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Campus Chronicle

P a c i f i c U n i o n C o l l e g e

2 Campus Chronicle no.10

The sun is blazing, people are wearing shorts and soon the graduation bells will ring. For many students these last few weeks signify the end. The end of undergraduate education. The end of having to care what the word “Colloquy” means. But most importantly, the end of dorm living, and hopefully the beginning of looking for a residence that was not built in the 19th century. #ByeGrainger. So yes, some of us are leaving, but I will not talk about that for the sake of the seniors who are in denial of the impending “real world.” Also, enjoy your last weeks being force-fed the lovely combination of haystacks and indigestion. However, a lot of students still have a few years of college left and I want to remind you to milk the cow for all it’s worth. The cow is college, FYI.

Seriously, this is your time to focus and better yourself through hard work. One of my favorite books is “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell, which discusses how to become an expert at something. Gladwell postulates that it takes 10,000 hours of practice in order to become an expert. While there is some controversy regarding the exact amount of time that is needed, the debate is over time, not that to become an expert at something requires work and persistence.

Whether it is 10,000 hours or 100 days, work

is work and there is absolutely no substitute. This means stop just “getting by,” stop reading SparkNotes instead of the book, and embrace your full potential. Don’t take the time sitting and waiting to develop your best future.

This upcoming weekend our campus will be filled with some of PUC’s best alumni. Take this opportunity to mingle with you fellow Pioneers. Find people who are currently working in your desired industry and pick their brains for tips and advice on how to get there. PUC’s alumni network is here to help us, so do not be afraid to introduce yourself. Just remember, although alumni might lie about how long ago they were here, they were all in your shoes at one point.

Letter From The Editor By David O'Hair

Editor-in-ChiefDavid O’Hair

Assistant EditorNic Miller

Layout EditorTaylor Smith

Features EditorTaylor Pittenger

News EditorTara Hattendorf

Sports EditorTrent Broeckel

Opinion EditorCarlo Pean

Backpage EditorAmanda Navarrete

Copy EditorsEmily Mathe

Jessica WintersLaura HelmsPascale Pean

Faculty AdvisersLynne ThewMichelle Rai

Questions or comments? Email dcohair@puc.edu

“Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.”

— Booker T. Washington

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

— Thomas A. Edison

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PUC Says Goodbye to Professor Lary Taylor

In the minds of college students, retirement is an unrealistic period of life that primarily consists of relaxation and fun. While this stage of life seems like a distant dream for many, Professor Lary Taylor will be living it soon after the completion of this academic quarter. After 37 years of teaching Pioneers, the legendary Professor Lary “With One R” Taylor is preparing to enter retirement. Reflectively, Taylor’s career at Pacific Union College has undoubtedly fulfilled a high purpose that has been a blessing to many.

Though it began as a grand escape from hospital administration, the role of a college professor has grown into an occupation fitting of Lary Taylor. Taylor now appears at ease in a classroom setting due to his commitment to create an environment that students want to be involved in. Between the classic uses of seating charts to entertaining stories of profit loss, many attributes of Taylor’s teaching style stand superior in the minds of observers. This three-time winner of the “Educator of the Year” award has made an impression on all those who have either learned from him or by his example. John Nunes, professor and associate chair of the department of business administration stated: “I have mad respect for Professor Taylor. I call him the Albert Einstein of emotional intelligence. He makes connections with people look effortless.”

After almost four decades of teaching, Lary Taylor has refined his role of professor to become a signature experience for his students. From using an overhead projector to unexpectedly calling students out by name, Taylor has a way of making his classroom enjoyable. Krystal Park, former teaching assistant, says, “You can really tell he cares about his students. I really liked that he truly wanted to see his students succeed.” Success in teaching has found Taylor because of both his consistency in class preparation and the utilization of his

sanguine personality. In addition to his vast skill set, Taylor has committed to the philosophy that there is a spiritual element in all aspects of life. Even in Taylor’s business courses, students are encouraged to focus on the bigger spiritual picture in their worldview.

In his retirement, Lary Taylor plans to continue being an active member of the PUC community. In the fall of 2015, Taylor will be a contracted teacher for the department of business, and will remain involved with unofficial aspects of the college such as the business club events and alumni association. PUC has become a home for Taylor; it will not be uncommon for those in the Angwin area to still run into Taylor even after his retirement. For those who have had the privilege of forming a relationship with Lary Taylor, he is

viewed as a fixture of PUC that will be fondly remembered for years to come. Nonetheless, until his upcoming retirement, students can still expect to have fun in classes instructed by Professor Taylor.

