Pacific Union College
Encyclopedia
Pacific Union College is a private
, coeducational
liberal arts college
located in Angwin
, California
, United States
. It is the only four-year college in Napa County, California
.
Established in 1882 in Healdsburg, California
as Healdsburg College, Pacific Union College (PUC) is the twelfth oldest institution of higher education in the state of California. Adopting its current name in 1906, Pacific Union College moved to its present location in Angwin on Howell Mountain, overlooking California's Napa Valley in 1909. The main campus occupies 150 acres (0.61 km2) of the 1900 acres (7.7 km²) the college owns.
Pacific Union College has an almost exclusively undergraduate student body, with an enrollment of 1,567 students in the fall of 2011. It is the only liberal arts college affiliated with the Adventist Church. Students can choose courses from over 70 concentrations of study offered by 20 departments.
in neighboring Napa County, where the school had purchased the 1,636-acre Angwin Resort for $60,000. One reason for relocating to Angwin Resort was its beautiful rural setting, which continues to be a defining characteristic.
In 1933, Pacific Union College became the first higher educational institution affiliated with the Adventist Church to achieve regional accreditation
when it was awarded accreditation by the Northwest Association of Secondary and Higher Schools
. The year before, PUC had become the first school to receive denominational accreditation
. Pacific Union College also was the first Adventist school to form international affiliations; it affiliated with what is now Avondale College
in Australia
in 1954.
who took office in 2009, continuing a distinguished, lifelong career in education.
Pacific Union College operates on a quarter-based academic calendar.
Some departments at Pacific Union College require students to submit a senior thesis project to complete their degrees.
In 2006 the faculty, administration and Board of Trustees underscored PUC's commitment to undergraduate education by making a formal decision to remain a college and not change its name to university, as other small private colleges had done. This decision was based on the institution's commitment to quality liberal arts undergraduate teaching.PUC Institutional (Re-accreditation) Proposal May 2007, p.1. Retrieved 2011-09-08.
and Amherst
. It is the only college affiliated with the Adventist church to be ranked in that category.
(WASC), the regional accreditation body
recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for its region. In August 2011, following a six-year review process, WASC "awarded Pacific Union College uninterrupted [re-]accreditation through 2018." The college was first accredited by WASC in 1951.
In addition to institution-wide accreditation by WASC, many of PUC's programs and departments are accredited by their programmatic accreditation bodies. These include the Music Department and the Paulin Center for the Creative Arts which are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music
, the Department of Business Administration
and Economics which has been accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
since 2002, when it became the only Adventist college to receive such accreditation; the Education Department which is accredited by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
, the Nursing Department which is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the National League for Nursing and the State of California's Board of Nursing, and the Social Work Program, which has been accredited since 1982 by the Council on Social Work Education
.
Pacific Union College's main campus is on about 150 acre (0.607029 km²) of the college's 1900 acres (7.7 km²) property. The school has over 30 miles of hiking and biking trails on the remaining property. PUC's campus is located 70 miles (110 km) north of San Francisco, 60 miles (85 km) from the Pacific Ocean
, and 180 miles (290 km) southwest of the skiing resorts in Truckee
and Lake Tahoe
. The college is located in Angwin
, on Howell Mountain above the Napa Valley.
During the summer of 2011, PUC refurbished both the interior and exterior of the Nelson Memorial Library at a cost of over a million dollars. The previous winter, Pacific Union College renovated the Dining Commons, a major center of student life, in a "rustic yet contemporary aesthetic," Napa Valley style. The onsite restaurant at PUC serves exclusively vegetarian and vegan menu items in a socially responsible manner.
Pacific Union College also operates non-traditional learning programs on off-site locations including the Yuba Community College in Clearlake, California
, Travis Air Force Base
and in the City of Napa
.
is owned and operated by Pacific Union College. The Station is designed for educational purposes, its tide pools, estuaries and diverse fauna offering ideal learning opportunities.
's presidential visit to the Napa Valley in 2006. The airport also supports PUC's bachelor of science degree in aviation and offers ground schools and flight instruction to the community.
of Austria and installed in 1981. The church complex also has classrooms for theology classes and houses PUC's Office of Service, Justice, and Missions.
