2009

Art instructor Cheryl Daley, a local artist who teaches at Pacific Union College, took her 3D design class on an inspiring field trip this November. Daley has a bit of a family connection to the late Ray and Charles Eames, famed American designers. Charles Eames' daughter, Lucia Eames, and granddaughter, Llisa Demetrios, are sculptors based in Petaluma, California. Their studio and home contains their own work as well as many important examples of the work of Charles and Ray. Eames and Demetrios gave Daley and her students a personal tour. "They love sharing and talking about the work of Charles and Ray Eames and their revolutionary designs for furniture, exhibitions, short films, and architecture, and about their process of working out solutions to their ideas," explains Daley. "At their studio in Petaluma they showed us many historically important 3D examples of Charles and Ray’s work as well as explaining their own work and showing examples of the creative process and technical challenges of their own large-scale metal sculptures." Christine Ha, a sophomore fine arts major, was impressed by the trip from the beginning. "Nearing the hand-painted gate designed by Lucia Eames herself, the urge to touch everything became almost unbearable,"...

It wasn't long ago that men's soccer became an official varsity sport at Pacific Union College; but in an amazing turn-around season this year, the soccer Pioneers set a precedent for a strong soccer program that may have a lasting legacy for the college. The soccer team, who ended last season with three wins, nine losses, and one tie, set the record at PUC for most wins in a season this year with nine wins, two losses and one tie. Several changes to the team dynamics contributed to the Pioneers’ success. Until this year, head coach Jesús Medina had been the only member of the coaching staff, leaving him alone to carry the burden of playing multiple roles. This year, however, Medina was joined by his brother Carlos and by Hernan Granados, dean of Newton Hall, to share responsibility over the team. Carlos led the team in the technical and strategic aspects of the game, and “Hernan is basically the dad of the people here,” said Medina. “He’s everything for the guys.” Notes team member (forward) Edrei Mauries, “With the support of older and wiser leaders, we feel more confident in the game, and it showed a lot this year.”...

This winter, the managers of the Albion Field Station, owned by Pacific Union College, are reminding people that the station isn't just for groups — and they're offering a 25 percent discount on weeknight and holiday season reservations! For many years, groups ranging from church groups to wedding parties to mushroom hunters have made use of the cabin, lab, and lodge facilities at the station, located near the coast town of Mendocino. But "it seems that most think they can only come as a group," says director Gilbert Muth. "We want to dispel this concept." Albion has always been a great place for family excursions or individual getaways, with its rustic but comfortable cabins (now renovated), its setting on the Albion River, an abundance of wildlife, and the tourist attractions in the scenic area. So the station is offering the 25 percent discount for any bookings Sunday through Thursday nights during the months of December and January; and the same discount applies for the Christmas and New Year holiday weeks, December 18 to January 3. The station has various rooms and cabins, some with kitchenettes and all with bathrooms, available for booking. To learn more or book a room, visit...

Pacific Union College officially welcomed the Christmas season November 30 with a short ceremony to light the campus Christmas tree. At 7 pm, students flocked to the center of campus to sip cider and hot chocolate, while Student Association president Scott Brizendine gave a short welcome and college president Heather Knight led a countdown to the lighting of the tree. “It was fun getting back together with everyone I hadn’t seen over the break to celebrate the season,” says graphic design senior Kerry Chambers. The lighting of the Christmas tree is a long-standing tradition at PUC. Formerly, a massive tree beside the church complex was strung with lights and "lit" after vespers on a Friday evening. In recent years, a smaller tree near the library has become the campus's Christmas icon. The tree lighting will be followed by other seasonal celebrations on campus, including the annual music department Christmas program and various open houses until Christmas vacation begins on December 11....

In between games, a group of basketball players took time for a different kind of endeavor — one that involved getting in the spirit of the holiday season and giving back to a community. It was November, and the Pacific Union College women's Pioneers basketball team traveled to Southern California to play in a Thanksgiving tournament. The competition included La Verne University, Pomona-Pitzer University, Whittier College and Cal Tech University. Playing four games in four days, the PUC team finished with two wins and two losses. But the Pioneers also made a point of getting involved in the community in another way. In between their games, the team took time out to visit a senior living facility in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. For over two hours the players and coaches mingled with the residents, playing chair volleyball and other games, singing songs, and enjoying each others' company. The atmosphere was filled with energy, laughter and smiles. Several of the highlights included the basketball team helping the residents beat their “total hits” record in chair volleyball by over 200; singing “We wish you a Merry Christmas” in the lobby to over 50 residents; and a solo, performed by team member Vanessa Felder,...

