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As history and political studies majors at Pacific Union College, brothers and Maxwell Scholar finalists Mark and Michael Cebert were required to complete an internship as their capstone project as part of their degree. To this end, they worked together for state representative Anthony Daniels (D) in their home state of Alabama. Despite the project only requiring one month of interning, the Ceberts ended up working for three, since they were well-liked and tackled some large projects.In February 2017, Daniels made history when he became the first black person and, at 34, the youngest individual ever to hold his legislative position. Mark and Michael’s interactions with him, however, began several months earlier, in the summer of 2016.“We expected the typical intern stuff; you know—getting coffee, making copies, carrying stacks of files,” Mark admits. “It wasn’t that way at all.”The brothers spent their first few weeks building a donor database for the Democratic party in the state. Despite its advanced age, the Alabama democratic party has historically never tracked who their biggest and longest-term supporters were.“Most parties have a record of who has donated in the past 20 years,” explains Michael. “This allows them to determine who they need to stay...

Jarrod McNaughton received his bachelor’s degree in public relations from Pacific Union College and his Master of Business Administration from the University of La Verne (California). He will present the Commencement address for the Class of 2018 on Sunday, June 17. The service will stream live at puc.edu.When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?I wanted to be a pastor, believe it or not!Instead of theology, you got a bachelor’s degree in public relations, but continued on to get a Master of Business Administration. How do you think the two have worked together in your career? The masters in business was a perfect connector for my undergrad degree and really helped to round me out, bringing the best of both worlds together.What were some of your first impressions of PUC as a student? I honestly didn’t want to attend PUC at first because of a perception I had that turned out to be completely wrong. Attending PUC was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and I wouldn’t change it for the world. From being one of the most beautiful college campuses in the U.S. to its incredible focus on students, PUC...

Pacific Union College, Napa Valley’s only four-year college, will host its annual commencement exercises Friday, June 15, through Sunday, June 17.The college will proudly award 369 associate, bachelor, and master’s degrees to 343 graduates, 49 of whom are from Napa County. The largest departmental groups are the nursing and health sciences (181 graduates from the Associate of Science and Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs), business administration (37), biology (23), communication (21), and visual arts (21).In addition, three graduating students are Maxwell Scholars: JJ Reynolds, marketing communication major; John Jung, biology major and pre-med student; and Dominique Townsend, English literature major. Maxwell Scholars are recognized as incoming freshmen for their outstanding academic achievement, and are awarded a renewable scholarship based on their unweighted cumulative GPA and test scores.“We are excited to honor and celebrate our graduates and the future that lies ahead,” says Robert Cushman Jr., PUC president. “I look forward to meeting graduates, families, and friends here on beautiful Howell Mountain, where nature and revelation unite in education.”In the class of 2018, 15 students will graduate summa cum laude; 29 magna cum laude; 58 cum laude; 10 with honors. After California, which is home to 290 graduating seniors, Hawai’i...

“This was a hard year,” said 2017-18 student association president Megan Weems to a packed Dauphinee Chapel. “It was already a transition year with new administration, and then a few weeks into the school year, the valley caught on fire.”Weems was addressing the Pacific Union College student body at the final Colloquy event of the year, focused on the year’s theme, “Family.”“Change takes a while,” she continued. “PUC has a lot of things to improve on, as we all know, but things are going up from here. We’ve laid the foundation and we’re making headway toward something better.”Weems thanked her 2017-18 student association team for loving the campus and demonstrating how a family should behave.“I saw it in their hearts, in the way they interacted with people,” she said. “They just love. And that’s what PUC needed. I was incredibly blessed, and I hope and pray that in something someone did or said at some point this year made you feel a little bit of that heart.”“The SA is you guys, too,” Weems added. “It’s not just the eight or nine people elected; you’re all part of the Student Association. Thank you for this year.”Kenzie Hardy, incoming SA president, addressed...

The Honors Program at Pacific Union College provides classes which depart from a traditional lecture format, encouraging students to develop their analytical thinking, aesthetic appreciation, and their spiritual lives.“Our program is its own complete general education,” explains Dr. Georgina Hill, professor of English and director of the PUC Honors Program. “Though it is a truncated GE, it is also more challenging. Students are expected to think deeply about ideas, theories, and issues, to analyze primary texts and multiple perspectives.”As Hill points out, post-graduate admissions committees recognize that "Honors" on an application is a mark of the applicant’s willingness to focus on learning, to step beyond the comfort zone, to accept a challenge, and to excel."In Honors, I was forced to think critically, defend my positions, and modify them when I was wrong," says Jefferson Richards, science and pre-med Honors student. "Honors played a huge part in building my confidence in my own intelligence and drove me to succeed in all my classes. It forces us to think critically, develop better reading and writing skills, exposes us to new and challenging ideas, and allows us to grow as human beings.”Charles De Guzman, first-year medical student at Loma Linda University, reports "Because...

