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Pacific Union College welcomed pastor Tim Gillespie for Winter Revival, an annual weeklong service, January 17-20. During this time, students were given the opportunity to rekindle and reaffirm their faith in Christ. A former PUC Pioneer, Gillespie is now the head pastor at the Crosswalk Church in Redlands, Calif. He spoke to students about Christ’s enduring love and constant drive to be a part of their lives. At each meeting, Pastor Gillespie took to the stage with authority. "God is breaking through,” he would state, establishing the theme of the week. “God is constantly striving to be a relevant part of your lives,” Gillespie reminded students. “Each day, we are given the opportunity for God to break through into the lives we lead. He not only saved you but He sanctified you and taught you what love is.” Throughout the week, Gillespie continued to break down the theme of “God Breaking Through.” On the second night, he shared a funny analogy about his son Jacob, causing waves of laughter to be heard throughout Dauphinee Chapel. "As a father," said Gillespie, "I want what is best for my child just as God our Father wants what is best for us, His...

In the opening Colloquy of the new quarter, Dr. Eric Anderson, the newly elected president of Pacific Union College, gave his first address to campus, on Thursday, January 11. The service began with a prayer from Chaplain Jonathan Henderson, who appealed, “We pray that Your spirit is still present, that we are engaged by Your spirit and moved by Your spirit. Father, direct us as we move forward. Fill this place. May we see, feel, and know that You are here.” With the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday, many segments of the service were dedicated to his memory. Dr. William Chunestudy, associate academic dean for distance and adult learning, lead the PUC octet and congregation in singing “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms,” the song sung at Dr. King’s first civil rights movement meeting. Dr. Sylvia Rasi Gregorutti, chair of the department of world languages and cultures, read Philippians 1:27-2:4, followed by a powerful rendition of “Ain’t Got Time to Die” by the octet, which elicited strong applause and cheers from the congregation. Dr. Nancy Lecourt, vice president for academic administration and academic dean, introduced Anderson, welcoming him as the twenty-second president in the college’s 135-year history. While she...

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...

On Friday, December 2, the office of service,justice, and missions at Pacific Union College held the college’s first everFacebook live event, featuring staff and students who have served or arecurrently serving as missionaries around the world. The broadcast has beenviewed several thousand times and generated many thoughtful responses,spreading awareness of the incredible service PUC students are engaged in.Hosted by Doug Wilson, director of studentactivities at PUC, the broadcast began with an interview with Fabio Maia, PUC’sservice and missions coordinator. Maia shared an update about service projectsplanned for 2016-2017 school year, including PUC’s Homeless Ministries andRebuilding Calistoga initiatives. PUC’s annual mission trips to Brazil and Fijiwere also highlighted. “We try to make sure all students have a chance toparticipate in missions,” he says. He also intentionally plans for missiontrips in places where PUC students are serving as long-term missionaries, tofurther assist the communities in those areas.The broadcast also featured PUC students KellySiegal, Brett Dickinson, Ryan Goldring, Alex Chang, George Tuyu, Leya Helmer,Ren Hellan, Andrew Mahinay, Christian and Shelina Villegas, Melissa Otto, and aspecial video conference call with Rei Antonio, who is currently serving inBangladesh.“I’m so proud of our student missionaries,task force workers, and all those who are choosing to participate in...

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...

Pacific Union College welcomed renowned pastor John Bradshaw to speak for the Colloquy Speaker Series on Thursday, November 17. Bradshaw is the current speaker and director for “It Is Written,” an international Seventh-day Adventist television program viewed by millions of people around the world. He has held over 100 evangelistic series spanning across six continents. Bradshaw’s message to PUC students, faculty, and staff centered on the importance of God being the focus in their lives. “Jesus, recognizing our best is not good enough, didn’t leave us to wallow in our inadequacy,” he said, a line encapsulating his entire sermon. Bradshaw pointed out that while we are far from being perfect, God is continuously working in and through each us. “Those were comforting words,” said Jonathan Oliveros, an aviation major. “The only power ever devised that has the capacity to take an unholy thing and make it a holy thing… is the Holy Spirit,” Bradshaw asserted. His affirmation of hope echoed throughout the PUC Church sanctuary. He explained it is by the Holy Spirit’s power and influence in our lives we can live a Christ-like life. “We as Christians must accept the Holy Spirit to influence and move in our lives...

On Sunday, October 30, 320 runners of all ages and abilities ran through the beautiful, lush backwoods property of Pacific Union College for the annual Angwin to Angwish trail run. The event featured a half marathon and 10k race, as well as a 4k family run, taking place on smooth to medium-rough trails and service roads with double and single track. The half marathon and 10k race included an intense climb over the infamous “Angwish Hill,” from which the race obtains its name. Over 100 volunteers helped make the race possible, most of which were PUC students. The funds raised from Angwin to Angwish support PUC’s community outreach and mission work that helps make a difference to countless others within Napa County and around the world. “Angwin to Angwish always shows the best of PUC—the great land there, the bright and engaged students, the committed staff. But this year we showed even more, presenting a great race in the middle of campus on an unusually rainy day. Runners came from all over the West to run and weren’t disappointed. Along the way, we raised money to support the education, missions, and public service that set the college apart and had...

Pacific Union College has been named to the annual President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. This is the second year the Corporation for National and Community Service has recognized the college’s commitment to helping improve local communities through service-learning and community service. Started in 2006, the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is managed by the Corporation for National & Community Service and given in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as the American Council on Education, Campus Compact, and the Interfaith Youth Core. The awards highlight the impact colleges and universities can have within their local community and student involvement in civic engagement. The President’s Honor Roll recognizes higher education institutions in four categories, and PUC placed in the general category. “Service-learning is one of the high-impact practices that help our students engage in meaningful, active learning; it has the added bonus of both helping our community members and encouraging our graduates to live lives of useful service,” said Nancy Lecourt, vice president for academic administration and academic dean. In 2015, approximately 522 PUC students participated in service-learning and community service activities, including mentoring students at...

The latest addition to the Nelson Memorial Library is a Latin Bible from sixteenth century Venice, Italy. The Bible has ties to PUC, having passed through the hands of two different alumni couples before being donated to the college. Printed in 1519, the Bible contains a plethora of surprises. Considering its age, it is in excellent condition. Slightly larger than pocket-sized, it has woodcuts throughout, depicting various biblical stories, as well as a few words and paragraphs in red. It contains the Apocryphal books, and the binding features functioning metal clasps. Marbled end pages and some noticeable cropping indicate the Bible was likely rebound sometime in the seventeenth or eighteenth century. Written in the margins of several pages are notes in Latin and Italian, though they are faded and difficult to read. The printer’s colophon on the last leaf was translated by Reverend Augustine De Noble, OSB, from the Mount Angel Abbey in St. Benedict, Ore. He has also translated many of the marginal notes made by previous owners. The colophon indicates the Bible was printed on October 15, 1519, in Venice at the commission and expense of Luce Antonius de Giunta, a Florentine gentleman. While plans are still being...