Angwin local Stefaan Dick can almost always be found with his camera in hand. His personal photo blog is littered with striking images from PUC’s beautiful back 40, his year abroad in Spain, and any number of exotic locations he’s been lucky enough to travel to with family and friends. As a senior photography major, Stefaan has spent his last year as a PUC student diligently working on his thesis project, a photo book titled Recalibrate. The idea: to showcase the delicate balance between outdoor athletes and nature; portraying nature as the hero, for without her, none of what we love to do would be possible.
We asked Stefaan to share a few of his favorite images from Recalibrate.
Nephtali Marin trail running in the trails of Moore Creek State Park, just south of PUC.
Alex Nelson climbing before sunrise on Mount Saint Helena.
Matthew Foulston riding along the ridge of Mount Tamalpais.
Matthew Gearing on the Hoffnagle loop looking out over Napa Valley.
Alex Nelson kayaking down the American River above Lake Folsom.
Reuben Dick bouldering on the coast near Goat Rock.
Artist Statement:
“We are what we repeatedly do.” Many have heard this quote and know how the rest of the saying goes. It advocates achieving excellence through choosing constructive habits. I find myself, however, wondering about the first part of the quote: Why do we choose to repeat certain things?
Recalibrate is my answer to that question. Specifically, it seeks to discover the cause behind humans’ chronic desire to escape the daily grind by getting in touch with nature. I have asked outdoor enthusiasts what it is about being outside that urges them to repeat their actions. In an effort to express the freedom and holistic rejuvenation that athletes experience in the outdoors, I have taken on the challenge of photographing them doing what they love.
There’s a reason why people repeat John Muir’s words “the mountains are calling.” You could make this phrase about the rivers, oceans, forests, deserts, roads, or trails and the immediate relatability would still pull on the hearts of many. Being outside is a fix. Connecting with creation is a drug. Whether you’re feeling a hit of raw adrenaline or lost in a moment of stillness, the human emotions are addressed in a way that exceeds the power of any pill a doctor could prescribe.
This book is not about me. It’s not about an individual athlete. The following scenes and stories convey a deeper connection between people and their environment. It is about individuals losing themselves in a world divine, and athletes pushing the boundaries to find peace and direction.
You can learn more about Recalibrate and even purchase your very own copy by visiting stefaanconrad.com/recalibrate.
PUC’s department of theology strives to prepare each student with the knowledge and skills to live a lifetime of effective Christian ministry and service. By interacting with engaging professors in small classes, students will receive theological and practical information in their religion courses along with spiritual inspiration. Students deepen their understanding of scripture and are equipped for a lifetime of culturally relevant ministry that will impact the world for God.
Programs offered:
B.A. in Theology
B.A. in Religion, Biblical Studies Emphasis
B.A. in Religion, Health Professions Emphasis
B.A. in Religion, Mission Emphasis
A Student’s Perspective
Josue Hernandez, ’15, is in the middle of his third year of ministry as associate pastor at the Modesto Central Seventh-day Adventist Church. He graduated from PUC with a degree in theology and will begin MDiv classes in January. Josue spoke at Fall Revival this past October on the theme of “Beyond,” sharing spiritual insights and food for thought with the campus. We talked with Josue about his experience as a relatively new pastor, his time at PUC, and what it was like as a transfer student from UC Davis.
Theology students are eligible to receive the Adventist Mission Scholarship, a renewable $3,000 grant per year available to students majoring in theology, early childhood education, or actively pursuing a teaching credential for elementary or secondary education.
The college’s new Holistic Living religion course introduces freshmen to college life, makes the transition into college more manageable, and makes them aware of a variety of resources, support networks, and key college success tools. The inaugural courses were first taught in fall 2018, and included units on getting good sleep, making healthy food choices, making use of PUC’s Career & Counseling Center, and a guided walk through PUC’s Back 40, several hundred acres of walkable, bikeable, wooded trails behind the main part of campus.
