looking...

Pacific Union College is conferring an honorary doctor of music degree on Herbert Blomstedt, music director laureate of the San Francisco Symphony, at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 15, in the college's Paulin Hall. Blomstedt will also be inducted into the prestigious Pi Kappa Lambda music honors society during the event. A reception will follow in the Fireside Room."We would like to honor Herbert Blomstedt for his musical contributions and his Christian life," said Malcolm Maxwell, president of Pacific Union College. "He is regarded as one of the finest musicians in the world. We think of him as a very fine Seventh-day Adventist Christian as well, someone who is proud of his Christianity." Blomstedt was music director of the San Francisco Symphony from 1985 to 1995. He is now music director of the NDR Symphony Orchestra in Hamburg, Germany, and is an active recording artist and guest conductor with other leading orchestras around the world. Blomstedt has been invited each year to return as guest conductor of the San Francisco Symphony, which he will conduct on March 20 and 22.Blomstedt has received many awards and honors, including two Grammy Awards (1996, 1993), the Grand Prix du Disque (1992), the Litteris et...

Charlie Brown, land management director at Pacific Union College, is "dad" and "grandpa" to a large number of foster children. He and his wife Pat, who have three grown biological children, have been foster parents to a total of 67 children over the past 27 years.The Browns have lived in Angwin since 1973, and are members of the Pacific Union College church. They got into the foster-care field after hearing about the need for good foster homes. "We decided to give it a try as long as the state would give us children younger than our own," said Brown.The Browns' condition was met, and for 17 years they provided shelter and care to battered and abused children of a variety of ages. For the last ten years, the Browns have worked with medically fragile infants, most of whom were drug-addicted at birth. "We just tough it through with them and give them a lot of care and a lot of holding," said Brown.The babies take anywhere from three months to a year to withdraw from drugs; and while they do, the Browns have to care for them constantly. "I try to go to bed early and sleep until about 3...

The Black Student Forum (BSF) Gospel Choir, initially organized by BSF Club members to sing for Black History Weekend, is now a student-based ministry consisting of students from a wide range of ethnic cultures and backgrounds.The 52-member choir has performed for churches and schools in Northern and Southern California, including special appearances at the Black Convocation in Richmond. The choir works on a voluntary basis and is open to anyone interested in black culture and gospel music.Colleen Sovory, who directed the choir last year, said everyone had to grow as the choir became more culturally diverse. "It was a learning experience for the members, and the choir has evolved into a more cosmopolitan sound," she said. "But the love of music and the Lord brought them all together."Sovory, now an enrollment counselor at PUC, remembers the choir as "informal" when it started in 1991. She was a student and a member of the BSF club at the time. "We started the choir because many students were used to singing gospel music, but no one on campus was doing it."Several years later, Sovory was working in Sacramento when a student from Pacific Union College asked her to direct the choir for...