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Pacific Union College is proud to announce two new scholarship opportunities available to students entering Fall 2018; the STEM Scholarship and the Campus Impact Scholarship. Recognizing the financial difficulties families face when planningfor college, PUC has strengthened its commitment to make a Seventh-dayAdventist liberal arts education accessible and affordable to all admitted students.PUC’s new STEM Scholarship recognizes first-time freshmen who have obtained a strong understanding of and competence in advanced mathematics and science during high school. Recipients must have completed three years of college preparatory laboratory courses (biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy & physiology) and three years of college preparatory math courses (intermediate/advanced algebra, pre-calculus, calculus, geometry, and statistics) to receive the $1,000 renewable award. (Please see scholarship guidelines for specific requirementsand details.)The Campus Impact Scholarship is a $1,000 renewable scholarship available to students who are invited to participate in PUC’s orchestra, wind ensemble, iCantori, or octet, or are selected for specific roles in campus ministries or CONNECT outreach. These awards are renewable upon continued participation inthe specific programs.In addition, amounts for many existing scholarships have been increased, including the President’s and Dean’s Scholarships for both transfer and first-year students.These scholarships are automatically received by qualifying incoming students, based upon GPA...

Today students return to the Pacific Union College campus after a week-long hiatus. In an act of caution, last Tuesday, October 10, PUC canceled classes, closed non-essential offices, and encouraged students to return home to their families while first responders and emergency personnel from across the country worked on containing the wildfires spanning Napa and Sonoma counties and throughout Northern California. “Even with the continued assurance of Angwin’s safety from local fire professionals, it gave PUC’s senior leadership team extra peace of mind knowing the majority of our students were far from the situation,” said Jennifer Tyner, vice president of student life, enrollment, and marketing. “The outpouring of love and support from the community to our remaining students, faculty, and staff was uplifting during this trying time for our campus.” Among the responders working tirelessly to contain the wildfires were several PUC students who volunteer with the local Angwin Volunteer Fire Department, along with many college staff and faculty members, including J.R. Rogers, director of recruitment and fire chief for the Angwin Volunteer Fire Department. He says, “Over 11,000 firefighters and first responders have been working around the clock and the containment of the fires continue to increase, which is...

This summer, representatives from Pacific Union College will travel to Soquel Camp Meeting and Redwood Camp Meeting to fellowship and worship together with college alumni and friends. At Soquel Camp Meeting, which runs from July 13-22, is the Central California Conference’s annual gathering near Santa Cruz, Calif., at the Soquel Conference Center. PUC representatives will be helping in the youth tent as well as answering questions and sharing information about the college at the PUC booth. On Sabbath, July 22, the PUC alumni team will host a luncheon in the Earliteen tent following the church service. Held by the Northern California Conference, Redwood Camp Meeting is located in the beautiful forest of Redcrest, Calif., and runs from July 20-29. As in previous years, PUC representatives will be helping all week in the youth tent as well as staff the PUC booth to talk with alumni, friends, and potential students, with information about the college and special giveaways on hand. On Sabbath, July 29, the college’s alumni team will host a special luncheon immediately following the church service in the Picnic Pavilion. Additionally, the college will be hosting the Ignite Camp Meeting and the annual West Coast Korean Camp Meeting on...

On May 11, 2017, the Pacific Union College Board of Trustees announced Dr. Robert A. Cushman Jr. has been selected as the new president of Pacific Union College. Cushman currently serves as the vice president for academic administration for Walla Walla University in Walla Walla, Wash., and has spent the last 26 years in Adventist education serving in various capacities. He will begin his role as president July 1, in preparation for the new academic year, and will be the college’s twenty-third president in its 135-year history. Cushman received his Ph.D. in geology from the Colorado School of Mines, his master’s degree in geology at Loma Linda University, and his bachelor’s degree in biology at Walla Walla College (now University). After spending five years as a geologist and paleontologist, Cushman felt God’s calling to educate young minds. In the 12 years he taught at Loma Linda University, he served as assistant professor, associate department chair, and the department chair of the department of earth and biological sciences, where he taught graduate level courses, conducted research in Western Colorado and Wyoming, and advised graduate student research. Additionally, under his administrative duties, he oversaw the department’s budget and coordinated the undergraduate geology...

On Wednesday, March 8, the eighth-seeded Pacific Union College Pioneers men’s basketball team took on the first-seeded Cornerstone University Golden Eagles in the opening round of the 26th annual NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship at the College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Mo. After a dominating first half, PUC’s run came to an abrupt halt when Cornerstone took control over the final 20 minutes to pull out an 89-83 win. Despite their heartbreaking lost, the Pioneers raised eyebrows and turned heads at the national level with a stellar performance for their first appearance in the NAIA national tournament. The Pioneers, who had won their last eight games—the last three by a combined total of six points that included two buzzer-beaters—came out hitting on all cylinders, shooting almost 64 percent in the opening half, including 10 of 17 from the 3-point line. Their largest lead came with just under a minute to play in the first half on the third triple from junior Ben Jazuk to go up 55-29, but the Golden Eagles picked up the defensive pressure and chipped away at the 25-point halftime deficit and found a way to advance into the second round. With the...

