2016

As of July 1, 2016, Pacific Union College’s department of religion has been renamed the department of theology. The change was made to more accurately represent the department’s mission and scholarship focus. Dr. Ross Winkle, chair of the department, says, “We’re excited about the change in our name since it more accurately conveys the type of majors we have and the confessional stance of our department.” Winkle explains that an academic department named “religion” typically offers a neutral approach to the teaching of religion and of global faiths and religious traditions, not prioritizing any particular religion above others. By contrast, a department named “theology” conspicuously focuses on Christianity, and seeks to educate future ministers and students majoring in various disciplines to be intelligent, informed, and faithful disciples of Jesus. “We’re also excited to have an excellent departmental faculty, including a new faculty member that will bring our full-time teachers up to seven in number—more than we’ve had in over a decade,” shares Winkle. “Students who come to PUC to take either theology or religion will continue to graduate with a strong background in biblical studies, along with a strong exposure to theology, ethics, and Christian history, as well as biblical...

It is with much sadness we announce the upcoming services for Kevin Canavan, a senior business major who died on Wednesday, July 6, while working as a summer camp employee at Camp Wawona, in Wawona, Calif. He just celebrated his 21st birthday at the end of June. A memorial service for Kevin is currently planned for this Sabbath, July 16, at 7 p.m. at the Monterey Bay Academy Seventh-day Adventist Church. The church is located at 783 San Andreas Road, La Selva Beach, Calif., 95076. “We are still in disbelief over the sad and sudden news about losing our dear friend and student, Kevin Canavan. Kevin’s ready smile, friendly attitude, and leadership abilities made him an exceptional young man. He was such a positive influence on our campus and will forever be remembered and cherished. Kevin’s RA status at Grainger Hall placed him in the forefront of leadership, care, and concern for others at PUC and truly he lived up to these ideals. We long for the day when we will see Kevin’s great smile and wonderful personality again,” says Lisa Bissell Paulson, vice president for student services. Kevin worked this past year as a resident assistant in Grainger Hall,...

On Sunday, June 12, for the 114th time on its campus, Pacific Union College celebrated its commencement exercises, with 393 students graduating. The college proudly awarded 413 associate, bachelor, and master’s degrees to the 393 graduates, 53 of whom are from Napa County. The largest departmental groups represented were nursing and health sciences (178), communication (29), business administration (28), biology (22), and exercise science (20). One hundred and twenty-seven students received academic distinctions and honors, with 15 summa cum laude graduates, 40 magna cum laude graduates, and 60 cum laude graduates. Eight students from PUC’s Honors Program and four Maxwell Scholars were also represented, as were two Student Association officers. Also of note, 16 members of the class served in countries around the world as student missionaries and task force workers. Commencement weekend began Friday afternoon with a dedication service for social work graduates. They shared stories of their internship experiences and how their faith was a fundamental part of their work as well as read the social work oath alongside other social workers present. Each student was also awarded a social work pin, and several had the honor of being pinned by their internship supervisor. Social Work Program Assistant...

On May 26, Pacific Union College hosted the 14thDiogenes Film Festival at the Cameo Cinema in St. Helena. The annual event showcases the talents of both PUC’s visual art majors. This year, 25 short films were shown and five awards were available—Filmmaker of the Future, Orson’s Disciple, Audience Choice Award, Audience Choice Award (for Thesis Films), and Best Thesis Film—with underclassmen being eligible for the first three. The Audience Choice Award was awarded to the producer receiving the most votes from a text poll. However, Best Thesis Film and Filmmaker of the Future were determined by festival judges. The underclassmen projects ranged from a TV web series, “At Grainger” by Hayden Cox, to short films such as “The Wiggles” by Kaitlin Darnell and Alexyss Johnson. A short question and answer session and awards presentation followed. This year the Filmmaker of the Future and the Audience Choice Award were both awarded to Taylor Bivens and Nick DeChicchis for “White Collar.” Also nominated were Jonathan Salvador for “Investigative Journalism,” Julian Ybarra for “Genesis,” and Rachel Ermshar for “Teardrop.” Johnathan Thall, sophomore software development and film and television major, received The Orson’s Disciple award, a new honor given to the film student who...

As students gear up for the fast approaching week of finals, most are excited to wave goodbye to school and head off to warmer weather, catching up on sleep, and days at the beach. But there are some who have different plans, plans which include spending a portion of their break taking classes. Over the past few years, summer classes have become more and more popular, allowing students to remain academically productive during the summer months. PUC offers a limited number of classes which cover the same coursework as a typical class, only in a much shorter amount of time, and sessions range variously from June 13 - August 12. Once you get past the idea of sitting in a classroom while your friends are off enjoying months of freedom, and once you realize the accelerated course work of one or two classes is completely manageable, we hope you recognize the benefits of taking a summer class at PUC. While an accelerated class will likely mean a little extra work and studying, the lack of other classes and fewer distractions will allow you to devote much more time to your class, which will show in your final grade! Summer classes...

