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Pacific Union College selected 19 incoming freshmen as this year’s recipients of the prestigious Maxwell Scholarship. It’s the largest group of students to receive the award since the scholarship was created in 2009.The 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, and he had the longest tenure at 18 years.Maxwell Scholars are students with outstanding academic achievement, a commitment to Christian service, and outstanding leadership experience.Applicants must meet GPA and ACT or SAT score requirements. Application rankings are determined by a review of their resume, essay, and letters of recommendation.Maxwell Scholars are awarded $32,655 annually, renewable for three years with a 3.5 GPA and a potential fourth year under qualifying conditions.The 2023 Maxwell Scholars herald from California, Arizona, Colorado and Washington: Simon AbendanioLydear AngKiarra De LunaMakena DriverJune EoRut GonzalezNina GregoruttiJadan MartinezNeil NankaniKaitlin ObreroStory O’NealCal PatchinZachary RomeroJosiah Jordan SalazarMarc SalvoMichelle SaravanakuYaelle TanjuakioAlexis VillarrealMatthew Winokan PUC is proud of these exceptional Maxwell Scholars. Throughout this academic school year, profiles of these students, with a Q&A and photo, will be featured on the PUC Blog.Each year, PUC awards...

Pacific Union College hosted a brunch to benefit Paulin Recital Hall on Sunday, Oct. 22.Held in a private hangar at the college’s airport, Angwin-Parrett Field, the event featured fine cuisine from Napa Valley chef Chay Blancett and vocal and instrumental music by students, alumni, and faculty from PUC and Paulin Center for the Arts. There was also a silent auction.Kellie Lind, PUC vice president for alumni and advancement, said the event supported one of the jewels of the Napa Valley and was a resounding success. “It exceeded our expectations and brought in a significant amount of support from generous members of our local community.”As the nearly 100 guests from the Upper Napa Valley and surrounding areas dined, they were treated to the music of pianists Elena Casanova and Diego Mariano. Gabrielle Cortez and Adelene Bellah-Ramirez both enchanted listeners on their violins, Delia Bennett played her guitar, and vocalist Kaitlyn Nakanishi also performed.“We are so grateful to our committee, the owners of the beautiful hangar, and others who helped make this event a reality,” Lind said. “Your talents and support have not only contributed to the success of the event but also brought us one step closer to achieving our goals...

At a time when many institutions of higher learning are struggling to maintain their enrollments, Pacific Union College has continued to grow in recent years.This academic year, PUC’s headcount has increased from 884 to 930 students. It’s the third consecutive year of growth. While the trajectory may be modest, PUC is grateful, especially considering demographic challenges and a decade-long downward trend in student numbers. Furthermore, the college has made considerable strides in retaining its students. PUC maintains a nearly 90% retention rate for those who qualify to return for another year. President Ralph Trecartin said the continued growth is a testament to the hard work of the entire PUC campus community. “So many people at PUC have contributed to this effort,” Trecartin said. “We are thankful to God for His faithfulness and guidance as we continue to provide quality education for our students.”Gene Edelbach, vice president for enrollment and marketing, said several factors are responsible for this growth—PUC’s innovative vision, transfer student programs, and new graduate offerings. Among these, the introduction of associate to bachelor’s degree programs in nursing and the online MSN and MBA programs have collectively added nearly 200 students to the college.The associate to bachelor's degree program...

Pacific Union College is thrilled to announce that Nate Furness, Arturo Lopez, Garrison Chaffee, and Lem Garcia are the college’s pastoral team.If you were to ask each pastor what one of their favorite things about PUC is, one word is always said: community. They all love the campus community that makes the college so beautiful. Besides the miles of nature, mountains, and stunning views of Napa Valley- the people make PUC home. PUC Lead Pastor Nate Furness has a passion for Adventist education, which led him to accept this position last school year. “I want to be part of preparing young adults to serve Jesus in their context,” said Furness. “We want to prepare nurses, psychologists, filmmakers, teachers, pastors, and others to share the love of Jesus with everyone they encounter.” His goal is to prepare young people to be missionaries in their professional context, to disciple and mentor young people, and to demonstrate that life is joyful and that we are better in the community. Youth and Associate Pastor Garrison Chaffee graduated from PUC in 1999 with a bachelor's in fitness management and a teaching credential. He joined the pastoral team this summer and is honored to have the opportunity to...

Pacific Union College reached a significant milestone with the completion of the Davidian Hall renovation project. It’s a fresh look for one of the college’s oldest buildings, which hasn’t undergone upgrades for decades.The building project was split into two phases. The first, completed in the fall of 2022, focused on creating adequate space to accommodate the increase in nursing and health science students. During this phase, an OB and Pediatric simulation room was designed and built.  Upgrades to the existing high-fidelity simulation space were also needed.  Phase two of the Davidian Hall refresh was an intensive undertaking over the summer. Additions included a skills lab testing area, two simulation debriefing areas, new desks in one classroom, tables and chairs in another, and new chairs for each lab space. All new flooring and carpeting were installed, and painting was completed—including in all faculty areas. Updated signage was also added throughout the department.  “The addition of these items will allow students to utilize the simulation and laboratory environments to meet programmatic outcomes and utilize experiential learning through quality hands-on experience to ensure the department is self-sufficient in training the next generation of nurses. This is critical if another event like the recent COVID-19 pandemic takes...