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Pacific Union College Flight Center Director Nathan Tasker had the idea to build a type-specific aircraft simulator for his students. Since flight training devices in general aviation tend to be generic, limiting their usefulness, Tasker questioned how he and the program could obtain a simulator to teach basic skills, such as visual ground reference maneuvers and landing techniques. This would allow students to progress efficiently, as these skills cannot be effectively taught in traditional simulators. He shared his dream with Russell Laird, the former chair of PUC’s technology department, who would help bring this idea to life. Building the simulator started last summer, with dimensions mirroring PUC’s Piper Cherokee cockpit. Aviation major Micah Dymer drew an instrument panel that Laird would build and design. Taylor Webster consistently assisted Laird, with several other aviation students who volunteered to assemble parts and help calibrate the controls. From Hong Kong to Indonesia to Germany and Sacramento, different parts arrived in Angwin to build the simulator. According to Tasker, building a type-specific flight simulator for a small aircraft had not been done before. This process took countless hours of experimenting, ongoing improvements, and adjustments. With no manual and starting from scratch, it is rewarding...

In celebrating over 140 years, Pacific Union College is looking forward to welcoming alumni back on campus for Homecoming from April 18-19. This memorable weekend will be filled for friends to reconnect and reminisce about their times together.Homecoming registration can be found on puc.edu/homecoming, with the options of general attendance, lunch, and class parties. The classes being honored this year are 1955, 1965, 1975, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2015. Also, classes before and after the honored classes will be recognized.For those who want to stay on-campus, limited guest housing is available for $110 per night and can be reserved through Suzie Ermshar by calling 707-965-1116.Special events for the weekend include a concert from Grammy winner and alum Justin Wilson, alongside his family, Pioneer games for alumni to play volleyball and basketball with student-athletes, and a club food fest where students will serve various food and drinks.The weekend will be filled with events and celebrations. PUC hopes to see you at Homecoming!...

From January 21-25, Pacific Union College was blessed with five students who spoke for Student Week of Worship, themed  “Passion: As Told By You.” Students Abiel Irving, Josue Hilario, Elena Blum, Julian Clarke, and Leila Beltran shared how passion is the force that drives intentional action toward God, everyone, and everything. It was a powerful week seeing students from different backgrounds, some of whom haven’t spoken upfront before, sharing personal stories on their relationship with Christ and encouraging others to seek Him. “Students could be in the audience and think, ‘That could be me!’” said Beltran. “It was so inspiring to see people share how their mind works when it comes to PASSION, our theme. You connect so much better with speakers who are like you and that’s what this quarter’s Student Week of Worship was all about.” Irving enthusiastically kicked the week off by speaking about how faith plays a part in our lives, with the Holy Spirit working in the people and situations around us. Reading from Hebrews 13:5, she reminded the audience that God will never forsake His people. Irving shared another uplifting text from Philippians 4:13 and encouraged students to find strength in Christ and be...

Pacific Union College is thrilled to announce Aimee Leukert as the new Vice President of Student and Spiritual Life. Leukert’s passion and dedication to Adventist education will provide leadership and vision while creating a campus culture that promotes student success and cultivates a spiritual community. Leukert has been an educator for over 20 years. She began her teaching career at Crescenta Valley Adventist School, where she also served as principal before moving to Newbury Park Academy and Monterey Bay Academy.In addition to her bachelor’s in music and liberal studies and master’s in education administration and leadership from La Sierra University, Leukert also earned her Ph.D. in education from Claremont Graduate University, where she wrote a dissertation titled “Choosing God, Choosing Schools: A Study of the Relationship between Parental Religiosity and School Choice.” She has written books focusing on Adventist education and culture in addition to her peer-reviewed publications. Her latest book from 2023 was Thriving: 31 Stories on the Impact of Adventist Education, a collection of stories from people who built on the foundation of their Adventist education and have thrived in their fields. Leukert has presented at academic and professional meetings and conferences around the country, including at PUC...

Pacific Union College is pleased to announce the appointment of Carlos Garcia as the new Vice President of Alumni and Advancement. In this role, he will provide leadership, vision, and direction for alumni relations while creating and leading development activities for sustained institutional growth.“We are extremely pleased to welcome Carlos to our campus and into his new role,” said PUC President Ralph Trecartin. “Since his first interview, we've been very impressed with his skill set, leadership background, and compatibility with the values of PUC. I believe that in addition to providing great leadership in his division, he will make significant and positive contributions to the administrative team.”Garcia returns to his alma mater with more than two decades of strong leadership experience, having directed team decision-making, leadership organization and planning, motivation and in-person training, and conflict resolution. He previously served as the lead pastor in Santa Maria, Modesto, and Los Banos, California, and Provo, Utah. He led his congregations through pastoral care, provided department management and oversight, conducted lay and leadership training, and supported church growth in all phases. Before joining the ministry, Garcia was a pharmaceutical sales leader in Chicago, Illinois. In this role, he facilitated sales to regional medical...

