Alumni

Amanda Schaff, 2014 biology graduate, has been fascinated by science for as long as she can remember. She has also always known she wanted to be a veterinarian. So, when the time came to head to college, she chose PUC, and enrolled as a biology major.“I love cats and dogs, but I’ve always wanted something a little different than regular veterinary medicine,” she says. While a student at PUC, Schaff took a trip to South Africa, working with wildlife veterinarians treating African wildlife.“That was one of the coolest experiences of my life,” she says. “That trip was what cemented my future as a wildlife or zoo veterinarian.”Following graduation, Schaff was accepted into a fellowship at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) on Sanibel Island off the southwestern coast of Florida. It was a rare paid fellowship at one of the few wildlife hospitals in the U.S.“There are many wildlife rehabilitation clinics, but they don’t always have vets; usually they operate with certified wildlife rehab specialists,” Schaff explains. “At CROW, they have several veterinarians on staff.”During her six-month fellowship, Schaff assisted with surgeries, treatment of rehabilitating animals, neonatal care, feeding, medicating, and exams. It wasn’t as glamorous as it...

“Right after high school graduation, I was accepted into a young ambassador program with the Smithsonian museums. This opened the door for me to later attend a leadership event for young Puerto Ricans in New York City.”Samantha Rodriguez, sophomore engineering and math major, spent several days this summer at National Youth Leadership Encuentro, a student-driven leadership experience which offered young Puerto Ricans the opportunity to “explore the socioeconomic crises Puerto Ricans in the United States and Puerto Rico face, and gain the skills necessary to analyze, frame, and develop solutions that would impact Puerto Ricans throughout the nation.”Through discussions, activities, presentations of research, and meals together, the two dozen attendees got to know each other and dove more deeply into their shared heritage.Rodriguez was the only participant from the west coast.“There are so few Puerto Ricans and Dominicans on this side of the country that it wasn’t until my college years I saw a Dominican man outside of my family,” she explains. “This event was an opportunity to get a better idea of what my Puerto Rican self is like.”Going in, Rodriguez expected lectures and lots of sitting and listening. While the conference did involve presentations, she was happily surprised...

Desirae BachVisual ArtsWhat inspired you to go into teaching?I’ve always enjoyed training new employees at my previous jobs and I’ve also enjoyed teaching Sabbath School, so I’m really happy this position became available. I also have a heart for PUC and have always wanted to move back to this area. God opened the doors. I’ve also been attracted to teaching because I know how much my teachers have made a difference in my life and how much I looked up to them, and I want to be able to pay it forward to future students. I also think being a teacher will be more of a well-rounded/fulfilling career that has a higher purpose. What do you enjoy most about your area of study?I love how graphic design takes art into a practical level that can be used in any field and business. Graphic design jobs vary so much and can be in so many different fields and specializations. Name something you’ve done that you’re proud of.I’m thankful God has given me the opportunities he’s given me that have suited my skills and have been really fulfilling. I feel blessed to have worked at an ad agency where I’ve gotten to...

As a kid, Rick Harter watched Top Gun for the first time and decided then and there he wanted to fly.“Without hesitation, my dad told me I absolutely could become a pilot someday,” Harter recalls. “He told me if I worked hard, I could fly around in jets when I grew up and I thought that was so awesome!”Over the next several years, Harter attended all the air shows he could find, and never lost his love for aviation. He decided being a missionary pilot was the path he wanted to follow, so he headed to Pacific Union College to study.“I really enjoyed the challenge of flying into that little airport,” Harter says. “That field is a bit more challenging than other airports where some students learn to fly. PUC aviation grads have a bit of an edge when they get their license, because they have experience landing on a short airstrip surrounded by hills.”He also says he appreciated the mentorship of Nathan Tasker, flight director during Harter’s time as a student.“He was so positive all the time,” Harter recalls. “He taught me a lot about character, and about being a safe pilot. Lessons I will continue to use throughout...

Pacific Union College has once again found itself ranked in the top ten schools in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges list. Furthermore, the college’s name appears four times in the 2020 rankings, all within the top 15. PUC has been ranked for the following:#10 in Regional Colleges West#7 in Best Colleges for Veterans#4 in Best Value Schools#14 inTop Performers on Social Mobility"Our students are well prepared for success,” says Milbert Mariano, academic dean at PUC. “PUC’s high rankings in U.S. News & World Report affirm our quality and excellence as an institution.”Regional Colleges are split into four regions and are placed in this category based on the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education’s Basic Classification system, the accepted standard in U.S. education. A few of the factors and weights included in the methodology are graduation and retention rates, graduation rate performance, social mobility, faculty and financial resources, student excellence, and alumni giving. PUC is the only Adventist school in the top ten.Best Colleges for Veterans are selected based on meeting the following criteria: certified for the GI Bill, participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, for the third consecutive year enrolled a minimum of 20 veterans and active...

