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Pacific Union College senior history and government major Todd Blum recently completed a two-month summer internship in Washington, D.C., for Republican U.S. Representative Frank Riggs. Blum became active in the political scene in 1992, when he worked as a volunteer assistant in Republican Bev Hansen's campaign for State Senate. It wasn't until the end of 1995 that Representative Riggs' Napa District Office contacted Pacific Union College's history department with a request for a student volunteer. Blum was notified of the request, he applied, and was then accepted as a volunteer assistant. Blum spent some of his time at Rigg's Napa District Office researching legislative issues and relaying the information to concerned constituents. As time progressed and he established a hard working reputation, Congressman Riggs asked Blum to be his "shadow" at various fundraisers throughout the Napa Valley. Blum's dedication paid off when the Washington summer internship arose and he was accepted out of a number of other qualified applicants in the district. Blum became part of Riggs' integral team, doing everything from stuffing envelopes to summarizing legislative bills that were presented to various commitees and ultimately to the House floor. Being on the inside of the political scene gave Blum...

Two Pacific Union College students have been selected as United Parcel Service Scholars. Michelle Konn, a senior journalism and communication major, and Erik Lundstrom, a sophomore business major, will each be the recipient of a $2,650 scholarship provided by the UPS Foundation's educational endowment fund. The opportunity for involvement in a summer internship program at a UPS distribution center will also be available to the students. The UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of United Parcel Service, originally established the educational fund with a $4.2 million endowment in 1974. Since that time, more than $17 million has been provided in scholarships and student aid. The fund, which is administered by the Chicago-based Foundation for Independent Higher Education, has grown this year to provide nearly $1.5 million in scholarships and financial aid to 599 of the nation's private colleges and universities. Selection of the UPS Scholars is determined independently on each campus. PUC evaluated students involved in course work which could be practically applied in a UPS internship program, focusing on the business and communication departments. Konn and Lundstrom were chosen based on GPA and financial need. Said Lundstrom, "The award is exciting because it could lead to good business experience." Konn...

For the third year in a row, U.S. News and World Report has ranked Pacific Union College among the top ten western regional liberal arts colleges in the United States. In its tenth annual America's Best Colleges issue, which came out on September 9, U.S. News ranked Pacific Union College sixth in its category of western regional liberal arts colleges. U. S. News also ranked Pacific Union College eighth in its list of best discount values for western regional liberal arts colleges. The best value rankings, which came out in a special section of the September 23 issue of U.S. News, relate the cost of attending an institution to its quality. To determine its overall rankings, U.S. News tallied the results of 2,730 surveys of college presidents, deans, and admissions directors. The resulting reputational rankings, which were counted as 25% of the overall score, were combined with educational data dealing with the following measures of academic quality: student selectivity (15%), faculty resources (20%), financial resources (10%), retention rate (25% for regional schools like PUC), and alumni giving (5%). The best value rankings identify where students can get the best education for the money. U.S. News calculated value in two separate...

The PUC Lady Pioneers played Simpson College during PUC's second league match of the year. The Pioneers lost in four sets, 13-15, 15-7, 10-15, 9 15. They have a 1-3 overall record with a 0-2 record in league standings. With only four returning players from last year, this 14-member squad is working to build communication and team unity. "We are a very young team and there are areas that we can improve on," said coach Bob Paulson. "We're fortunate to have so many talented players this year," said senior team captain Michelle Konn. "With a little time, we should be playing to our maximum potential. Right now, we're just learning how to adjust to each other."...

For many, reaching sweet 16 is a milestone in life. For Jaci Velasquez, the newest and youngest artist on the Myrrh Records' roster, it means another year of travel in support of her new album Heavenly Place. The contemporary Christian musician will perform in concert at the Pacific Union College amphitheater at 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 21, 1996. At age 16, Velasquez is an ordinary teenager with abundance of energy, dreams, and ambitions. What makes her unique is her voice, which has been likened to that of an up-and-coming Whitney Houston, and her wish to minister through music. "I've always known what I wanted from life. I think I know what I want out of my ministry. I want to go and reach people my age-people that maybe even a youth pastor couldn't reach," Velasquez said. Velasquez has been recording and performing since age ten. She won a contest over 3,000 other entrants in an entertainment pageant at age 11, and she sang at the White House before she turned 13. The roots of Velasquez's musical talent are in her family, which has been active in both music and speaking ministry. She has sung as a part of her...