By Melissa May

4 Campus Chronicle no.10

Class Heads to India to Fight Sex Trafficking By Pascale Pean

By Emily MatheEnglish Students Shine at National Conference

This summer, for the month of August, PUC students have the opportunity to go to Kolkata, India, to work with non-govern-mental organizations that combat sex traf-ficking in one of the largest red-light districts in India. Students will be able to work with non-governmental organizations like Freeset and Sari Bari, as well as participate in commu-nity outreach work.

Freeset is an organization that works with women in Kolkata who are in the sex-trade industry and gives them a chance at freedom. By making bags and shirts, these women have the opportunity to recreate their lives and support themselves. All of Freeset’s profits go back to the women in the form of salary, health insurance and even a retirement plan.

Sari Bari is another organization where women from the sex trade can recreate their lives. They are trained as artisans and create quilts, scarves and other handmade products from Indian sari material. By providing a safe work environment and multiple work bene-fits, women can support themselves and gain freedom from poverty and the sex industry. Sari Bari’s profits also go back to the women in the form of salaries and multiple benefits for the women and their families.

Over 10,000 women from Sonagacchi, the red-light district in Kolkata, are trafficked, often against their own will. The non-govern-mental organizations that PUC students will

be working with have about 350 women that they are helping get out of this situation.

Alisa Jacobo, a social work professor at PUC and the organizer of the trip, made a note that this trip is more of an action-ori-ented, reciprocal trip. Students will be able to work one-on-one with the women that work in the organizations. This is because one of the trip’s main focuses is to build relation-ships with the community.

Even though I have made the commitment to go on this trip with the class, I am still a little nervous. I know it will be such a dras-tic change from what I’m used to seeing and being around. Despite my worries, I am also looking forward to this trip. I know it will be a great opportunity for me to see different ways of life and to grow into a person that is more aware of human rights issues around the world. And even though I’ll be far away from my comfort zone, I know that it’s those situa-tions that make people grow the most.

This trip also goes along with a summer course at PUC called Topics in Social Justice and Global Social Work. Students will learn about global poverty, international develop-ment and service on a global scale. Another main focus of the class is to learn about global women’s issues.

The course is composed of preparation classes this quarter, the main trip in August and debriefing classes in the fall. While work-

ing abroad, students are expected to write journal entries that describe their experience in Kolkata.

By the end of the course, students will have had a direct experience to give them the knowledge of how gender and class affect dis-enfranchised individuals in a global context. This will also help students reflect on their personal values so they can become more crit-ically aware of human rights issues around the world.

For those who have questions about the trip, they can contact Professor Jacobo by emailing her at amjacobo@puc.edu.

While the rest of the Pacific Union College student body was in the haze of mid-finals, three students and one English department professor were driving to the airport to catch a New Mexico-bound flight. Arriving in Albuquerque, these students would attend the academic conference hosted by Sigma Tau Delta (the international English Honors Society) to hear presentations from an international group of fellow student writers. Additionally, these PUC students would present their own original work

that had been accepted to the conference.Junior student Laura Helms and seniors

Daniel Moore and Carlo Péan each submitted a piece of original writing to the conference. After a push to gather funds and raise peer support, the three flew to the Albuquerque convention center along with English professor Maria Rankin-Brown. “It was exciting to see student work being taken seriously and to see how professionally the students presented themselves,” said Rankin-Brown. “I was impressed with the way the

organization respects student scholarship.” Twenty years ago, Rankin-Brown herself was one of the founding officers of the society’s Alpha Delta Delta chapter at PUC. In recognition of this, the PUC group received a commemorative plaque at the awards ceremony, congratulating them on 20 years as a chapter of Sigma Tau Delta.

The theme of the conference was “Borderlands and Enchantments,” with submitters encouraged to seek inspiration for their critical and creative work from the concepts of liminality, magical

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By Pascale Pean

By Emily Mathe

realism and the blurring of literary and creative boundaries. The result was a collection of works spellbinding for not only the lifelong scholars in the audience, but for undergraduates as well. “The most interesting thing about the conference was hearing all the other students’ papers,” remarked Moore. “It was a nice surprise, knowing that we…are producing academic and creative works that are just as good as the top universities around the country.”