The department of theology spends an annual weekend spiritual retreat to Albion on the coast, which many majors see as one of the highlights of their time at PUC.
Department graduates have been accepted into master’s programs at several prestigious universities, including Andrews University, Loma Linda University, and the Pacific School of Religion.
What You Can Do With This Major
With a religion or theology degree, you never know how or where God will lead you to serve others.
Chaplain
Church ministry/administration
Church pastor
General Conference official
Hospital chaplain
Lawyer
Military chaplain
Non-profit organizer
Physician
School counselor
Teacher
Learn more about the department of theology at puc.edu/academics. Our team of admissions counselors can answer any questions you have about PUC’s religion and theology programs, or the other majors the college offers. Call (800) 862-7080, option 2 or email admissions@puc.edu to get connected with a counselor now and start learning about all the options available to you!
The best way to discover if PUC is a good fit for you is to visit! We would love to have you on our beautiful campus, soaking up the sunshine and imagining yourself as part of the Pioneers family. Here are a few reasons why PUC should be on your list of colleges to visit sometime this summer.
Before school starts in the fall, why not get to know your way around PUC? Take advantage of the summer and schedule a tour, personalized just for you. Besides getting an idea of where all the buildings are located, you can also see highlights such as our newly renovated library, comfy student lounges, high-tech lab facilities, the Dining Commons, and more.
While you wait to visit, you can also check out PUC’s virtual tour to get ahead. Available 24/7, it’s a great way to take a look around PUC at your own pace. Make an evening of it with your family!
Experience Academic Excellence
One of the advantages of attending a smaller liberal arts college like PUC is students form real relationships with their professors. With an average class size of 19, professors will actually know you and work with you one-on-one on a daily basis. During your visit to our campus, you can meet with a professor in the department you will study in to learn the ins and outs of your program from an expert, and get a tour of the department where you could spend four years in.
Have Financial Aid Questions Answered
The Student Financial Services office at PUC is here to help your family explore all the financial options available to help make college affordable. Meet with your family’s PUC financial aid counselor during your visit to determine your financial aid package and learn what scholarships, grants, and loans you may be eligible for.
Get Things Done on Your Checklist
While you’re here for your visit, you can also get things done on your checklist, whether you still need to finish your application, or you’re an accepted student. Talk with your admissions counselor to see what you still need to take care of ahead of time to make the most out of your visit. If you’ve been accepted, you can even stop by the Finance office to pick up your PUC student ID card!
Explore the Napa Valley
You may think Napa is stuffy and only for the wealthy, but there’s so much more to Napa than you know. Take time after your PUC visit to stop by St. Helena to grab a sandwich from Giugni’s Deli, a PUC favorite for decades, or stroll through downtown Napa and enjoy the Art Walk. Ask your counselor for recommendations of places to see.
Now that the dust has settled on Maxwell Commons after another graduation, we’re taking a moment to look back at some of the special moments over the past few months that made this spring quarter unforgettable. We also wish all of our graduates a huge congratulations and God’s richest blessings—we can’t wait to see what you do next!
Remember—You can follow PUC on Instagram and browse through some of our hashtags for a closer look at student life at PUC. #PUCNow and #PUCAdventures are good places to start!
We hope you have a great summer break and we can’t wait to see all of you back on campus in September!
The world is listening. Find energy and passion in new opportunities and challenges as you develop your artistic, technological, and entrepreneurial skills to make profound contributions to the future of music.
The department of music at PUC gives students a place to better understand, appreciate, and perform music while preparing them to use their talents in the professional world. Take courses from knowledgeable faculty who have toured the world and performed in places like Carnegie Hall, and discover how you can start your career in music under their expert guidance.
Programs offered:
A.S. in Music
B.S. in Music
B.S. in Music: Composition Emphasis
B.S. in Music: K-12 Teacher Training Emphasis
B.S. in Music: Performance Emphasis
A Student’s Perspective
“Being involved in a music ensemble relaxes me. It allows me to step outside of the daily struggles and focus on something I love, and I love that a lot of it is worship music. It’s an escape, it’s worship, and both are really valuable.” — Kayley Wilson, music major
Fast Facts
Fully Accredited The department of music is a member of the National Association of Schools of Music, and a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, the national honor society in music, through its Theta Zeta chapter.
