2010

The Pacific Union College faculty members have been busy pursuing goals of higher learning even as they encourage undergraduate students to do the same. At the annual Faculty Awards Colloquy this spring, about 20 were recognized for scholarly activities this year. Six of these were presented the Herber award for faculty development, three were presented the Meritorious Service Awards for outstanding contributions to PUC's mission, and two were extended congratulations for completing doctorates in 2009-2010. Many of these faculty members receiving awards or recognition have enlisted student help in their projects. Brian Wong, a professor of biology and a recipient of the Herber Award, was recognized for a research poster session he worked on with several of his students, entitled “Chinese medicinal herb Oldenlandia diffusa inhibits Azoxymethane-induced aberrant crypt foci in C57BL/6 mice and modulates apoptosis in mice and in human colon cancer cells.” A few of the faculty were recognized for their artistic endeavors. Cheryl Daley, a fine arts instructor in PUC's visual arts department, had a recent artwork, "Magnolia Boxes," shown in the Sebastopol Center for the Arts. John McDowell, a professor in the English department, had a poem, "Blue" and artwork, "Alarm," both featured in Spectrum Magazine....

Early this week Pacific Union College announced the winners of its prestigious and recently established Maxwell Scholar Program. The five winners and five semi-finalists, coming from as far apart as Maryland and California, have been selected for their high academic achievement, a commitment to Christian service, and outstanding leadership skills. The $15,000 renewable scholarship means winners receive up to $60,000 in scholarship funds over the course of their four years at PUC. These students constitute the second group recognized by the Maxwell Scholar Program, which was established at PUC in 2009 to recognize the late Malcolm and Eileen Maxwell, former president and first lady of PUC. Applicants must meet GPA and test-score requirements and the ranking of their applications is based on resumes, an essay, and letters of recommendation. The Maxwell Scholars who have been awarded this scholarship for the 2010/2011 academic year are Matthew Dopp of Oceanside, Calif., an Escondido Adventist Academy student; Newbury Park Adventist Academy student Josue Tobar of Palmdale, Calif.; Dustin Davis, a Paradise Adventist Academy student from Paradise, Calif; Shenandoah Valley Academy student Meena Kim of Falls Church, Virginia; and Alesha Heinz from Martinez, Calif., who graduated from Capstone Academy. Each of these sport long...

In April, Pacific Union College biology professor Brian Wong and two of his students traveled to Washington, D.C., for the 2010 American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) general meeting. Wong is known for his on-going research into cancer prevention, and proficient biology students have the opportunity to work with him as assistants. This year, Wong and student co-authors Christal Nishikawa, Brian Kim, Jeeyon Jung, Alyssa Zima, and Lucas Kim had two research posters accepted at the conference. Wong, Nishikawa, and Lucas Kim traveled to the conference in person to attend seminars and present their research. The two posters, with Wong as first author on one and Nishikawa as first author on the other, show research on the cancer prevention properties of two Chinese medicinal herbs against colon cancer formation in mouse and human cells. Wong, Nishikawa, and Kim presented in the large exhibit area with other researchers, explaining their findings. Nishikawa appreciated the opportunity to attend the conference. "It was a great experience getting to listen to speakers talk about cutting-edge research on cancer," she says. "I realize that I am very privileged to go to these meetings as an undergraduate." Lucas Kim began working with Wong at the beginning...

From April 21 to 25, sixteen psychology majors and four professors from Pacific Union College took a short, mid-term break to attend the Western Psychological Association (WPA) convention in Cancun, Mexico. At the convention sponsored by Psi Chi, the national honor society of psychology, the students presented two posters, met recruiters from graduate schools, and even listened to PUC alum Cara Tan give a symposium, all while enjoying the tropical sun and the beautiful beach of their hotel. "Cancun was beautiful and awesome, but it was also a very good learning experience," says sophomore Jessica Cerda. "It was really important that the professors in our department really encouraged this." Last year, these students took a lab for their child development class, in which they were assigned articles and instructed to conduct research on them. For both groups, the findings were significant. Because of their results, the professors urged them to submit an application to present at WPA. After sending in an abstract, they were accepted, and the process of perfecting their presentation began. At WPA, Cerda and her fellow group members presented their research on the effect of ethnic awareness on job association, while the other group presented their study...

During April, several PUC students and staff joined in a two-week effort to clean and repair the dilapidated homes of elderly and disabled citizens living in nearby Calistoga. Teaming with Rebuilding Calistoga, a volunteer organization under the sponsorship of Calistoga Affordable Housing, Inc., they contributed to the restoration of nearly 50 residences, half of which were mobile homes. PUC chaplain Roy Ice helped get the college involved and contributed his own efforts to the rebuilding project. “I think that it’s important to show that PUC is a resource to our community, and not the other way around,” Ice says. The project was conceived by Larry Kromann, a retired school principal and PUC church member, who wanted to find a way to help the elderly. He gathered the help and support of community members for the home repair project, and received the sponsorship of Home Depot, which donated a $5,000 gift card and promised to send out 30 of its employees. A ceremony was held on April 25 to recognize everybody who volunteered. Calistoga mayor Jack Gingles publicly recognized PUC’s contribution and expressed his gratitude towards the college’s involvement. “I want you to take a message back to PUC and your...