On Sunday, June 3, join the choirs and orchestra of Pacific Union College for their spring concert, featuring pieces from musicals and operas. Jenelle Anderson conducts Vox Pro Musica and Chorale, while Rachelle Davis conducts the Orchestra.Vox Pro Musica, along with PUC’s Chorale and Orchestra, will perform choruses from familiar operas and musicals such as The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan, The Promise of Living by Copland, Carmen by Bizet, Madame Butterfly by Puccini, and others.Additionally, Vox Pro Musica will sing a set of Elizabethan madrigals, including April Is In My Mistress’ Face and Now Is The Month of Maying, among others.The Orchestra will also be performing two pieces on their own: Concerto No. 2 in D Major for Flute by Mozart, featuring soloist Michele Rafuse, senior music major; and two movements from L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2 by Bizet.The concert begins at 3 p.m. in Paulin Hall Auditorium on the campus of Pacific Union College. Tickets are not required; admission is free and open to the public.For more information about PUC’s music program, including the Paulin Center for the Creative Arts and a calendar of upcoming events, visit puc.edu/music or call (707) 965-6201....

During the summer of 2017, Cristian Pancorbo, assistant professor of Spanish at Pacific Union College, coordinated a trip to Lebanon with students from PUC, La Sierra University, and Loma Linda University. Hosted by Middle East University (MEU), the group worked with the Syrian refugee population in Beirut for a month.In addition to working alongside the students, Pancorbo was also conducting research for a project he was working on with his now-wife, Shanna Crumley, an intercultural communication and Spanish alumna of PUC currently finishing her master's degree at Columbia University (New York). In Lebanon, Pancorbo interviewed as many refugees, teachers, and non-governmental organization (NGO) employees as he could, asking about the needs of refugees there."My passion is working with underrepresented communities," says Pancorbo. "When you look at the big picture you see large numbers and a lot of need, but you don't really know what's happening on the ground with refugees. Throwing money onto the refugee canvas didn't help; they need access to education, so they can get access to jobs."His research fed into A4Ed, a social enterprise founded by Crumley, Pancorbo, and a third co-founder, Gemma Torras Vives, a classmate of Crumley’s at Columbia University. A4Ed is a platform based...

PUC’s department of chemistry is grateful to two generous donors who helped the department acquire a microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometer (MPAES). The MPAES can measure the amount of over 60 elements in many types of samples, and is sensitive enough to detect one part in a billion. So, what does this mean in real life?“Atomic spectroscopy is often used to evaluate heavy metals, such as lead and mercury in environmental samples like soil and water,” explains Dr. Robert Wilson, associate professor of chemistry. “It is also used to determine if lead is in the paint in children’s toys or measure mineral content in food.”Wilson also says the software for the MPAES is very easy to understand and use, which means students with little to no lab experience will be able to operate a state-of-the-art instrument on their own, offering them valuable independence in the lab.“The measurement process is very fast,” says Wilson. “It only takes about one minute per sample, and several elements can be measured simultaneously.”It’s not just the chemists who can benefit from this equipment; Dr. Kent Davis, chair of the department, foresees partnerships with other scientists, too.“We aren’t the only ones who see a use for...

Sydney Johnston, career counselor in the Career & Counseling Center, put a lot of time and thought into organizing this year’s internship fair.“An event like this open doors for students to find internships or jobs, either after graduation or during their time here at PUC,” Johnston says. “It also provides PUC connections with our community so we can partner more with local and Bay Area businesses as we show them what our students have to offer their companies and organizations.”So, on Wednesday, May 9, the Career & Counseling Center hosted an internship fair in the Dining Commons. Over 40 students stopped by the tables and talked to most, if not all, the recruiters present. Participating organizations included Auberge Resorts, Army Healthcare Team, Lake Berryessa Park Ranger Program, U.S. Navy Chaplain & Medical Programs, Oakville Grocery, Meadowood Luxury Hotel, and OfficeTeam, an international employment agency.“I want to see if I can find anything to further my chances of getting started in my career,” says Etienne Herholdt, freshman emergency services major, who stopped by the fair on his way to lunch. “I plan to become a paramedic firefighter, and it’s nice to have the chance to see a few options without ever...

In 1970, a Danish scholar and professor by the name of Niels-Erik Andreasen arrived on the Pacific Union College campus. He taught religion on what he refers to now as "that holy hill" for seven years before moving on to Loma Linda University (Loma Linda and Riverside, Calif.), Walla Walla University (College Place, Wash.), and finally, Andrews University (Berrien Springs, Mich.), where he served as president for 22 years—the longest-serving and first internationally born president there—until his retirement in 2016. Andreasen and his wife, Demetra, have returned to St. Helena, Calif., in their retirement, and on Thursday, May 3, Andreasen presented for Colloquy in the PUC Church. His topic was The Joy of Christian Education."I have a confession to make," he began. "There's nothing I would rather have done in my life than teach and study. And if I could live my life over again, I'd return to college and sign up as a freshman right now. You may be eager to get out, but I'm eager to return." There is safety in the student life, Andreasen pointed out, urging students to enjoy it, as he used to do in his college days. He recalled that in Denmark, they celebrated...