Jarrod Denton, a 1996 PUC graduate, is an architect, partner, and founder at Signum Architecture, LLP. He and his business partner Juancarlos Fernandez launched their firm in St. Helena in 2011 and relocated to Napa in 2023. When they founded the firm, they chose the name “Signum”—a Latin term for design—to reflect the center point of the firm and represent their unique studio environment. Signum looks at architecture from a holistic point of view. With a diverse group of talented workers, they collaborate with artists, offering a perspective beyond traditional architecture and are knowledgeable in low-carbon construction. From caves to boutique hospitality and restaurants, Denton gravitates towards diverse architectural styles, especially if the project is elusive, requires a challenging creative solution, and is reusable to bring it to life. “I love the process—coming up with a design concept, not falling in love with the first solution, nurturing the design along, distilling the solution down to the essence, and ultimately walking through a built space,” he shared. When all is complete, projects designed by Denton and his team feel more rewarding because they prioritize their client and the environment. For Denton, the joys of being an architect are using the transformative...

Pacific Union College’s Theology and Education departments are witnessing a marked increase in enrollment, reflecting a growing student interest in these fields and the college’s commitment to academic excellence and hands-on experience. This quarter, the Theology department welcomed seven new students, bringing their enrollment to 18 compared to last year’s 11. Similarly, the Education department has experienced a surge, with their total program enrollment reaching nearly 60. A Trend of GrowthBoth departments’ chairs expressed excitement and positivity for the rising enrollment numbers. Theology Professor and Department Chair Jim Wibberding explained if this trend continues, the Theology department could easily have 25 students in two years. For the Education department, the number of students in their Intro to Teaching class doubled this quarter alone versus their typical enrollment, with 17 new teacher candidates joining the class. Education Professor and Department Chair Dr. Jean Buller said the spike will continue with even more freshmen enrolled in the upcoming Winter quarter. Contributing FactorsBuller and Wibberding attribute similar factors to the growth of both the Theology and Education departments: a growing need in the fields, the high caliber of professors and academics at PUC, hands-on experience with major assignments, and the availability of scholarships...

Pacific Union College has seen a significant increase in student attendance at dorm worship. This attendance increase follows the combined efforts of students and staff to enhance these worship opportunities, showing how listening to students and tending to their spiritual needs strengthens their relationship with Christ and keeps them hungry for His word. On average, 100 to 120 students attend dorm worship weekly, a great improvement from last year when less than 60 students attended. Students are moving in numbers, encouraging their friends, and gathering together to share their faith. Last school year, Winning, Newton, and Andre Hall individually hosted worship open to all students. However, the scattered programs felt too similar to students, leaving them drained and unenthusiastic about any worship program. Throughout the week, fewer students attended. To fix this issue, student leaders and several staff members combined all dorm worship—with Newton, Andre, and Winning Hall—every Tuesday night at Scales Chapel, adopting a three-week rotation to lead each program. This rotation allows students to develop more creative ways to enhance worship without the stress of feeling burnt out. Another change they made is not having a speaker every week, and instead, having an activity to add program variety....

Pacific Union College selected 17 incoming freshmen as this year’s recipients of the prestigious Maxwell Scholarship, the second-largest group of students awarded since the scholarship's inception in 2009.“We are proud to offer so many high-quality students the opportunity for a quality, Christ-focused education at PUC,” said Gene Edelbach, vice president for enrollment, marketing, and communication. “We look forward to seeing where their next four years on our campus take them.”Students who receive the Maxwell Scholarship exemplify outstanding academic achievement, a marked commitment to Christian service, and robust leadership experience.Additionally, applicants must meet GPA and ACT or SAT requirements. Maxwell Scholars receive $36,150 annually, renewable for three years with a 3.5 GPA and a potential 4th year under qualifying conditions.The 2024 Maxwell Scholars include students from California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Mexico, and the Philippines:Marilyn DoDavid Hernandez RodriguezAnrianne PonceCecile Angela AbellanaByul HanKeala TaburaElena BlumRiley RamirezDanielle MuchoDiego MarianoSalome TemboMadison GlockJacob CapinaMakenna TutthillGabriel Lopez IIEthan John SimIsabela VerduzcoThe Maxwell Scholar Program honors PUC’s late president and first lady, Dr. Malcolm and Eileen Maxwell, and their dedication to Seventh-day Adventist education. Maxwell was the first alum to serve as president of PUC, with the longest tenure at 18 years.Each year, PUC awards millions to support...

From November 1-4, Pacific Union College welcomed 300 guests for their annual College Days.This included students from Calexico Mission School, Central Valley Christian Academy, Fresno Adventist Academy, Glendale Adventist Academy, La Sierra Academy, Lodi Adventist Academy, Monterey Bay Academy, Mountain View Academy, Napa Christian, Newbury Park Adventist Academy, Pine Hills Adventist Academy, PUC Prep, Rio Lindo Adventist Academy, Sacramento Adventist Academy, and a church group from Costa Mesa.PUC Campus Visit Coordinator Andrianna Massena organized College Days for the third year, focusing on the feedback her team received in the past years and finding more ways to showcase campus life.Over the weekend, students had the opportunity to mingle during vespers and Afterlite, hear from PUC Chaplain Arturo Lopez during Sabbath School, hike in the Back 40, attend and participate in sporting events, explore St. Helena, and much more. PUC students ensured the visiting academies were welcomed and immersed in campus life. They hosted a Fall Fest and later, continued to socialize with other academy students during PUC’s version of “The Amazing Race,” where they explored campus landmarks and were rewarded with a waffle dessert bar as a late-night snack.As the PUC campus started a new week of school, academy students chose...