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In the summer of 1982, bulldozers advanced on Old Irwin Hall, the signature building on the campus of Pacific Union College. The building—whose construction began in 1912—housed the chapel, administration offices, and classrooms that were the heart of college activities for several succeeding generations. Though beloved, the edifice was declared structurally unsound. It was condemned to demolition. When the wrecking crews finally withdrew, only a clean-swept garden lawn remained at the head of the campus mall. Today, nearly 20 years later, PUC has begun raising the funds required to build a new library on the site of Old Irwin Hall—a library that will not only provide a needed facility, but that will socially and visually resurrect a treasured campus icon. PUC is asking its constituents to prayerfully consider helping with this project as the college rises to the challenges of education in the 21st century. Though incorporating the best elements of contemporary architectural design, the new library will carry a look reminiscent of Old Irwin Hall—a look featured most prominently in a campanile, modeled after the distinguished face that looked across PUC’s campus for 70 years. The new library is also expected to become a center of student life, containing...

Parent’s Weekend at Pacific Union College offers the “grown-ups” a chance to experience life at college. From October 19 through October 21, PUC hosts the moms and dads who have entrusted their students to Pacific Union College and provides these visitors with a glimpse of the campus experience. The weekend of events introduces—or reacquaints—parents with the sights and sounds of college life, including a meeting with college president Dick Osborn. Parents spend the weekend becoming familiar with the new world of their son and/or daughter beginning with a Friday evening reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by vespers at 8 p.m. Activities continue on Saturday morning when students are invited to bring their parents to an 8:30 breakfast before church. A Parent/Faculty Reception Saturday evening offers parents an opportunity to meet the administration, teachers, and advisors who play a crucial role in their child’s education at PUC. The weekend concludes with brunch on Sunday at 9:30 a.m.––leaving enough time for a final shopping trip or an early start on the long drive home....

The Eagle 150, a strange looking plane with three sets of wings and a bubble for a cockpit, finds a new home at the Pacific Union College airport, thanks to the generous donation of community member, Ernest Van Asperen. Van Asperen, a St. Helena resident of 32 years, says he hopes the new plane will increase interest in the flight program at PUC and bring more attention to the small, but busy Angwin airport. “It was a bolt out of the blue,” said flight center director Nathan Tasker. “We weren’t expecting anything when Ernie called us on Wednesday morning and said he’d decided to purchase the plane.” According to Van Asperen, interest in the plane was sparked by a test flight of the small, but impressive machine. “It just hit me at 3 o’clock in the morning,” Van Asperen said. “I woke my wife to discuss the idea of buying the plane for PUC, and then I called them at 7 a.m.” Van Asperen’s donation becomes the seventh plane in Pacific Union College’s fleet, but it is a landmark addition for several reasons. It is the only plane of its kind west of Kansas—a mere 20 of the Australian-built planes...

Documentary filmmaker Robin D. Williams narrates his film, Biblical Treasures of Turkey, as part of the Elmer Herr Adventure Series on Saturday, October 20 at 7:30 p.m. Biblical Treasures of Turkey graphically and beautifully showcases the Byzantine Empire and cities visited by the apostles Paul and John. The film opens in ancient Constantinople and highlights the conquest of the city by the Turkish Sultan Mohomet in 1453. An impressive survey of an exotic land, the film also includes visits to Nicaea, to the fortress monastery of Sumela, and to Antioch, where the first church of the Christians is still visible in a huge mountainside cave. Not merely educational, Biblical Treasures of Turkey brings a world of pirates and conquerors, emperors and crusaders to life....

Pacific Union College now offers students an alternative when registering for upcoming classes. Via PUC’s new online registration system, students may pre-select their courses from any computer with internet access. Due to the success of the new program—which is more convenient for both students and teachers—faculty and staff are engaging students in a discussion to determine whether or not online registration will eventually replace the arena registration traditionally held in Pacific Auditorium at the beginning of each school year. “I loved being able to register online,” says Vidah Otieno, a junior at PUC. “I didn’t have to wait in line or walk all over campus looking for teachers. I could sit in my room and still get what I wanted.” Faculty advisers are available to students via telephone and students are encouraged to visit their professors for any reason. Due to the new registration process, arriving at a conclusive enrollment total is taking longer than in previous years. Preliminary calculations—which will remain flexible for several weeks—indicate that Pacific Union College begins the 2001-2002 school year with a slightly lower enrollment than last year. The drop is minor, however, when compared to the school’s long-standing average of more than 1600 students....