Pacific Union College has been ranked by Washington Monthly in the 2019 top ten for Best Colleges for adult learners in the 2-year degree category. Washington Monthly rates schools based on what they do for the country.Rolling in at #7, PUC is one of only two colleges in the state of California to rank in the top ten.“PUC’s high rankings in Washington Monthly affirm our quality and excellence as an institution,” says Milbert Mariano, academic dean for PUC. “I am proud of our campus family for all their achievements, and they deserve to be praised and appreciated for their efforts.”The criteria used by Washington Monthly for determining its Best Colleges are:- Ease of transfer/enrollment- Flexibility of programs - Services available for adult students- The percent of adult students (age 25+) at the college- Graduation rates of part-time students- Mean earnings of adult students ten years after entering college- Loan repayment rates of adult students five years after entering repayment- Tuition and fees for in-district students PUC has also been ranked in the top ten by U.S. News & World Report in their 2020 Best Colleges list; for details, read the article....

Education is most effective when taken from the traditional classroom setting into experiential learning situations. PUC offers many opportunities for study tours around the world, and this summer, Honors students took their learning to the literal streets as they toured London for a class called “London Streets.”The course took them throughout the city, personalizing literature they’d studied in previous courses and bringing history to life. Together, professor and students considered the ethics and obligations of seeing poverty both in Victorian times and now, interrogated the intersection between scientific regulation of health and governmental power, and traced the geographic and cultural impact of industrialization.For pictures of their trip, check out their photo blog; for a deeper dive into what they studied during their three weeks in the UK, take a look at their reflections blog....

For years, the trails of Pacific Union College’s forested lands have been known mostly by word of mouth; even locals are sometimes unaware of the college’s 35 miles of recreational trails through more than 850 acres of rich biodiversity and striking beauty.Now, thanks to a new trail license agreement between PUC and the Napa County Regional Parks and Open Spaces District, PUC’s forest is now open for those who wish to enjoy hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding through PUC’s coastal redwoods, Douglas firs, ponderosa pines, oaks, bay laurels, and Madrones. They may even see a rare Napa False Indigo or hear the calls of the threatened Northern Spotted Owl.This agreement means PUC’s forest will be incorporated into the district’s set of open spaces parks in Napa County.“Growing into the future, PUC is excited to partner with the Parks and Open Spaces District to the mutual benefit of our organizations,” says Peter Lecourt, forest manager for PUC, “and to the local community who cherish the PUC forest.”While this license will not change the essential character and unequalled ecological value of PUC’s forest, it does represent a major milestone in both the history and future of the PUC forest.Last year PUC...

Sandy Sargent, PUC’s director of Health Services, has spent her summer engaging with community members by starting conversations about health at farmer’s markets in Napa and St. Helena. Twice each week, she and her team tackle different seasonal concerns, some of which include stress, sun protection and water safety, allergic reactions, hydration, and diabetes awareness. They presented the issues through evidence-based visual aids from well-known sources like the Center for Disease Control (CDC), along with hands-on teaching tools: a pool with rubber ducks for the kids and using a mannequin to teach learners of all ages how to practice CPR.“The most important thing for me is to dialogue with people and educate them about basic health concerns that are surprisingly overlooked,” Sargent says. “We have something to offer—a way to be a part of the community, an opportunity that would not only bring exposure to PUC, but also give something back.”The work isn’t just about raising awareness on a variety of health issues; it’s about connecting with a wide array of people and ages.“It’s a chance to be visible,” says Sargent. “It’s rewarding, and it creates relationships at a community level.”She shares stories about teaching a little boy how to...

Pacific Union College announced today that they rank second on PayScale’s 2019-20 ranking of associate degree schools which provide the best return on investment after graduation.“The majority of the highest earning two-year programs are schools with strong reputations and a specific focus in nursing and healthcare professions,” PayScale stated in its release of this year’s rankings. This includes PUC, which trails the #1 school by a mere $200 in average mid-career annual pay.“Our A.S. graduates are receiving a well-deserved return on their investment with an excellent Adventist education at Pacific Union College,” says Milbert Mariano, academic dean at PUC. “We are proud of our them as well as our professors who are clearly preparing them for meaningful and rewarding service.”PayScale, Inc., is the world’s leading provider of on-demand compensation data and software. Their 2019 annual College Salary Report included alumni salary data of 3.5 million respondents, representing more than 4,000 colleges and universities across the U.S.“Higher education is a major financial decision, both in terms of the cost of attending the institution as well as the potential for future earnings,” notes Sudarshan Sampath, PayScale’s director of research, in the company’s release of the rankings. “Our College Salary Report can be...