Helms presented an academic essay, while Moore and Péan both presented creative short stories. Rankin-Brown noted the high points of each presentation: “Carlo’s story had the most interesting point on his panel, Laura’s paper was very unique in its argument, and Daniel got the most (intentional) laughs for his short story. All in all, they did an amazing job.” The

students also appreciated the opportunity to connect with so many fellow literature and writing enthusiasts. “The most interesting part of the conference for me was getting to interact with other members of Sigma Tau Delta who had written about a similar topic as me during my presentation session,” said Helms. “We all got to collaborate to answer the questions presented to us by audience members. It was interesting to listen to their papers and to be able to discuss our different takes on similar texts and characters.”

Attending the conference was a memorable and informative experience for the small PUC cohort. “Given the level of support we got from donors (both on and off campus) who…felt it was a valuable experience for students to attend this conference, I certainly hope that it

becomes a regular occurrence for them,” said Rankin-Brown. “Having their work shared and discussed and enjoyed by other students and academics is an experience that contributes to personal and professional growth and is just rewarding, overall.” Not only were the PUC students able to share their work with a larger audience, but they also had a chance to attend sessions on academic and creative writing, exchange ideas with peers and begin to network with those with similar interests—essentially, to make serious strides toward turning passion and creativity into real-world connections and building scholarly reputations. “This was definitely an important experience for me as both an academic and a writer,” stated Helms.

By Maddy Miller

On a first meeting with Dr. Paul Stauffer, he insists that he is a “very uninteresting person.” Yet the man graduated from Har-vard with a Ph.D. in Victorian poetry, fo-cusing his dissertation on Robert Brown-ing’s The Ring in the Book. While that may strike fear and summon intimidation in the hearts of many, the man fascinates me. He heard T.S. Eliot lecture and attended sem-inars by Robert Frost. Even in that highly competitive, critically acclaimed program, Stauffer cried the cry of every student: “I don’t understand it well … I don’t think I’m good at understanding it. But I can pretend.” In literary clubs, Stauffer said with amuse-ment, it was common to hear of Browning that “only God and Robert Browning knew what it meant.”

But clearly, the man is a genius. In the 1940s, when Stauffer began as an instruc-tor at PUC, Adventist teachers were “a dis-couraged and discouraging-looking bunch.” As the Northern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists made changes to their salary and curriculum requirements for all teachers and professors, Stauffer

said they began to look a little more “up.” He transformed PUC’s English and gener-al education curriculum to provide a more well-rounded, diverse and “open” education for future students. This provided a plat-form to allow for a larger English program, and expanded classes so that English ma-jors weren’t lumped with general education students in every class. Stauffer says that English and history are important because they provide a background and foundation for “doing well in unexpected situations,” because “humanities have spiritual and in-trinsic value.”

Stauffer said that his greatest aim as an instructor was to “try to wake up sluggish minds,” and to “develop clarity and beauty of expression, both oral and written… by exposure to material, especially its beauty and relationship to ideas.” According to his personal narrative, as a high school student he loathed poetry—Milton’s Il Pensaroso in particular. But, Stauffer expressed grateful-ly, he had a convincing 12th grade teacher who sold him on Browning. This teacher showed him that being a good teacher was

all about “[conveying] the love: read well to students out loud.”

Stauffer claims to have been “rather ad-dicted to doing that.” He “was not a lectur-er,” but preferred to read or recite poetry, and base class time on a series of questions to create a discussion. The reason for this: “One’s taste and judgment is formed in ear-ly maturity… One must move ahead in it then, or they will not move on in it at all.” Stauffer’s view is that, in order to do that, “by the time one finishes college, [a stu-dent] should have some kind of experience that teaches him to lead to more kinds of experience and more intense experience.” Though a student may have come into his class dreading the thought of another line of verse, Stauffer made it his mission to bring his passion and deep interest in Victorian poetry to life. Individuals like Dr. Nancy Le-court and Dr. Robert Dunn found this “very uninteresting person” compelling enough that they followed in footsteps, becoming English professors themselves.

A Very Uninteresting Person, on Becoming More Interesting

6 Campus Chronicle no.10

Elizabeth Porco, a nursing major, partic-ipates in a sport where “[her] actions are [her] results.” She explains: “The sport itself is 90 percent mental and 10 percent phys-ical. Shooting makes you calm down and think about everything you’re doing, in that you’re telling yourself ‘okay, relax. Take your breath now. Relax your heart rate.’ It’s taught me that if you have a bad shot, you let it go and move on.”