Ensemble Options Students can join ensembles on campus that include the symphonic wind ensemble, orchestra, and a touring choir.
Collaborative Environment Music students have partnered with film students to produce original scores, utilizing the department’s composition studio.
Prestigious Faculty Music faculty have impressive resumes, including working as assistant director and concertmaster of the New England Symphonic Ensemble and music director of the Napa Valley Symphony; and have toured Europe, the Middle East, South Africa, China, Southeast Asia, the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and performed in famous places like Carnegie Hall.
Scholarships Available The $1,000 renewable Campus Impact Scholarship is for students participating in PUC orchestra, wind ensemble, iCantori, or Octet.
What You Can Do With This Major
While many graduates with music degrees work in the creative industry, they are by no means limited to that arena. There are many career paths you might be interested in.
Church music director
Conductor
Copyright administrator
Finance
Healthcare
Music librarian
Music producer
Music therapist
Music video producer
Solo/Symphonic performance
Sound technician
Teaching
Learn more about the department of music at puc.edu/academics. Our team of admissions counselors can answer any questions you have about PUC’s music programs, or the other majors the college offers. Call (800) 862-7080, option 2 or email admissions@puc.edu to get connected with a counselor now and start learning about all the options available to you!
Nature Photography Day was this past weekend, June 15th! The North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) created this day in 2006 as a way to encourage people to learn and enjoy capturing the beauty of nature through their cameras. One of the best things about attending PUC is being surrounded by incredible natural beauty. From the coast to the mountains, there’s so much to see and photograph while you’re here. So let’s take a look at some of our favorite #PUCAdventures.
Happy summer! We know the summer months can fill up quickly with work, planned vacations, and other unexpected things, and it can be difficult to keep track of what your student needs to take care of to be ready at PUC this fall.
Below is a helpful checklist you can refer back to over the next few months for what you and your student can be working on to help make their transition to PUC as smooth as possible.
Ready to get started? Let’s do this!
Pay the $200 enrollment fee. This is required before your student registers for classes with an academic advisor. Pay the fee at puc.edu/reserve.
Register for classes. Once the enrollment fee has been paid, your student will be contacted by an academic advisor to start planning out their class schedule and then register for classes.
Submit the housing form. The sooner the enrollment fee is paid, the higher up on the housing list your student will be to receive their dorm assignment! Fill the form out at puc.edu/housingform.
Make financial aid arrangements. Confirm your student is all set for fall quarter with your family’s PUC financial counselor and submit additional paperwork if needed. Call (800) 862-7080, option 1, or email studentfinance@puc.edu to get connected with a counselor.
Submit the FAFSA. This isn’t required but is highly recommended, as FAFSA determines your student’s financial aid eligibility. Use PUC’s school code to have their information sent to us—it’s 001258.
Submit the required health forms. Make an appointment with your student’s primary health provider and fill out the Health Information Form. Immunization records will also need to be submitted. Have questions? Contact Health Services for more information by calling (707) 965-6339 or emailing healthservices@puc.edu.
BONUS: Get ready for move-in day! Help your student get ready to move into their dorm room and start buying the necessary supplies now. Read “Get the Answers to Your Residential Life Questions” on our blog for a packing list and other helpful items.
For more information about these steps, and to download the forms mentioned above, visit puc.edu/alreadyaccepted. You can also check in with your student’s admissions counselor to see what’s left for them to submit. Call (800) 862-7080, option 2, or email admissions@puc.edu to get connected with a counselor. You can also live chat with an admissions representative through our online chat service, available on our website during standard business hours (Pacific Standard Time).
We can’t wait to see your family at New Student Orientation on September 18!