, John Maxon, Nathan Greene, Arminee Chahbazian, Earl Thollander, and hosts of others. The gallery is run by the visual arts department. The gallery is open regularly 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday during exhibitions. Gallery admission is free to the public.
). There are several student publications including the newspaper, Campus Chronicle, the Funnybook (book of faces), and a literary periodical, Quicksilver. As a residential college, the vast majority of students live in one of seven on-campus residence halls, or in on-campus apartments.
Cycling is a popular activity at Pacific Union College. The school maintains an extensive network of trails and hosts two annual bicycle races. The 2009 Tour of California
, an international road race wholly contained within California, raced through PUC.
's Salta
province through ADRA
.
and Joel Kindrick. The club's constitution states that it must be student run, with a faculty adviser overseeing activities, and that its mission is to give students opportunities in the performing arts field. Hundreds of students are now alumni of this club with many going on to professions in the entertainment field. Among the many DAS productions over the years have been: Twelfth Night, Hamlet
, The Crucible
, The Misanthrope
, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
, Fiddler on the Roof
and original works like This Adventist Life and Red Books: Our Search for Ellen White.
as the “Pioneers" in women’s volleyball, men’s soccer, men and women’s cross country, and men and women’s basketball. CPC is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
. PUC has been awarded the “California Pacific Conference Team Sportsmanship Award” five times since 2003, most recently for the 2010-11 school year. In fall 2011, the coaches for varsity women's volleyball and men's soccer described it as "rebuilding" time. This award signifies the school that displays outstanding sportsmanship and exemplifies the true spirit of the “Champions of Character” program set forth by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
and California State Assembly
; a Harlem Renaissance
poet, a professional smooth jazz
saxophonist, and others in the arts; multiple presidents of the World Seventh-day Adventist Church, judge
s, the founder of the Loma Linda University Medical Center
, Glendale Adventist Medical Center
and Glendale Adventist Hospital; presidents of many institutions of higher education
including the University of Houston
and La Sierra University
. Notable alumni also include numerous scientists, professors, television personalities and a surgeon in the Japanese Imperial Army. In addition, the first African-American to be ordained a minister in the Adventist Church attended PUC from 1883 to 1885.
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
, coeducational
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
liberal arts college
Liberal arts colleges in the United States
Liberal arts colleges in the United States are certain undergraduate institutions of higher education in the United States. The Encyclopædia Britannica Concise offers a definition of the liberal arts as a "college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general...
located in Angwin
Angwin, California
Angwin is a census-designated place in Napa County, United States. California. It is part of the northern San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 3,051 at the 2010 census. Its area code is 707. Its two zip codes are 94508 and 94576. It is in the Pacific time zone.The town was named in 1874 for...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the only four-year college in Napa County, California
Napa County, California
Napa County is a county located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is coterminous with the Napa, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population is 136,484. The county seat is Napa....
.
Established in 1882 in Healdsburg, California
Healdsburg, California
Healdsburg is a city located in Sonoma County, California, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a population of 11,254...
as Healdsburg College, Pacific Union College (PUC) is the twelfth oldest institution of higher education in the state of California. Adopting its current name in 1906, Pacific Union College moved to its present location in Angwin on Howell Mountain, overlooking California's Napa Valley in 1909. The main campus occupies 150 acres (0.61 km2) of the 1900 acres (7.7 km²) the college owns.
Pacific Union College has an almost exclusively undergraduate student body, with an enrollment of 1,567 students in the fall of 2011. It is the only liberal arts college affiliated with the Adventist Church. Students can choose courses from over 70 concentrations of study offered by 20 departments.
History
Pacific Union College was founded as Healdsburg Academy in 1882 in Healdsburg, California in northern Sonoma County. It was renamed Healdsburg College in 1899. Sidney Brownsberger was its first President. PUC was California's twelfth college and second founded by the Adventist Church. In 1906 the name was changed to Pacific Union College. In 1909 it moved to its current location in Angwin, on Howell MountainHowell Mountain, California
Howell Mountain is an unincorporated community in Napa County, California. It lies at an elevation of 1683 feet . Howell Mountain is located north-northeast of Saint Helena. For census purposes, it forms part of the Angwin census-designated place....
in neighboring Napa County, where the school had purchased the 1,636-acre Angwin Resort for $60,000. One reason for relocating to Angwin Resort was its beautiful rural setting, which continues to be a defining characteristic.