The evening of Sunday, April 25, brought hundreds of students (and other members of the campus and local community) to the outdoor area at the center of the Pacific Union College campus for the grand REVO PUC 2010 event. Following the tradition of the past two REVO PUC events, there was a rummage sale, silent auction, information booths, food sales, concerts, and a fashion show exhibiting innovative student designs. The outdoor stage at the main REVO event hosted three bands: a student band called G.S.S.M., a student-and-alum band called The West Atlantic, and a new Los Angeles band on tour in Northern California, She Screams Remedy. For the fashion show, six student designers were each allotted $50 to spend at thrift stores and five models. Each designer chose a theme, models, and music and coordinated meetings and rehearsals. Two faculty members and REVO founder Nina Brav served as judges. In addition to the fun and entertainment that drew people to REVO events, student leaders felt that there was a deeper sense of the project's value. "Students are willing to turn out in droves because they understand the point of it all," says Tyler Cantrell, who recently finished his PUC classes...

This year, Pacific Union College celebrated Earth Day with a fair, a clean-up project, and a special speaker. L. Hunter Lovins, a globally recognized leader and consultant in sustainable practices, arrived with her signature cowboy hat to speak to members of the campus and community during the morning's all-school colloquy and a special evening lecture on “Sustainability in Napa County." At the colloquy program, before Lovins spoke, environmental studies majors Dustin Baumbach and Molly Reeves shared about their internships, one working at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito and one at the Safari West wild animal preserve. Lovins then began her address by introducing the argument for why life as we know it cannot sustain itself; but rather than citing just environmental "drivers of change" and "intolerable signs," she addressed the spectrum from nature to economics to social equity. Then, rather than asking individuals to reduce their carbon footprint or some such practice, she suggested that if we are to meet the challenges and goals of the future and adapt to sustain the planet, we must do so on an entirely new paradigm. This includes "world best practices" for addressing human needs, smart development that is truly sustainable, redesigning education....

This year's Student Week of Prayer brought eight current Pacific Union College students to the platform to share with their fellow students about becoming active Christians. Morning and evening programs (and a change of class schedules) brought the campus together for messages on this year's Student Association theme, "From the Ground Up," emphasizing community, acceptance, and personal ministry. One "active" element of the programs was a daily challenge, such as "Tell someone how you appreciate them for something." Laura Dominguez, the first speaker, started by reading a quote: "The human soul spends his or her life searching for that one thing that will bring fullness, meaning, and happiness to their life." With help from other students, she acted out a dialogue in which her heart was missing something and people came along with suggestions of how to fill it. Education didn't seem to work. Money didn't fit. Music didn't cover it. Fun and parties weren't quite right. Romance wasn't enough. But when a friend came to tell her about "the Alpha and the Omega," about "something much much better that will give you a love way purer than others," about "Jesus Christ," the fit was perfect. "The greatest struggle for...

The new exhibit at the Rasmussen Art Gallery celebrates the many various talents of some of Pacific Union College’s creative student minds. April 15 was the opening and awards presentation for the annual Student Art Exhibition in the gallery. Around 80 visitors, including students, faculty, and community members, came to cheer the student artists on. The show was open to all PUC students of any major, and many students had responded to the call for entries, resulting in 165 exhibited works. Student artwork was judged under the categories Drawing, Opaque Media Painting, Watercolor, Graphic Design, Printmaking, Mixed Media, Stained Glass, Sculpture, and Ceramics. Visitors viewed the show while enjoying refreshments, including fresh fruit and Sparkling Martinelli’s, all the while talking with the students who had come to view their own success. Various prizes were awarded for the different categories—$25 for first place, $20 for second, and $15 for third. There was also a $50 grand prize awarded for the emphasized environmental theme of PUC's Green Week. The show will remain up in the gallery through May 4. Regular gallery hours are Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 1-5 pm. Admission is free and open to the public....

Pacific Union College students host this year’s REVO humanitarian fundraising and awareness event on April 25 in an outdoor area at the center of the school’s campus. From 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. that Sunday, students will hold a benefit rummage sale, host a fashion show, play a concert, and sell corn dogs and t-shirts to aid the Tropical Health Alliance Foundation (THAF) in its efforts to combat podoconiosis, and a KidzReach program that supports local children. The event on the 25th will be the second REVO event this year; the first was a very successful 5K race on the college's trails on April 18. REVO plans to donate half of the raised funds to support THAF-sponsored clinics in Ethiopia that treat podoconiosis, a form of elephantitis caused by exposure of feet to red clay soil. Santa Monica-based non-profit TOMS Shoes agreed to collaborate with REVO and THAF, and will provide shoes for family members of each person who receives treatment as a result of this endeavor. The rest of the funds raised by this event will go to KidzReach, a campus-based program whose members volunteer to spend Saturdays with children from underprivileged families or unstable homes in nearby counties....