During the long summer months before New Student Orientation in far-off September, there’s still plenty to do if you’re an accepted student. Of course, we also hope you have plenty of fun during your break from school too!
When you’re ready to get things done on your accepted student checklist, here are the most important things you can work on to be ready for PUC this fall:
Pay your enrollment fee & fill out a housing form. Start here! You will need to pay a $200 enrollment fee before registering for classes, as well as submit a housing form. You can do both at puc.edu/reserve.
Apply for PUC scholarships. If you haven’t already, check out what scholarships PUC offers. There’s still plenty of time to write those essays! See a full list of PUC scholarships at puc.edu/scholarships.
Make financial arrangements. Your financial counselor will help build a financial aid package that meets your family’s need and fits your budget. If you haven’t already, submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is used to help determine your aid eligibility. Get started at fafsa.gov.
Register for classes. You will work with an academic advisor to come up with your perfect (or relatively close to perfect!) class schedule. This advisor will be in the department you’re planning to study in, so they’ll know the ins and outs of your program. Feel free to ask lots of questions!
Submit your health forms. Turning in your health forms before you get to campus will only make your future life easier. Find the forms at puc.edu/healthservices.
Note: If you have 10 minutes, you can use PUC’s net price calculator to get a preliminary estimate of how much aid you may qualify for while you wait to talk with your financial counselor. Visit puc.edu/npc to use the calculator now.
If you have any questions while working on these items, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Admissions office by email at admissions@puc.edu or through our 800 number at (800) 862-7080, option 2. Our team of counselors is happy to help guide you through the process of getting ready for school in the fall!
Bethany greets everyone who enters her office with a warm smile and an enthusiastic handshake, immediately establishing herself as a confident, approachable professional. You may never guess she was only a freshman when she was elected to the position.
Many characteristics set Bethany apart from other students, not the least of which are her thoughtful eloquence, competent leadership, and gracious demeanor. One of the few non-seniors to serve as the editor-in-chief for the Campus Chronicle, Bethany filled her role with gusto and poise, framing a vision and skillfully guiding her team as they made that vision reality. Here, Bethany reflects with us on her year serving PUC as its lead student communicator.
What inspired you to pursue being the CC editor?
Since 2015, I’ve intentionally taken a yearly risk or challenge to learn a new skill, travel somewhere new, or understand a subject. So, selfishly, I had so many ideas and plans for what the CC could become it was impossible to resist the challenge.
What did you find most rewarding about your CC work?
It is incredibly rewarding to see writers hone their craft, learn to edit and critique their work, and publish articles with which the campus resonates. It’s a really special thing for the CC to be the platform from which to affirm students’ hard work and accomplishments. As a campus, we’re stronger when we support each other, I believe, and I love that the CC can be a part of that process.
You’ve talked about growing your team and your vision for building the CC; tell us about your own personal growth as editor.
I’m a very evidence-based person and I like to know something is certain. Being editor is very uncertain. Last-minute things happen, budget changes, writers drop out, deadlines are missed. Having faith that things are possible even through uncertainty makes it possible to achieve a desirable outcome.
I have also gained a sense of self-assurance in this job. Being pushed to do something foreign and difficult shows me what I’m capable of doing, and I see my team members experiencing this as well.
Who is someone who has had a major impact on your leadership?
Professor Lynne Thew, as the CC faculty advisor, is a stickler for details and holds herself and our editorial team to a very high standard. Through example and mentoring, she’s taught me that a leader sets vision but also steps into the nitty-gritty process of seeing that vision through. I’m deeply indebted to her, both as a friend and role model.
What are some things you’d list under “accomplishments” as editor?
Growth of editorial team: from 5-10 members to 20-25 members
Consistent schedule this year: 12 issues
Competitive in the David L. Apple Awards
Transitioned to traditional newspaper format
The majority of stories published are on-campus news
Recognized by faculty in Letters to the Editor
Increased social media recognition on campus
Increase in both alumni and on-campus donor support
In what ways would you say this position gave you confidence and strength as a person and a leader?