In 1933, Pacific Union College became the first higher educational institution affiliated with the Adventist Church to achieve regional accreditation
Regional accreditation
Regional accreditation is a term used in the United States to refer to educational accreditation conducted by any of several accreditation bodies established to serve six defined geographic areas of the country for accreditation of schools, colleges, and universities...
when it was awarded accreditation by the Northwest Association of Secondary and Higher Schools
Northwest Association of Secondary and Higher Schools
The Northwest Association of Secondary and Higher Schools was an accreditation association formed in 1917, since disbanded.In 1974, the association changed its name to the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges....
. The year before, PUC had become the first school to receive denominational accreditation
Adventist Accrediting Association
The Accrediting Association of Seventh-day Adventist Schools is an educational accreditation body operated by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists....
. Pacific Union College also was the first Adventist school to form international affiliations; it affiliated with what is now Avondale College
Avondale College
Avondale College of Higher Education is an Australian tertiary education provider affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Avondale College has two campuses, Lake Macquarie being the primary campus situated in Cooranbong, New South Wales...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1954.
Presidents
Pacific Union College has had a total of twenty-one presidents. The first eight of these served while the school was still in Healdsburg. Sidney Brownsberger, serving four years from 1882 to 1886, was the first president. In 1983, Malcolm Maxwell became the first alumnus to lead PUC, serving for a record 18 years. The current President is Heather KnightHeather Knight (educator)
Heather Joy Knight is an American educator, who currently serves as President of Pacific Union College. She is the first woman to serve in that role and the only African-American woman to lead a college affiliated with the Adventist Church in the North America. Born in Jamaica, her family moved to...
who took office in 2009, continuing a distinguished, lifelong career in education.
Academics
Pacific Union College is the only four-year college located in Napa County, California. Pacific Union College offers bachelor degrees, associate degrees and pre-professional programs. It has been recognized for its strong undergraduate program. Students number approximately 1,500, and the school maintains a student/teacher ratio of 13:1. PUC's most popular departments are Business, Nursing, Biology, and Psychology & Social Work. It has a very strong pre-med program, and is one of the largest sources of students for Loma Linda University School of Medicine. According to the Angwin Community Council, the college "has been the training ground for an inordinately large number of outstanding physicians, dentists, nurses, teachers and theologians...among its well over 50,000 alumni..."Pacific Union College operates on a quarter-based academic calendar.
Some departments at Pacific Union College require students to submit a senior thesis project to complete their degrees.
In 2006 the faculty, administration and Board of Trustees underscored PUC's commitment to undergraduate education by making a formal decision to remain a college and not change its name to university, as other small private colleges had done. This decision was based on the institution's commitment to quality liberal arts undergraduate teaching.PUC Institutional (Re-accreditation) Proposal May 2007, p.1. Retrieved 2011-09-08.
Departments
- Aviation
- Biology
- Business Administration & Economics
- Chemistry
- Communication
- Computer Science
- Education
- Emergency Services Program
- English
- Exercise Science, Health & Nutrition
- History
- Honors Program
- Mathematics
- Modern Language
- Music
- Nursing
- Physics
- Psychology & Social Work
- Religion
- Visual Arts
Rankings
The U.S. News and World Report ranked Pacific Union College as one of their "Top Tier Schools" in the Western Baccalaureate Colleges category for 17 consecutive years until 2010. In 2011, for the first time ever, Pacific Union College was ranked as a National Liberal Arts College alongside the likes of WilliamsWilliams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
and Amherst
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
. It is the only college affiliated with the Adventist church to be ranked in that category.