For the past three years, the women’s volleyball team at Pacific Union College and The City of St. Helena’s Recreation Department have teamed up to provide a volleyball league for youth in the area. The eight-week program is offered for ages 9-14, and student athletes from PUC’s women’s volleyball team serve as coaches and mentors for the league teams. Aside from running practices and games, the PUC women’s volleyball team educate young athletes on what it means to be “Champions of Character,” a program in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), which PUC is a part of. The goal of the program is to instill character building values so students can do the right thing on and off the court, and understand how those values play out in practice and competition. The five core values are integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership. Brittany Brown, PUC’s athletic director, prioritizes the league’s goals as “character training, then practice training, then games.” Throughout the eight weeks, games and practices were held at Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School in St. Helena. The final city league event took place on PUC’s campus at the Pacific Auditorium, with parents and the local community joining...

Spring is one of the most memorable seasons for students. It is a time when the campus community enjoys many festivities, including the highly anticipated REVOfest. On Sunday, May 15, students, faculty, and staff members gathered at the Campus Center for the REVO Stuff Sale and campus club food exhibitions. Participants browsed the REVO thrift shop for treasures. Clubs dished up ethnic foods and beverages. Later that evening, over 300 people gathered in the Pacific Auditorium for the highly anticipated annual REVO fashion show. Five teams comprised of 11 PUC student designers debuted fashions created from recycled materials. The designers where given the choice of five materials to craft their fashion lines from utensils, plastic, paper, cardboard, and cups. The designers created works of art which were model by PUC students. Cardboard, designed by Hannah Barnes, Aaron Hernandez, and Taylor Pittenger, won People’s Choice award. Bree Ali Mary and Suzie Deberry won Judge’s Choice for their recycled paper line. The show was a huge success, raising over $2,000 for REVO. Overall, REVOfest was an uplifting event for the campus and the local community to celebrate a noble cause. For the past eight years and counting, REVO, PUC’s student-led international philanthropy...

PacificUnion College is proud to announce the recipients of the 2016 MaxwellScholarship. Incoming freshmen Taylor Bothwell, LydiaEarles, Christian Im, Cheryl Wang, and Adrienne Weiss were chosen as the 2016 Maxwell Scholars.Named after the late Dr. Malcolm and EileenMaxwell, the beloved former president and first lady of PUC, the Maxwell Scholars Program is themost prestigious scholarship the college offers. Now in its eighth year, it is awardedto five high school seniors in recognition of their academic achievement, outstanding leadershipexperience, and a commitment to Christian service. Applicantsmust meet certain GPA and test score requirements, and submit an applicationthat includes a resume, essay, and letters of recommendation. This will be the first year the award willcover full tuition for four years, valued at approximately $112,000.Taylor Bothwell of St. Helena, Calif., hasspent her time at Pacific Union College Preparatory School heavily involved inathletics and student government, in addition to excelling scholastically. Forher junior and senior years, she served as captain of both the varsitybasketball and volleyball teams. Taylor has held various positions within theschool’s Student Association, including yearbook co-editor, executive vicepresident, chair of student senate, and president, as well as representing herfellow students to the PUC Prep Board.She gives back to her community by...

A total of 16 athletes across six varsity sports at Pacific Union College were named as the inaugural recipients of the new Scholar Athlete Recognition Program at the annual Awards Colloquy this past Thursday, May 12. In conjunction with Pioneer Athletics, the college will annually recognize junior and senior athletes who excel in the classroom while participating in varsity sports. This announcement comes at the completion of the second year of the collaborative efforts between Pioneer Athletics and the Teaching and Learning Center to help students balance the demanding schedule that comes with being a student athlete and full-time student. Being a student athlete and maintaining a high GPA can be tough, with practicing a minimum of 12 hours a week and traveling to locations in and out of state. “To manage and excel both as a student and an athlete takes dedication and a community of support, which makes PUC such a remarkable place to be,” said Athletic Director Brittany Brown. “They are not only preparing themselves as students but learning and growing in a team environment preparing them for their next phase in life. We are excited to announce our first ever scholar athlete recognition program!” Scholar Athletes...

Pacific Union College is delighted to announce Sam Delaware, an 18-year-old freshman photography major, has been named Youth Photographer of the Year in the 2016 Sony World Photography Awards. The recognition follows his win in the competition’s Youth Portraits category. Delaware came to PUC from Pine Tree Academy in Freeport, Maine, as one of the college’s five Maxwell Scholar recipients in 2015, PUC’s most prestigious scholarship. He was senior class president, a member of the National Honor Society, a Phi Beta Kappa Award recipient, and first chair trumpet in the academy band. PUC professor Brian Kyle, who is Delaware’s photography instructor, commended him on his win, saying, “Sam is a talented photographer and dedicated student of the arts whom I am thrilled to have here at PUC. The fact that such a young student is already being publicly recognized for his talents is a testament to his dedication, passion, and artistic vision.” Delaware’s entry was titled “Sarah,” and is a portrait of his sister. When asked about the inspiration behind the winning photograph, Delaware shares, “After moving to a university across the country, I understood I’d miss my family; my mother and father, and especially my sister. Like so many...