Search - Beth Whittemore

Two new T1’s will be installed on the Pacific Union College campus by February 15, which will mean much faster Internet service for students. The new T1’s, as well as a server that rations Internet use, are a result of a bill proposed by PUC senator Al Ochoa. Student senate and the school administration are combining funds to help make the faster Internet possible. The idea for this bill came from computer science major, Jason Whitney. Concerned about the sluggishness of the Internet making his homework more difficult, he spoke to Ochoa about some possible solutions. Senate and the administration agreed upon a plan: Senate and the administration will each pay half of the cost for the new server, and Senate will pay for the first month’s fee for the new T1’s if the administration will continue paying it. Ochoa was not only surprised that the administration agreed to this plan, but also pleased that the work is being completed so quickly. There have been some concerns regarding the new rationing of the Internet, however. Cassaundra Shewmake, a graphic design major, has already been disconnected from her Internet service. “It doesn’t bother me to not be able to listen to...

Having a wide variety of students at Pacific Union College means that they have some fairly unique interests. Isaac Hrimnak, from Placerville, California, is one of these students. Now a freshman, Hrimnak has what some would consider to be a split personality. Aside from being a normal Californian, he has also taken part in Civil War re-enacting for half of his life. As he says, his frock coat, forage cap, and red sash may be “140 years out of style,” but his uniform fits right in when he joins his friends for battles and tours of historic sites. Hrimnak’s interest in history began when he was young. While his classmates were out playing soccer and baseball, Hrimnak stayed inside, absorbed in history books. At nine years old, he became interested in joining a Civil War re-enactment group, but was required to have a parent join as well. However, since his mother was a single parent at the time, she was too busy home-schooling his younger sister. Hrimnak’s mother finally asked whether there was any way he could join the group and was told that the only position a child of his age could hold during the Civil War was that...

Three students from Pacific Union College will serve as interns for Adventist Health System’s 2002 Leadership Development Program this summer. Magally Arevalo, Chris Jones, and Timothy Ko will have the opportunity to do special projects and assignments, shadow key executives, and participate in leadership events. The interns chosen for this program were amongst many candidates in the finance and management areas. The three candidates from PUC are business administration majors, Jones has an emphasis in accounting, and Ko has an emphasis in finance. All three are in their junior year at PUC. “The program continues to attract high-quality candidates each year, with more students competing for a limited number of internship spots,” says Christine To, assistant director of communications and leadership development at Adventist Health System. “These are the best students from across the nation with high grade point averages, successful and proven campus leadership experience, and a strong desire to work in the mission field of healthcare.” The 29 interns selected to serve at Adventist Health System were chosen from a variety of Seventh-day Adventist higher education institutions. An orientation for all interns took place on May 14-15 in Winter Park, Florida, to emphasize the mission and values in...

Pacific Union College professor of biblical studies, Dr. Greg A. King, recently authored a book called Kings and Chronicles: A History of Divided Monarchy, published by Pacific Press. The book is intended to be a Sabbath school lesson study help. It analyzes and explains 13 different stories from the books of Kings and Chronicles. This was the time in Israel’s history when the region was ruled by a series of kings. The stories in King’s book include events from the lives of famous Old Testament characters such as Solomon, Elijah, Jeroboam, Ahab, and Hezekiah. These stories give in-depth historical information on the people and the times, and they provide devotional studies for personal spiritual growth. In all of the stories, God’s mercy and compassion toward his people show through. “It’s my hope that readers of this book gain insights into an often overlooked portion of the Bible. Many of the challenges that God’s people faced in that time are still here today,” says King. Greg King has been a professor in the religion department at PUC since 1987, and he is now chair of the department. He teaches courses in Old Testament theology and Hebrew. He has a Master of...

Many people look forward to the golden years of retirement, planning to do what they always wanted to do, but were too busy. Dr. Allyn Gilbert has already had a full life, and at almost 77 years old, he is continuing to make it richer in an unconventional way. Instead of finding new hobbies and investing in an RV, Gilbert is earning a degree in religion from Pacific Union College. Gilbert is a retired anesthesiologist who now lives in St. Helena. Five years ago, Gilbert was widowed and open to new ways to enrich his life when he picked up a copy of U.S. News and World Report. The issue was about the nation’s top colleges, and when he discovered that PUC was amongst them, he thought he’d pay a visit on registration day. He has been taking classes part time for five years now and will graduate in June. Gilbert says, “I’m just taking the classes for personal satisfaction and to fill that void in my education.” Gilbert, however, is a very educated man. After earning a master’s degree in physiology from the University of Illinois, Gilbert also decided to become a doctor. He was a high school science...

“Did you know that West Hall Annex used to be the prized new physics building?” The words across the screen brought a chuckle from the audience as they reflected on the currently run-down condition of the building. To the surprise of some, Pacific Union College also did not used to have a student senate or student association. PUC students had a glimpse into these and other changes from the college’s past when Lisa Gilbert, PUC senior graphic design major, did an honors project comparing the old and the new. Gilbert’s 40-minute documentary film showing interviews with former students and faculty gave an idea of what PUC used to look like. As Keith Francis, associate professor of history and Gilbert’s faculty advisor, said, the project came about as a result of “Lisa’s fecund and furtive mind” and an interest in PUC history. Gilbert says, “I just wanted students to be aware of what PUC used to be like so they could better appreciate how it is today. If they know how strict the rules used to be they won’t take for granted the freedom they have now, and hopefully they’ll use their freedom more wisely.” The three faculty members Gilbert interviewed...