Porco began an outside-of-school sport during her fifth grade year. She and her younger brother joined a junior rifle club, and since then she has been part of a shoot-ing team. The beginnings of this sport for Porco started with a rattlesnake that had gotten onto her property. A neighbor came over and killed it with a shovel. Soon after the incident, the family decided to purchase a gun for safety and to have peace of mind. After the purchase, Porco’s parents wanted to teach their children the safety of guns. “They are not toys,” Porco explained. “They are not to be messed around with.”

Porco’s father is part of the Lincoln Ri-fle Club, and he encouraged his children to join the junior division of the club in order to educate them about guns. Safety is key when handling a gun, and Porco said when she joined her club that safety “is the first thing they [teach] when you sign up.” She explains: “They put you through about a half an hour course on how to handle a gun properly at the range so no one gets hurt, and just the general common sense of ‘you don’t play with guns.’” She said, “They want everyone to realize that we are not goofing off with guns. There’s a level of respect to be had with them.” General information that Porco learned, and something that everyone else should know is: “Always assume a gun is loaded, and you never ever point a gun at someone.” Porco does not have access to her gun outside of the shooting range or a com-petition; it is kept locked up in a secure safe.

In Porco’s hometown, she enjoys her sport

in a cinderblock building. During her early years, she would primarily shoot a target that was 50 feet away and 10 meters away when she became more advanced. There are nine slots in the range for potentially nine people to shoot at a given time. The first thing Porco would do was put on her eye and ear protection. Then, she would post her target down range. After that, everyone was required to stand behind the firing line, and the coaches would make sure the area was safe. At that point, Porco would bring her gun to the line, and receive 25 rounds of ammo. Generally a shooter would have 20-25 minutes to shoot. Paper targets are about the size of a half-dollar, and the goal is to shoot the center, which is about the size of a pinhole. Coaches would spend one-on-one time with shooters to help them with their accuracy. Once the rounds are fin-ished, a coach would clear a shooter’s gun to make sure it is unloaded. After all shooters are finished, Porco and the other shooters would have their targets scored.

She continued her sport as she got old-er, and Porco has received little criticism during her time with this sport. However, she understands that some people are un-comfortable with it. She explained: “I know a lot of people are very concerned about my family—that if we shoot guns we are auto-matically the next school shooters, or that I could be. Just because someone shoots a paper target doesn’t mean at all that I’m going to shoot a person.” She never tries to push her ideas on oth-er people because she knows it can be sensitive for others.

In fact, the opposite is true for Porco. She uses her sport as an oppor-tunity to spread God’s word. Some competi-

tions that are two-day competitions and are held on Saturday, and Porco’s family decided together to not shoot on Saturday. Because of this, Porco has petitioned to let her shoot twice in one day rather than once a day during the competition. Porco explains that shooting on the same day “is not an advan-tage at all. You could be shooting for up to two hours, and it’s very draining with only a half an hour break, and then I do it again.” Some people comment on her extensive shooting and have asked, “Why are you do-ing this? This is no advantage to you.” Porco replies, “I choose not to, and I get to share with them why. I’ve had a lot of people tell me that’s a really awesome thing, and they start asking me more questions about what I believe. So it’s been my way to witness.”

As time progressed, and as Porco got better, she was invited to join an advanced team, and ended up going to two junior Olympics and five national competitions. Shooting is a summer Olympic sport, and Porco keeps in mind that possibility. She said, “I’ve promised God that I’d leave it up to him how far I would go with my shoot-ing, but I could make the Olympics. There is always that end goal.” Porco now teach-es younger shooters about gun safety, and continues her sport throughout her breaks at home.

Elizabeth Porco: The Gun Girl By Taylor Pittenger

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PUC's Least Famous, Most Famous Alumni By Carlo PeanDuring the 1920s, many schools in the United

States, including many Adventist schools, were segregated. That meant that if any Black student wanted to attend an integrated Adventist college, they would have to come to Pacific Union College, what was then the only integrated Adventist school of higher learning. One such student, Arna Bontemps, attended PUC in 1923. He would go on to become a significant poet and writer of the Harlem Renaissance: a movement which signaled a boom in Black American art, music and literature.

According to the Academy of American poets, “Bontemps grew up in California, and was sent to the San Fernando Academy boarding school with his father’s instruction to not ‘go up there acting colored.’ This Bontemps later

noted as a formative moment, and he would resent what he saw as an effort to make him forget his heritage. He graduated from Pacific Union College in Angwin in 1923.” Bontemps majored in English and, once he graduated, went on to teach at Oakwood Junior College, now Oakwood University. However, he was asked to leave when some of his writing was seen as “racially subversive propaganda,” and Bontemps was allegedly ordered to burn his books.