The Pacific Union College Lady Pioneers made another outstanding home court performance against Menlo College on Sunday, October 7. The Pioneers rallied to win the first two games 15-8, 15-6. Menlo came back in the third game with strong serving, which challenged PUC's receiving squad. Communication errors led to a third game loss for PUC of 9-15. PUC took control of the fourth game with strong blocks from freshman middle hitter Emily Ziegler. The Pioneers claimed the last game 15-12 and won the match. "I think we're finally coming together mentally," said sophomore outside hitter Jessica Ziegler. "We're encouraging and supporting each other in a positive way." PUC will play Simpson College at their next home game on Tuesday, October 22. The Pioneers currently have a 4-5 overall record. ...

The Pacific Union College Lady Pioneers played Dominican College on Sunday, Oct. 13, and lost 4-15, 0-15, 9-15. The Pioneers started off slow with communication and passing errors. They came back strong in the third game with a 6-1 lead, but Dominican's servers proved to be a challenge to the Pioneers. "We needed to move our feet," said sophomore outside hitter Shannon Owen, co-captain of the Pioneers. "We didn't play up to our level." Carrie Wade, freshman outside hitter, said she'd like to see a higher level of game intensity during away games. "It's easy to be pumped up at home when we have a crowd, but we need to work out getting that same focus and intensity when we're on the road," Wade said. The Pioneers currently have a 4-6 overall record....

The Pacific Union College Lady Pioneers played their last game of the season on Saturday, Oct. 26, with the Bethany College Bruins. The Pioneers won 15-4, 9-15, 15-13, 16-14. During the opening ceremony, the Pioneers acknowledged captain Michelle Konn, a middle blocker, with flowers and a gift. Konn, the only senior on the team, will graduate in June with three years of varsity experience. The Pioneers started the match with confidence after winning their previous league matches during the week. They captured a 17-15, 18-16, 15-10 win over Simpson College on Tuesday, Oct. 22, and a 15-3, 16-14, 10-15, 15-3 win over Cal State University Maritime on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Bethany gave the Pioneers trouble in the second game, starting with a 5-0 lead due to passing errors. "We just got over-confident and we let our intensity drop," said freshman middle blocker Emily Ziegler. The Pioneers regained their momentum in the third game, winning long rallies and serving well. A Bethany player suffered a knee injury with a 14-14 tie in the fourth game, and the Pioneers scored two quick points to win the match. "I thought that we came together and hustled," said sophomore setter Trisha Williams. "We felt...

The Pacific Union College women's volleyball team, the Lady Pioneers, played their last away game with Cal State University-Monterey on Saturday night, Oct. 19. The Pioneers won 15-6, 15-10, 12-15, 15-11. "We were having trouble winning on the road, so this victory gave us the confidence to know we have the ability to play well in any situation," said sophomore co-captain Shannon Owen. The Pioneers started off strong with a 9-0 lead in the first game. The teams were tied at 10-10 in the second game, but strong serving from senior middle blocker Michelle Konn helped the Pioneers win 15-10. The Pioneers slowed down in the third game with passing and hitting errors, but pulled together in the fourth game to win the match. The Pioneers have an overall record of 5-7. They will play their last games of the season at PUC's Pacific Auditorium on Friday, Oct. 25, at 3 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m....

Pacific Union College's women's volleyball team, the PUC Pioneers, played their first preseason game of the school year on Thursday, September 12, with the visiting La Sierra University Eagles. The Pioneers won in three straight sets 15-7, 15-11, 15-6. With only four returning players, head coach Bob Paulson is working on building the 14-member squad into a unified team. "Our first game gave indication of youth and transition, and hopefully each ensuing game will give indication of growth and improvement," said Paulson. Team captain Michelle Konn, a senior middle blocker, said the Pioneers are working to improve both on and off court dynamics. "We are learning how to adjust to new players and situations," Konn said. "We have tremendous talent and potential with this group, and I'd like to see them come together." This is PUC's first year as a member of the California Pacific Conference league, an affiliate of the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). ...