Accreditation
Pacific Union College is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and CollegesWestern Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
(WASC), the regional accreditation body
Regional accreditation
Regional accreditation is a term used in the United States to refer to educational accreditation conducted by any of several accreditation bodies established to serve six defined geographic areas of the country for accreditation of schools, colleges, and universities...
recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for its region. In August 2011, following a six-year review process, WASC "awarded Pacific Union College uninterrupted [re-]accreditation through 2018." The college was first accredited by WASC in 1951.
In addition to institution-wide accreditation by WASC, many of PUC's programs and departments are accredited by their programmatic accreditation bodies. These include the Music Department and the Paulin Center for the Creative Arts which are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music
National Association of Schools of Music
The National Association of Schools of Music is an association of post-secondary music schools in the United States and the principal U.S. accreditor for higher education in music...
, the Department of Business Administration
and Economics which has been accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
The International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education is an educational accreditation agency for college and university business programs...
since 2002, when it became the only Adventist college to receive such accreditation; the Education Department which is accredited by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
California Commission on Teacher Credentialing is an independent agency created in 1970 by the Ryan Act and is the oldest of the autonomous state standards boards in the nation. The mission of the CCTC is to facilitate the credentialing of California's teachers. The commission issues and renews...
, the Nursing Department which is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the National League for Nursing and the State of California's Board of Nursing, and the Social Work Program, which has been accredited since 1982 by the Council on Social Work Education
Council on Social Work Education
The Council on Social Work Education is the national association for social work education in the United States of America.The CSWE sets and maintains standards of courses and accreditation of bachelor's degree's and Master's degree programs in social work.The CSWE specifies foundation social work...
.
Campus and facilities
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, and 180 miles (290 km) southwest of the skiing resorts in Truckee
Truckee
Truckee may refer to:*The city of Truckee, California.*The "Truckee" test, part of the Operation Dominic series of nuclear tests.*Truckee lake*Truckee Meadows, a valley in northern Nevada*Truckee Range, a mountain range located in western Nevada...
and Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
. The college is located in Angwin
Angwin
Angwin is a Cornish language surname that means and may refer to*Angwin, California*Andy Angwin, Australian rules footballer*Laurence Angwin, Australian rules footballer and grandson of Andy*Richard Angwin, BBC weatherman...
, on Howell Mountain above the Napa Valley.
During the summer of 2011, PUC refurbished both the interior and exterior of the Nelson Memorial Library at a cost of over a million dollars. The previous winter, Pacific Union College renovated the Dining Commons, a major center of student life, in a "rustic yet contemporary aesthetic," Napa Valley style. The onsite restaurant at PUC serves exclusively vegetarian and vegan menu items in a socially responsible manner.
Pacific Union College also operates non-traditional learning programs on off-site locations including the Yuba Community College in Clearlake, California
Clearlake, California
Clearlake is a city located in Lake County, California. Clearlake is located north-northwest of Lower Lake, at an elevation of 1417 feet...
, Travis Air Force Base
Travis Air Force Base
Travis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force air base under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command , located three miles east of the central business district of Fairfield, in Solano County, California, United States. The base is named for Brigadier General Robert F...
and in the City of Napa
Napa, California
-History:The name Napa was probably derived from the name given to a southern Nappan village whose people shared the area with elk, deer, grizzlies and cougars for many centuries, according to Napa historian Kami Santiago. At the time of the first recorded exploration into Napa Valley in 1823, the...
.
Albion Field Station
The Albion Field Station, in Mendocino County on the Pacific coast and the Albion RiverAlbion River
The Albion River is an river in Mendocino County, California. The river drains about on the Mendocino Coast and empties into the Pacific Ocean near the town of Albion, California, where California State Route 1 crosses it on the Albion River Bridge. The river's overall direction is east to west,...
is owned and operated by Pacific Union College. The Station is designed for educational purposes, its tide pools, estuaries and diverse fauna offering ideal learning opportunities.
Angwin-Parrett Field
Pacific Union College owns and operates Angwin-Parrett Field, a public use airport located on its campus. The airport was the landing spot during George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's presidential visit to the Napa Valley in 2006. The airport also supports PUC's bachelor of science degree in aviation and offers ground schools and flight instruction to the community.
