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At Colloquy on March 15, Pacific Union College paid tribute to Richard Rockwell, this year's new professor emeritus. Rockwell, professor of mathematics, is retiring at the end of the academic year after teaching at PUC for more than four decades. Rockwell began his career in the classroom while attending PUC; during his sophomore year in college, he taught a yearlong computer science course. After graduating from PUC in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, Rockwell went on to the University of California, Berkeley, where he received his master’s degree in 1969. Immediately after, PUC hired Rockwell to teach in the math department; a few years later, while teaching, he earned his doctorate from U.C. Berkeley. In the 1970s and 1980s, Rockwell was the chair of the math department for over a decade. At the Thursday morning colloquy program, Steve Waters, also a professor of mathematics, shared his memories of studying under Rockwell in the 1970s. “I first got to know him personally my sophomore year at PUC, and he became my advisor and mentor,” said Waters. “Whether he knows it or not, he’s never stopped being my advisor and mentor.” Waters followed in Rockwell’s footsteps, graduating from PUC with...

Students from Pacific Union College’s Introduction to Biology class worked on protecting the ecosystem in a project with the Land Trust of Napa County on March 4. The project involved removing foreign plant species that had begun to invade the plant ecosystem surrounding Linda Falls, a small waterfall in Angwin. The waterfall, located on property owned by the Land Trust, is a short walk from campus. “This is a long-term partnership that will allow students on campus to have an impact on a place many students, staff, and faculty enjoy,” explains Aimee Wyrick, an associate professor in the biology department who coordinated the project. For students, the trip offered a chance to get out of the classroom for a good cause. “It was an opportunity to do something with your community,” said Jesse Jewett, a freshman liberal studies major. “Up here on the hill, we forget that anyone else is here...we think its just PUC, but there’s a whole community here.” Jewett adds, “Whether it was getting rid of invasive plant species or just picking up litter that’s accumulated, it was just cool to get out and feel like we were doing something to benefit the environment around us.”...

Starting in fall 2012, Pacific Union College will begin offering students a new degree: History, Political Studies, and Ethics. The bachelor's degree, which will be based in the history department, will combine classes in American history, politics, and ethics to educate students in politics, government and a life of public service. “In a national environment charged with politics and political activism, it is not surprising that prospective students…consistently ask about offerings in political science,” says Amy Rosenthal, associate professor of history and chair of the department. “[The new program] is designed to educate students in the workings of government and the characteristics of modern politics…in preparation for careers of service in local, state and federal government, law, public policy and political science.” “We’re very excited about the possibilities this new degree brings to our campus,” relates PUC academic dean Nancy Lecourt. “The degree in political studies will make PUC an even more attractive option for students by further expanding our offerings in the liberal arts. We expect that the program will be particularly attractive to students interested in pursuing graduate school in law and public policy.” The Princeton Review ranks political science as one of the top ten undergraduate majors...

At a Thursday morning presentation at PUC’s visual arts department, PUC alum Rayme Inae, ’01, encouraged students to always be on the lookout for new opportunities. Inae is the creative director for—and helped start—GoJane.com, a popular online retailer of fashion-forward apparel for young women. “People want decisions made for them,” he told the students. “Grab the steering wheel of your own life!” A big man with a big smile, Inae shared his advice and his success story in a lively and frank presentation that energized the room. He described his experience at PUC as an active—if not always stellar—student and encouraged the visual arts majors to view their course work as a chance to build a meaningful portfolio that would serve them in the job market. After graduation, Inae said he couldn’t find work as a graphic designer—his area of study. But his friendly and enthusiastic personality landed him a job in advertising sales. In one year he advanced rapidly in the company and saved up a sizeable cushion from commissions on large clients like the Golden State Warriors. But after an ethical disagreement with the company, he quit—and realized that he didn’t know what he wanted to do next....

At a special Colloquy program Thursday morning at Pacific Union College, Hollywood movie executive DeVon Franklin opened with a bold statement. “God has sent me here to deliver you a message,” he said. “Someone here has a calling—something God wants you to do—but fear is holding you back from following that dream. I’m here to free you from that fear.” Franklin is vice president of production at Columbia Pictures, and has been involved in the production of films including The Pursuit of Happyness and the recent remake of The Karate Kid. He’s also a Seventh-day Adventist, and has recently written Produced by Faith, a book about maintaining a relationship with God while working in the entertainment industry. Franklin described how movies like The Color Purple, Rocky, and Back To The Future captivated him as a boy. He remembered wanting to make those images, but when he shared his dream with others in the Adventist community, he was often met with skepticism. This did not stop him from having faith that God would take him where He wanted him to be, he said. Franklin advised students to actively seek and pursue their God-given purpose in this world. “So many times we...