It’s not easy to take on opportunities that look too enormous to manage, but as a result, I have a greater dignity in and understanding of my capabilities, as well as a greater measure of self-respect. So, as a female leader, I’ve also felt more empowered to inhabit a space of leadership without feeling like an imposter.
This experience also taught me the power of a hard-working team. We have incredibly talented students from many departments working on the CC, and as a leader I recognize now that our strength lies in unity and common vision.
Why do you think it is important to allow student voices to be heard—even when those voices may be challenging the status quo and making some people uncomfortable?
Freedom of speech is an incredible privilege Western journalism has had a right to for some time. In the age of “fake news” and constant ideological propaganda, I think it is important for students to develop an ability to think critically, compose an evidence-based argument, and approach an issue from a valid angle. Proverbs says, “in a multitude of counselors lies wisdom.” I like to think that a variety of opinions, albeit sometimes uncomfortable ones, helps us collectively to arrive at a measure of truth.
What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?
Stay humble. Leadership is not a status symbol but a call to serve. You’re there to make your team shine and call out their potential to accomplish a worthy goal. Admit your mistakes, seek advice from trusted mentors, and don’t recklessly dismiss their wisdom for the sake of novel theory. Also, be kind and love your team. If you care about your team members beyond what they can do for the team, that’s the definition of love.
We’ve come a long way in the last couple of decades toward gender equality in the workplace, but there are still some challenges women in leadership positions face. Which challenges do you think are the most crucial to address?
It is crucial to address the imposter syndrome many women feel in positions of leadership—myself included. Especially if women come from a religio-social conservative background, they feel their position of leadership is not valid, is not recognized by their spiritual community, or is tangential to their expected social role. It will be a continuous challenge for women to boldly inhabit their space of leadership, and serve their team with poise.
PUC’s department of chemistry is known for students receiving high MFT (Major Field Test) and ACS (American Chemical Society) standardized exams and offering incredible research opportunities, year after year. Students are well prepared to go into a variety of fields, including those in medical, dental, pharmacy; as well as graduate and other M.D./Ph.D programs.
Programs offered:
B.A., B.S. in Chemistry
B.S. in Biochemistry
Special Recognition
In 2017, students voted and selected Dr. Kent Davis for the prestigious annual Educator of the Year award. Davis has taught at the college since 2002 and serves as a professor of chemistry, and is one of the college’s beloved professors, as is evident by this award.
The department provides courses suitable for pre-professional curricula including pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, pre-dental hygiene, pre-nursing, allied health, and more.
More than 30 students are employed in the department of chemistry each year as lab instructors, stockroom assistants, readers, computer specialists, and tutors, helping students gain valuable real-life skills they can apply to future careers.
Science Presentations And Research for Kids, or SPARK, is a program that connects PUC students with local elementary, middle, and high school students under the umbrella of science. The idea is to send small groups of PUC students into schools to give age-appropriate demonstrations and explanations of various aspects of science. SPARK is supported and sponsored by professor Aimee Wyrick, chair of the department of biology, and Dr. Kent Davis, chair of the department of chemistry, who help the students coordinate with local schools and oversee the demonstrations provided.
The chemistry department’s state-of-the-art microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometer (MPAES) can measure the amount of over 60 elements in many types of samples and is sensitive enough to detect one part in a billion. And unlike most schools, you can use this machine in labs yourself—no waiting around for a TA to do it.
What You Can Do With This Major
Chemistry is a popular choice among students looking to go into the medical field but it also offers career paths in research and many other areas.
Dentistry
Environmental chemist
Forensic chemist
Medicine
Patent lawyer
Pharmacist
Quality control chemist
Research chemist
Scientific information services
Teacher
Veterinarian
Learn more about the department of chemistry at puc.edu/academics. Our team of admissions counselors can answer any questions you have about PUC’s chemistry programs, or the other majors the college offers. Call (800) 862-7080, option 2 or email admissions@puc.edu to get connected with a counselor now and start learning about all the options available to you!