Pacific Union College Church
Pacific Union College Church is the campus church, built in 1968. It has 1,800 members in addition to PUC students. The church houses Pacific Union College's notable pipe organ built by Rieger OrgelbauRieger Orgelbau
Rieger Orgelbau is an Austrian firm of organ builders, known generally as Rieger. The firm was founded by Franz Rieger. From 1873 it was known as Rieger & Söhne, and from 1879 as Gebrüder Rieger, after his sons took over. At the end of World War II, the firm was nationalised by the Czech government...
of Austria and installed in 1981. The church complex also has classrooms for theology classes and houses PUC's Office of Service, Justice, and Missions.
Paulin Hall
Paulin Hall is the home of Pacific Union College's music department as well as the Paulin Center for the Creative Arts, which offers enrichment classes to the community taught by the music and art faculties. Paulin Hall regularly hosts approximately 10 concerts a year featuring student performers as well as guest performers from around the world.Rasmussen Art Gallery
The Rasmussen Art Gallery, located in the heart of the Pacific Union College campus mall, offers students and community a stimulating and enriching cultural dimension in the visual arts. The gallery’s exhibitions provide exposure to contemporary work as well as to historically significant art. The gallery hosts six shows each school year and features work from invited artists as well as from faculty and students. Previous exhibitions have included artists such as Vernon Nye, Pirkle JonesPirkle Jones
Pirkle Jones was a documentary photographer born in Shreveport, Louisiana. His first experience with photography was when he purchased a Kodak Brownie at the age of seventeen. In the 30's his photographs were featured in pictorialist salons and publications...
, John Maxon, Nathan Greene, Arminee Chahbazian, Earl Thollander, and hosts of others. The gallery is run by the visual arts department. The gallery is open regularly 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday during exhibitions. Gallery admission is free to the public.
Student life
There are more than 50 clubs, Honor's Associations and Student Ministries active on campus (e.g. Biology Club, Asian Student Association, Pre-Med Club, Korean Adventist Student Association, Dramatic Arts Society, Musical Arts Symposium, Homeless Ministry, Psi ChiPsi Chi
Psi Chi is the International Honor Society in Psychology, founded in 1929 for the purposes of encouraging, stimulating, and maintaining excellence in scholarship, and advancing the science of psychology. With over 1,050 chapters, Psi Chi is one of the largest honor societies in the United States...
). There are several student publications including the newspaper, Campus Chronicle, the Funnybook (book of faces), and a literary periodical, Quicksilver. As a residential college, the vast majority of students live in one of seven on-campus residence halls, or in on-campus apartments.
Cycling is a popular activity at Pacific Union College. The school maintains an extensive network of trails and hosts two annual bicycle races. The 2009 Tour of California
2009 Tour of California
The 2009 Amgen Tour of California was the 4th running of an annual cycling race contained within the state of California. The event was staged February 14–22 and began with a prologue in the state capital of Sacramento. The event was held as part of the schedule of both the UCI America Tour and USA...
, an international road race wholly contained within California, raced through PUC.
REVO PUC
In 2008, Pacific Union College students founded the first campus branch of REVO,REVO is an organization that helps individuals and groups raise funds and awareness for their cause. REVO is not an acronym; it is short for REVO-lution. REVO website Accessed 2011-09-10. an international philanthropy movement. It is Pacific Union College's student-run philanthropical organization and selects a cause each year to support with fundraising and awareness events. During its inaugural year (2008-2009 school year), REVO raised over $10,000 for a shelter and vocational center for trafficked and abused children in Lima, Peru, during the 2009-2010 school year it raised money for the Napa Valley Food Bank. In 2011, REVO announced that it had raised over $10,000 for its project for the school-year ending that year, a self-sustaining community kitchen in ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
's Salta
Salta
Salta is a city in northwestern Argentina and the capital city of the Salta Province. Along with its metropolitan area, it has a population of 464,678 inhabitants as of the , making it Argentina's eighth largest city.-Overview:...
province through ADRA
Adventist Development and Relief Agency
The Adventist Development and Relief Agency International is a humanitarian agency operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the purpose of providing individual and community development and disaster relief...
.