“Safe Surrender,” the 2006 documentary film produced by PUC film and television majors Brian Bazemore and Jackson Boren, has been making its way to hundreds of thousands of viewers across the country, and now earns further recognition with a platinum Ava Award. Bazemore and Boren filmed, directed and edited the documentary for the San Antonio Community Hospital in Upland, California, about the Safely Surrendered Baby Law. The law, which allows parents to anonymously and legally give a newborn to a hospital, police or fire station within 72 hours of the baby’s birth, has been in place since 2001, but needed to be brought to public awareness. The film debuted on October 11, 2006, to an audience of more than 200 distinguished educators, public officials, and law enforcement officers. Since then, the hospital has been working to distribute the film both locally and across the nation. In addition to submitting the project for various awards programs, they gave 150 DVDs to health-care participants in the 10th annual state Emergency Medical Services for Children conference, provided all the school nurses in the county with copies, and have made the DVD available to all area schools. Over 1,000 copies have been distributed in...

Pacific Union College Church presents Michelle Tumes, award-winning contemporary Christian recording artist, in concert on December 2, 2007, at 7 p.m. The program is part of the Michelle Tumes 2007 Christmas Tour. For the Angwin concert, a community orchestra and choir, comprised of Napa Valley residents and PUC students, will accompany Tumes. With a voice described as “angelic,” Tumes offers an alternate kind of worship experience, weaving contemporary pop arrangements alongside classic hymns and melodies. Born in Adelaide, Australia, the song artist began playing piano at age four, and has been classically trained in piano and voice. After signing with Sparrow Records in 1998, Tumes’ first album, Listen, was released. Since then, three additional albums have been produced....

Veteran journalist Hal McClure narrates his film, Magic of Malaysia, as part of the Elmer Herr Adventure Series at Pacific Union College. The 80-minute travel documentary shows on Saturday, November 3 at 7:30 p.m. Magic of Malaysia offers viewers the opportunity to explore the faraway nation of Malaysia in Southeast Asia—all from the comfort of an auditorium seat close to home. The country is a fascinating blend of Malay, Chinese, and Indian culture in an area of equally diverse landscapes. McClure’s film highlights both the modern architecture of Kuala Lumpur and the Bidayuh longhouses in former head-hunting Borneo. Gorgeous island beaches and the endangered orangutans in their jungle habitat round out a tour of this little known country which is becoming a popular tourist destination....

Equestrian Art: Oil Paintings by nationally recognized artists Marnie Donaldson and Sharlene Lindskog-Osorio will be featured at Rasmussen Art Gallery beginning Saturday, November 3. Calistoga artist Marnie Donaldson’s paintings portray equine sporting arts through light, color and lively brushwork she describes as “loose realism.” Deer Park artist Sharlene Lindskog-Osorio is known for her realistic, finely detailed equine art including portraiture, fantasy images and Western art. Both artists have received national recognition for their work....

Pacific Union College’s president, Richard Osborn, has been elected President of the Council for American Private Education (CAPE). One in four of the nation's schools is a private school, translating into 27,000 schools and nearly 6 million students; and CAPE represents roughly 80% of those schools. As a liaison between America’s private schools and Capitol Hill, Richard Osborn will represent an alliance of diverse educational programs, including the U.S. Catholic Conference, the National Catholic Education, the American Montessori Society, the Waldorf Schools of America, the National Association of Independent Schools, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Southern Baptist Church, the Christian Schools International, and the Association of Christian Schools. Before coming to Pacific Union College, Osborn lived near Washington, D.C. and served as the Vice President for Education of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists. Working as the head of education for the Adventist Church, he became active with CAPE and, as a result, with politicians. One wall in his office is filled with photos, over the years, he has gathered of American presidents, senators, and representatives, as he’s taken a more and more active role in championing private schools. Most recently, he served as the...