Despite all odds, the PUC Pioneers men's basketball team took home the California Pacific Conference Championship title, defeating the five-year defending champions Cal Maritime, 71-70, Tuesday evening, Feb. 28. The Pioneers began their championship debut struggling to find their rhythm. At halftime, they were trailing the Keelhaulers by 10 points. Once again, their defensive effort swung the momentum of the game their way, as they went on a 10-0 run to open the second half. The crowd would find no relief in their school's lead, as both teams tied six times throughout the second half. It came down to the last possession, just as it did on Feb. 18 when PUC Pioneer Jayson Marquez, a junior from Harlem, N.Y., hit a three-pointer with less than a second remaining to beat CSUM by one in the regular season finale. With less than a second left in regulation, PUC Pioneer Rae Hubbard, a junior from Fairfield, Calif., drained a shot to secure the 71-70 win and the California Pacific Conference Championship title. “It was the greatest basketball game I’ve ever seen live. I’m so proud of the team, they played their hearts out and really deserved this win. It was great to...

The Pioneers men's basketball team punched their ticket to the California Pacific Conference championship game with their semifinal win over Benedictine-Mesa, 78-75, Sunday evening, February 26. The Pioneers will play Cal Maritime on Tuesday, February 28, in the finals in Vallejo, Calif. The Pioneers and Benedictine opened the game with a consistent exchange of points; however, the Pioneers went on a 17-5 run to pull ahead 33-15 with just over four minutes left in the opening half. Going into the locker room at halftime, the Pioneers had a comfortable 18-point lead over the Redhawks. With no major momentum changes until two minutes into the second half, the Redhakws went on a 7-0 run, cutting their deficit to 67-59. The Redhawks continued to chip away at the Pioneers lead and with less than two minute on the clock, found themselves down by only four points. Chad Young, a senior from Carson, Calif., sunk two free throws to give the Pioneers a slim 78-72 lead. Despite a PUC turnover, the Redhawk final shot attempts missed, securing a historic win for the Pioneers. The Pioneers were led by Cal Pac's Player of the Week Kwuan Guerrero, a senior from Los Angeles, Calif., who...

In a special meeting held January 4, 2017, the Pacific Union College Board of Trustees confirmed Brandon C. Parker as the college’s new vice president for financial administration. Parker, an alumnus of PUC, assumes his new role January 9. A former vice president and chief financial officer for St. Helena Hospital, Napa Valley, Parker is a certified public accountant with over 20 years of experience in finance and operations in healthcare, secondary education, and in the private sector. Earlier leadership appointments have included Mendocino regional vice president and chief financial officer at Adventist Health, vice president and chief financial officer at Ukiah Valley Medical Center, finance manager for Glendale Adventist Medical Center, and vice principal of operations and chief financial officer for Monterey Bay Academy. “I am delighted that Mr. Parker is willing to join PUC’s administrative team,” said PUC president Eric Anderson. “Both he and I have a sense of God’s leading in this appointment.” In his new role, Parker will be responsible for leadership and strategic direction of the division of finance and administration. This includes supervising the offices of Human Resources and Payroll, Employee Housing, Budgets, Risk Management, Student Financial Services, Accounting, Facilities Management, Information Technology Systems...

During a special session on December 13, 2016, the Pacific Union College Board of Trustees elected a new president, Eric Anderson, a senior faculty member, to serve until June 30, 2017. Anderson’s six-month appointment begins January 9, 2017. “I am grateful to Dr. Anderson for agreeing to take on this important leadership role,” says Board Chairman Bradford Newton. “He has the experience, vision, and commitment to lead PUC during the upcoming search committee process.” According to Newton, Anderson will be asked to help in the process of finding a long-term president for the 134-year old liberal arts college. With the administrative team, he will also be expected to reshape the college budget. Currently the Walter C. Utt Professor of History at PUC, previously Anderson was president of Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas, from 2005 to 2014, where he served one of the longer presidential tenures in the university’s history. Dr. Amy Rosenthal, academic dean at Southwestern, says, “It was a privilege to begin my administrative career under Dr. Anderson's leadership at Southwestern Adventist University, where he combined an expectation of academic excellence with a clear vision for the future of Adventist education.” Rosenthal also taught at PUC in the...

After seven and a half years serving as President of Pacific Union College, President Heather J. Knight, Ph.D., has shared her plans to complete her presidency at PUC effective January 8, 2017. “It is always difficult to decide the right time to complete one’s presidency, but after considerable thought and prayer, I have notified PUC Board Chairperson Dr. Bradford Newton that I will complete my presidency within the next month in order to allow PUC adequate time to prepare for new presidential leadership for the next academic year. It has been a special privilege and pleasure to serve Pacific Union College, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have worked with PUC’s wonderful learning community of faculty, staff, and students and to positively impact this venerable institution over the past several years. My family and I wish PUC only the very best going forward.” Knight became the College’s 21st president in September of 2009 when she was tasked with turning the institution around after several years of enrollment decreases and financial challenges. Under her leadership, Pacific Union College experienced significant growth and had its highest enrollment in 24 years of 1678 students in Fall 2013 and also its...