As Pacific Union College's Pioneers varsity teams in womens volleyball, mens soccer, and mens and womens cross country close their seasons, and as mens and womens basketball opens, the teams exhibit positive sportsmanship along with some serious wins. On November 11, womens volleyball team members Heather and Tiffany Jacobson were named members of this year's California Pacific Conference Volleyball All Conference Teams. Tiffany also received Freshman of the Year honors. The volleyball Pioneers made a positive comeback this year and made it to the quarterfinals for the Cal Pac Tournament, concluding their season on November 11. The mens soccer Pioneers finished their record season with a 3-1 victory at CSU Maritime on November 12. They made it to conference championships and narrowly missed the chance to play in the NAIA national championship, falling into second in standing (behind Holy Names University). They finished their season with nine wins, two losses, and one tie. The mens and womens basketball teams opened their official season on November 8 and 9, with the mens team winning their first game. The men will head to Oregon for two games, followed by a long line of California games. The women have games in California, Oregon,...

For the first lecture in the Presidential Inaugural Lecture Series at Pacific Union College, Harvard professor David R. Williams spoke about religion and the impact on American health. He presented studies examining how religious participation affects a person's health. In most cases, he said, the studies found that religious participation (regular church attendance) has a positive effect on health. Some of these positive effects include lower blood pressure, less stress, less depression, and fewer anxiety disorders. Williams noted, however, that there are exceptions. People who are intrinsically religious people, those who consider religion to be a central and genuine focus in their life and who live their faith, are positively affected. But by contrast, people who are extrinsically religious, those who go regularly attend church as a way to give off a certain appearance or establishing status, tend to be negatively affected and experience more anxiety and depression. Looking at the larger picture, Williams talked about the health crisis in America. In 1994, a study showed that 46 percent of U.S. adults have a psychiatric disorder. Then Williams brought it back to the church: If religion can be such a powerful tool, then we have to address the on-going question...

The second annual 24-hour theater festival was a big hit on Sunday evening, with people lining the walls of Alice Holst Theater and even watching from the lobby. Produced by the Pacific Union College Dramatic Arts Society, the festival was titled "Shuffle" and showcased four short plays created entirely in 24 hours. Four playwrights were given titles (from songs) at 9 p.m. on Saturday evening, November 14. They wrote through the night and handed off their plays to directors the next morning. The directors and their teams of actors spent the day rehearsing. At 8 p.m. Sunday evening, the theater was packed with an expectant audience. PUC film & television program director Rodney Vance wrote "The Final Slowdance"; current PUC student Peter Katz contributed "All the Things That I've Done"; San Francisco playwright Enrique Urueta wrote "Mistakes We Knew We Were Making"; and former PUC student Tim Wolcott wrote "Don't Blame it on Elvis." Five directors, 20 actors, and a crew of six brought the four brand-new plays to life. "Shuffle" producer, PUC student, and drama program intern Timothy Widmer explained that "last year DAS produced the first 24-hour festival and it was so much fun we decided to do...

If you grew up watching Ultraman and Ampanman, you might be Japanese. If you think Ichiro Suzuki is Superman, you might be Japanese. If you can identify a literary work on a wall and immediately converse about its significance to history, culture and society, you might be Japanese. “The Japanese view reading and writing as a patriotic, nationalistic act,” says Dr. Maria Rankin-Brown, professor of English at Pacific Union College. “It’s like they’re saying, ‘We’re being Japanese by reading.’” Rankin-Brown, whose mother is Japanese, returned to the island nation for the third consecutive year this summer to continue her research on Japanese literature and literary behavior, with special focus on manga — a literary form unique to Japan. Rankin-Brown chose to research Asian literature to supplement her Great Books course’s Global Perspectives subtitle, which concentrates on non-western works. Through her work, she hopes not only to publish a book, but also to find a method to motivate her American students to take the same pride and enjoyment in reading that she witnessed in the Japanese culture. Japan is ranked among the most literate countries in the world, boasting a national literacy rate of 99 percent. This high percentage inspired Rankin-Brown...

David R. Williams, a Harvard professor and an internationally recognized authority on social influences on health, will speak at Pacific Union College on November 14. His topic will be "Religion and Health: Findings, Challenges and Unanswered Questions." Williams is a professor of sociology and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University and is the Florence and Laura Norman Professor of Public Health at Harvard School of Public Health. He is the author of more than 150 scholarly papers in scientific journals and edited collections, and his research has appeared in leading journals in sociology, psychology, medicine, public health and epidemiology. He is one of the most cited researchers in the social sciences. Williams' lecture is the first in the Presidential Inaugural Lecture Series, which will bring major speakers to PUC during the inaugural year of Dr. Heather Knight's presidency. Williams will speak on Saturday, November 14, at 4 p.m. at the Scales Chapel on the Pacific Union College campus. Admission is free. For more information, call 707-965-6303....