Tag Archives: education

“PUC Is Home to Me”

Alumnus returns for music and education

by Becky St. Clair

Malek Sheen graduated from PUC in 2019 with degrees in English and Spanish. Though it was his intention to return and earn his master’s in education, the pandemic convinced him to wait a year. When he came back to PUC in the fall of 2021, he enrolled in both the education and music programs.

“I chose my areas of study based both on what I could give to others, and what would make me the best version of myself,” he says. “I wanted to be a well-rounded person, and I wanted marketable skills that I could use to give back to the world. PUC was the best choice for me in that regard.”

Sheen, who was not raised Adventist, was born in Los Angeles, and lived with his mom and grandpa. He attended public high school, and after his sophomore year his mom could see he needed a change. She told him he could choose to go to the Army and Navy Academy or he could attend Monterey Bay Academy. Sheen chose the latter, and as a result, was introduced to Pacific Union College.

“Knowing what I know now, I see that God’s hand was in that move,” Sheen says. 

Despite never having access to a piano growing up, Sheen’s grandfather was a pianist and had a small keyboard he let him use. Sheen was determined to learn the instrument, and has now been playing for eight years. Upon arrival at PUC, Sheen signed up for piano lessons, and though he eventually decided to work toward an associate’s degree in music, he wasn’t able to finish while working on his first two degrees. So, when he returned for his master’s, he was determined to also complete a music degree.

“Once I get my credentials I should be able to teach English, Spanish and music in public school, private school, or abroad,” Sheen says. “But there’s a lot of room still for God to show me my path, and I’m open to wherever he leads.”

Though he knows he could have gone elsewhere to get his master’s degree, Sheen says it was never a question that he would return to PUC.

“PUC has been home to me, and I’m tethered here,” he explains. “I grew up attending public school and it was so easy to get lost in the crowd there. But here, it’s possible to be someone. There are so many opportunities to grow as a person, not just academically, but spiritually, as well.”

Sheen says he’s learned a lot at PUC, but when asked to name one thing he’s learned that will really stick with him, he responds without hesitation: “God.” 

His college roommate was a friend from MBA, and Sheen says his roommate gave him space to question things, and opened the door for him to explore who God is. 

“He did it without trying,” Sheen adds. “He wasn’t trying to push Christianity on me; it was just who he was, and honestly, that made it an even stronger pull toward God. It just felt natural. I can thank PUC for giving me many opportunities to develop myself, but none, in my opinion, are as valuable as giving me the chance to learn to walk with God. That’s something I’ll take with me for the rest of my life.”

For more information about music at PUC, visit puc.edu/music.

Five Academic Departments at PUC You Should Know

There are over 70 different majors at PUC, which offers students plenty of options to choose from. Some of our more popular and unique departments include nursing & health sciences, biology, visual arts, aviation and education, which is a nice mix making PUC a true liberal arts college. Read on for a few fast facts about these departments!

Nursing & Health Sciences

The department of nursing and health sciences is home to the emergency services program, as well as our AS and BSN nursing degrees, which are some of the most popular at PUC.

  • We talked with PUC’s pre-nursing advisor to cover some frequently asked questions about the program. Curious if a BSN is necessary in today’s workforce? Give this blog post a read.
  • PUC offers a two year degree in health sciences for students planning on continuing on to Loma Linda University for programs such as pre-clinical laboratory science, pre-dental hygiene, pre-radiation science, and several others.

Biology

Interested in gaining some real world research experience? Look no further than the department of biology, where students conduct experiments for research projects and internships on an almost daily basis. Browse through these blog posts about student research opportunities at PUC.

  • PUC biology students have uniquely high acceptance rates to top-notch medical and dental schools like Loma Linda University.
  • There’s more than one way and one place to learn. The department teaches classes on the Mendocino Coast at the college’s Albion Retreat & Learning Center, and students have traveled as far away as Brazil for tropical biology courses.

Visual Arts

For a behind the scenes look at one of PUC’s most exciting departments, check out the department of visual arts’ Instagram.

  • PUC film students have completed internships at DreamWorks Animation, Sofia and Francis Ford Coppola’s American Zoetrope film studio, Pixar and HBO.
  • With San Francisco just an hour a 20 minutes away, visual arts students often visit museums in the city, including the SF Museum of Modern Art, the de Young Museum, & the Palace of Legion of Honor.

Aviation

The sky’s the limit in PUC’s department of aviation!

  • PUC is one of only two liberal arts colleges in California to offer a degree in aviation.
  • There are many different career paths aviation students can pursue, including aerial photography, airline pilot, air traffic controller, fire fighting, and more. Read one PUC graduate’s story of how an aviation degree took him to new heights in this blog post.

Education

PUC’s $3,000 renewable Adventist Mission Scholarship is available to students actively pursuing a teaching credential for elementary or secondary education.

  • The department of education assists graduates with job placement through events like the Education Days banquet and interviews, where prospective employers from the local conference and throughout the Pacific Union meet with students.
  • Learn how you can tailor an education degree to fit your future career aspirations by reading about this recent graduate’s experience in this blog post.

For more information about all of PUC’s degree programs and how they can help you reach your educational and professional goals, we invite you to talk with an enrollment counselor in the enrollment services office. Email enroll@puc.edu or call (800) 862-7080, option 2 today.