Bontemps is famous for his poems and prose such as “Black Thunder,” a historical novel describing a slave revolt; “God Sends Sunday,” a story about a black jockey that has also been converted to a musical; “Drums at Dusk,” a recounting of the Haitian Rebellion; and “Story of the Negro” which was named a

Newbery Honor Book by the American Library Association in 1949.

In order to honor this PUC English graduate, Stauffer Hall has decided to name its recently renovated student lounge after Bontemps. It of course features plenty of books available to students upon request, cups of hot tea, a brand new flat screen TV and a copy of “Arna Bontemps-Langston Hughes Letters,” a collection of letters between the PUC alumnus and the most famous writer of the Harlem Renaissance, or perhaps the most famous Black American writer of all time.

Arna Bontemps stands for the success of Adventist education, the great legacy of alumni of Pacific Union College and a cultural icon of Black American art.

navigate by kicking the stones that bordered the trail. Sick and exhausted, I had no choice but to keep climbing the last few miles. I finally got to the top and hitchhiked back to my car. Now whenever things get tough I just repeat my mantra “Haleakala Haleakala” and keep on going.

Getting to Know the Educator of the Year: Lloyd Best

What drove you to become a teacher?

As an academy student, I helped several of my classmates with their homework. When I lived in Grainger Hall at PUC I enjoyed helping classmates, but so many people were coming to my dorm room asking for help that I eventual-ly started climbing out our first-floor window so my roommate could say that I wasn’t there. Helping people learn was so rewarding that I decided teaching would be a great career. And it has!

What advice do you have for students to find their proper career path or their “calling”?

Pray for guidance from God, and then move forward. I believe that God is delighted to have created you with the ability to choose and enjoy and be creative. Choose whatever feels personally fulfilling and can be a blessing to others. You can learn to adjust to most any salary level if you love what you do.

By David O'HairWhat is the most impactful thing someone has ever said to you and why?

My first two years of teaching were very diffi-cult and often discouraging. One day my col-league Wayne Judd brought me a handmade sign that said “Bloom Where You’re Planted.” Since that time I have remembered to just do the best I can, wherever I am.

What do you tend to focus on in order to push through the hard times in life?

A few years ago on the island of Maui I hiked into the Haleakala Crater one afternoon, plan-ning to walk for just an hour or so. However, I foolishly decided to hike all the way across the crater and up and out to the top. I had lit-tle water and no food, but thought I remem-bered this hike should only take two hours. I was wrong. I got altitude sickness (elevation around 10,000 feet) and couldn’t even hold down meager sips of water. It got dark after a few hours (I had no flashlight) and I had to

8 Campus Chronicle no.10

As the last quarter of my senior year is underway and I'm itching to graduate, the realization that it is all coming to an end soon has not quite hit me. That being said, I know there are many aspects of PUC that I will miss, and it's hard not to get a little nostalgic as this chapter in my life comes to an end. Here are four things about PUC that I will miss:

1. The Friendships

Sometimes being stuck on a mountain has its perks and, for me, it created friendships that I never expected and can never forget. The bonds we form at this place will last long after we put away our caps and gowns, but I'll still miss the ease of being a few doors or a floor away from friends. Impromptu movie nights aren't quite so simple when you live hours away from your favorite people.

2. The Location

From the beautiful changing leaves in fall to the mustard fields that signify spring is coming, it's hard not to fall in love with the scenery. I've seen some of the most gorgeous sunrises and sunsets that have left me in awe. Though I miss the sunny beaches of southern California, the beauty of this area makes it easy to call PUC my second home.

3. The Food

No, I'm not talking about the caf. I'm talking about the array of restaurants and bakeries that are all over the Napa Valley. From the fresh sandwiches at Guigni's to the giant macarons at Bouchon Bakery, there is always some new treat to try that is sure to impress. If you weren't a foodie before coming to PUC, it's impossible to not become one while you’re here. To be honest though, my bank account probably won't miss it.

4. The Hiking Trails

The location provides a multitude of hiking trails that are perfect for Sabbath afternoons or a quick break from the week. From Linda Falls to Inspiration Point, there are plenty of sites to explore in our great backyard, which I have loved taking advantage of over the years and will be sure to miss.

Things I Will Miss About PUCBy Amanda Navarrete

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