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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,...

In the fall of 2008, Pacific Union College students will be offered a new major in environmental studies. The interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science degree will be based in the biology department and allow students to choose a specialization from a variety of course electives.The major was established because of numerous requests from students in the environmental science class, taught by associate professor of biology Floyd Hayes. "We decided to submit a proposal in which the degree could be offered without hiring a new faculty member, but asked for a full-time laboratory coordinator to assist us with our teaching loads," Hayes says. The original environmental science course has now been split into three sections as part of the curriculum for the new major.PUC is the perfect place for this program, with its natural setting and location in environmentally conscious California. "Green" awareness and commitment on campus has increased with projects such as Green Week, a Green Club, discussions about the eco-village project, and the building of our own cogeneration plant several years ago to supply the college's electrical, heating and air conditioning needs with cutting-edge, forward-thinking energy production.This setting, Hayes explains, will benefit the new major: "Instruction here would be enhanced...

On Father's Day, June 15, 2008, the 317 graduates of the Pacific Union College Class of 2008 marched through the PUC Grove to receive 338 associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees.A beautiful morning greeted visiting family and friends for the ceremonies and for PUC traditions such as the students throwing corn tortillas in celebration and grads mingling with well-wishers under the towering pines.During the program, class president Tadele Worku presented the valedictory, sharing things the class won't forget about PUC, things they gained, and the challenge to make this moment the start of a good story. "Today is not the fairytale ending of our college careers," he said. "It is a fairytale beginning." Worku expressed gratitude for what PUC has meant to the class: "Thank you for giving us the opportunity and environment to continue to dream."College president Richard Osborn also expressed appreciation for several groups, including the students who brought a humanitarian movement called REVO to the PUC campus and raised nearly $10,000 to end human slavery, nursing students who were deployed in the military, student missionaries and task force workers, and student leaders.The commencement address was provided by Eric Anderson, former chair of the PUC history department and current...

Recent grads of Pacific Union College headed into a wide world of options and are making their place in communities around the world. Here's a sampling of destinations and niches.Karen Ong, '06, studied biochemistry at PUC and is now finishing her second year as a fellow with the National Institute of Health. She works in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Laboratory of Biological Modeling (LBM). Instead of working with chemicals and fluids, the LBM is all about computers, computations, and using mathematical models to allow mathematicians and biologists to collaborate. Ong is also finishing up a research project on a mathematical model of gene regulation by steroid hormones.Jesse Duarte, '05, is a news reporter for the weekly newspaper of St. Helena, California, just a few minutes down the hill from PUC. When he was younger, Jesse wanted to be a sports writer. But after graduating from PUC with a degree in public relations and journalism and taking a news-reporting job for the St. Helena Star, he discovered a passion for reporting.Nicole Pepper, '06, went on to get her master's in social work. Now she's directing three studies on behavior interventions related to HIV and...

She works with middle school students on the outskirts of Stockholm, Sweden. She travels the United States, Europe and Asia presenting to professionals in her field. She runs her own business on the prevention of depression among teenage girls. Eva-Mari Thomas, ’88, a social worker, keeps a full callendar. Thomas came to the United States from Sweden when she was 19. She finished her bachelor’s degree at PUC and her master’s at Walla Walla, choosing to study social work because, as she says, “I am genuinely interested in people. I like to learn what I can about why people do what they do and how much our environment affects how we act and react to the world around us.” After working in social work in California and Colorado, Thomas and her husband, Dane, att. ’86-‘87, and children Erik and Johanna moved back to Sweden, where she now she fills several roles. She works part-time as a social worker for a middle school, where she meets with individual students and groups and sometimes parents, consults with teachers on ways to handle different situations, and helps school personnel with difficult student situations and in creating action plans to support students academically and...