Dramatic Arts Society
The Dramatic Arts Society is a campus club that was formed in 1990 by students Kimberly HowardKimberly Howard
Kimberly Howard is the Trust Manager for the Oregon Cultural Trust. She has served in that position since April 2009. She completed her undergraduate education at Pacific Union College in Angwin, California and her master's of fine arts in acting at Columbia University in New York City....
and Joel Kindrick. The club's constitution states that it must be student run, with a faculty adviser overseeing activities, and that its mission is to give students opportunities in the performing arts field. Hundreds of students are now alumni of this club with many going on to professions in the entertainment field. Among the many DAS productions over the years have been: Twelfth Night, Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
, The Crucible
The Crucible
The Crucible is a 1952 play by the American playwright Arthur Miller. It is a dramatization of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Province of Massachusetts Bay during 1692 and 1693. Miller wrote the play as an allegory of McCarthyism, when the US government blacklisted accused communists...
, The Misanthrope
The Misanthrope
The Misanthrope is the first EP from metal band Darkest Hour. It was released in 1996 on the defunct label Death Truck Records. It is much more hardcore orientated metalcore unlike their later releases.- Track listing :# "Vise" - 5:30...
, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is an absurdist, existentialist tragicomedy by Tom Stoppard, first staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1966. The play expands upon the exploits of two minor characters from Shakespeare's Hamlet, the courtiers Rosencrantz and Guildenstern...
, Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem...
and original works like This Adventist Life and Red Books: Our Search for Ellen White.
I Cantori
Pacific Union College has a mixed-voice chamber ensemble called I Cantori ("The Singers") that focuses on religiously themed music and high quality performance. In addition to I Cantori, PUC also has a Gospel Choir and a large Chorale. All are housed in Paulin Hall.Pioneers Athletics
Pacific Union College competes in the California Pacific ConferenceCalifornia Pacific Conference
The California Pacific Conference is a college athletics conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics . The conference commissioner is Don Ott. Conference leadership is shared among the member institutions. The conference president is Themy Adachi of Mills College. The...
as the “Pioneers" in women’s volleyball, men’s soccer, men and women’s cross country, and men and women’s basketball. CPC is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
. PUC has been awarded the “California Pacific Conference Team Sportsmanship Award” five times since 2003, most recently for the 2010-11 school year. In fall 2011, the coaches for varsity women's volleyball and men's soccer described it as "rebuilding" time. This award signifies the school that displays outstanding sportsmanship and exemplifies the true spirit of the “Champions of Character” program set forth by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
Intramurals
PUC maintains an active intramural athletic program under the name RecRadio.org.http://recradio.orgAlumni
Pacific Union College has produced a large number of distinguished alumni for a school of its size. It has been noted for being the "training ground for an inordinately large number of outstanding physicians, dentists, nurses, teachers and theologians" who make up part of its over 50,000 alumni. PUC's notable alumni include members of the United States CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
and California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
; a Harlem Renaissance
Arna Bontemps
Arnaud "Arna" Wendell Bontemps was an American poet and a noted member of the Harlem Renaissance.- Life and career :...
poet, a professional smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
saxophonist, and others in the arts; multiple presidents of the World Seventh-day Adventist Church, judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
s, the founder of the Loma Linda University Medical Center
Loma Linda University Medical Center
Loma Linda University Medical Center is a teaching hospital on the campus of Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California, United States. The medical center serves as a level I trauma center for San Bernardino County and the rest of the Inland Empire. It is one of two closest trauma centers for...
, Glendale Adventist Medical Center
Glendale Adventist Medical Center
Glendale Adventist Medical Center is a non-profit organization located in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale, California. GAMC is one of the city's oldest businesses, founded in 1905, a year before Glendale was incorporated as a city...
and Glendale Adventist Hospital; presidents of many institutions of higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
including the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
and La Sierra University
La Sierra University
La Sierra University is a Seventh-day Adventist co-educational university accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the Adventist Accrediting Association...
. Notable alumni also include numerous scientists, professors, television personalities and a surgeon in the Japanese Imperial Army. In addition, the first African-American to be ordained a minister in the Adventist Church attended PUC from 1883 to 1885.