PACIFIC UNION COLLEGE WINTER 2012 The Learning Astronaut José Baptisms at Fall Commons 08 Hernández at PUC 04 Revival 14 PACIFIC UNION COLLEGE • WINTER 2012 president’s message STAFF Executive Editor Julie Z. Lee, ’98 [email protected] Assistant Editor Larry Pena, ’10 Seeking God’s Doors [email protected] Layout and Design Haley Wesley [email protected] Over the last several issues of ViewPoint, I have In the first stage of the library renovation, we Art Director Cliff Rusch, ’80 shared the careful planning we have undertaken were able to count on significant help from some [email protected] in the past few years as administration prepares very generous donors. The support of our alumni Photographers Kerry Chambers, ’10; for the college’s future. But a recent development community is so important to PUC’s development. Geoff Brummett, ’12; Haley Wesley on campus reminds me that sometimes our best Additionally, our growing enrollment is a big help Contributors Samantha Angeles, ’12; Lauren Armstrong, ’12; Robert Castillo, plans are nothing compared to the wisdom of God. as we determine what we are able to accomplish in ’97; Herb Ford, ’54; John McConnell, ’43; As the old saying goes, when God closes a door, He terms of our resources here on campus. Karen Roth, ’85 opens a window—and right now we are in a pro- PUC ADMINISTRATION cess of seeking out every door He may be opening Thankfully, God has given us another avenue of “The Lord knows for the benefit of PUC and our students. opportunity as we seek to develop a bright future President Heather J. Knight, Ph.D. for PUC. In his wisdom He guided our founders, Vice President for Academic Administration Nancy Lecourt, Ph.D. what is best for His The development I’m referring to is the update of way back in 1909, to provide us with an abun- Vice President for Financial Administration college, and we put the Nelson Memorial Library, which you can read dance of land—a truly substantial investment. I Dave Lawrence, MBA, Ed.D. about in this issue of ViewPoint. This project has prayerfully recognize that God will open or close Vice President for Asset Management our trust in His been in the works for many years. It began more this door according to His perfect plan. The Lord John Collins, ’70, Ed.D. than a decade ago as a campaign to build a new, knows what is best for His college, and we put our Vice President for Student Services providence!” bigger library at the cost of $18 million. But the ef- trust in His providence! Lisa Bissell Paulson, Ed.D. 08 The Learning Commons fort had a slow start and never really took off, and Interim Vice President for Alumni and Advancement The vision of a modern academic in the meantime, the funds we did receive waited. God has led us into a vast corridor filled with Carolyn Hamilton, ’81, B.S. Opportunity, it seemed, had shut its doors. doors—each of them leading to a new blessing, Vice President for Marketing and library at PUC each to be opened, or not, in His own time. With Enrollment Services Fifteen years later, the landscape of college librar- prayerful consideration, we here at PUC are eagerly Julie Z. Lee, ’98, B.A. ies looks dramatically different. The way students seeking out which door He will open for us next. CONTACT US learn has changed as dramatically as the rest of the I’d appreciate your continued prayers and gener- Post ViewPoint Editor world, and a library design in 1996 may not have ous support, as we look for His plan in each new Pacific Union College anticipated the way the internet has impacted and opportunity. One Angwin Avenue Features Departments changed a campus’s needs. So we took the gifts we Angwin, CA 94508-9797 had received for the original project and funneled 04 Don’t Ever, Ever, Ever 02 President’s Message E-mail [email protected] them into a high impact renovation to modernize Give Up 18 College News the library. Although that closed door had initially Phone (707) 965-6303 disappointed us, the result ended up being even Fax (707) 965-7101 Astronaut José Hernández 22 PUC in Pictures better than our original plan. Alumni Office shares his inspiring journey Heather J. Knight, Ph.D. (707) 965-7500 25 Alumni News Can we ever doubt God’s marvelous wisdom? President www.puc.edu/alumni/viewpoint 06 Finding God in the World 28 Leave a Legacy There are more opportunities around campus to Vision Statement: ViewPoint, the journal of Filmmaker Martin Doblmeier Pacific Union College, connects PUC's 29 Back in the Day use or enhance our resources, to maximize the alumni and friends in a community that presents PUC’s Longo Lecture benefit to our students. The library renovation was celebrates the college's activities and 30 The Interview only one part of the PUC Campus Master Plan. In stories, and supports the continuation of its mission into the future. ViewPoint 14 Revival Shakes up PUC 31 My ViewPoint the coming months, we will be determining the aims to provide quality features about feasibility and priority of several major projects: a topics relevant to our community; news Cortes challenges students to second phase of the library renovation; a solution about the college and alumni; and means to unite, motivate and inspire. live their faith On the Cover to the welcome challenge of quality housing for Students take our growing student population; enhanced teach- 16 Improving the World Produced quarterly by the Pacific Union advantage of the ing and technology resources for every classroom College Office of Public Relations for new lobby in PUC’s on campus; and catching up with many years the alumni and friends of the college. Award-winning author urges renovated Nelson worth of deferred maintenance. Surely God has a PUC to make an impact Memorial Library. door in mind as we consider these vital projects on ©2011, Pacific Union College Photo by Kerry behalf of His school. Printed in U.S.A. Chambers. Volume 35 no. 2 2 ViewPoint | Winter 2012 ViewPoint | Winter 2012 3 From the fields to the skies At Thursday morning Don’t Ever, Ever, Colloquy, Hernández described his early life as a Ever Give Up migrant worker in California’s Central Valley. Astronaut José Hernández shares his inspiring journey Larry Peña stronaut José Hernández encouraged watched the final Apollo lunar mis- students to persevere in their lifelong sion on TV. “I kept running outside to A pursuit of ambitious goals, at a pre- look up at the full moon, then back in sentation at Pacific Union College, Septem- to watch him walk across the surface,” ber 29, 2011. “Don’t ever, ever, ever give up on he said. “I couldn’t believe that in 1972 yourselves, because you can do it,” he said to an we had humans on the surface of the Continuing to seek out anything that would The mission lasted 14 days, during which overflow audience in the PUC Church. moon.” give him an edge on his NASA application, he the shuttle crew witnessed 214 sunrises and Hernández addressed PUC students, faculty, When he shared his newfound earned a master’s degree, learned Russian, be- sunsets as they orbited the planet once every and staff at the morning Opening Convoca- dream with his parents, they sat him came a certified pilot, and took SCUBA train- ninety minutes. Hernández described two tion, the ceremony that represents the formal down at the kitchen table and gave ing. Each year he applied, he got further and profound revelations he experienced during start of the school year. Beginning with a clip him what they called the ingredi- further in the selection process. Finally in 2001, the mission. Seeing just how thin the Earth’s from his TV interview on , Hernández ents to succeed: a clear goal; an un- Oprah the space agency gave him his most encourag- atmosphere appeared from space, he thought, recounted his inspirational journey from the derstanding of the steps to get from Big dreams PUC invited students from local elementary ing verdict yet: Come work for us so we can get a “That’s the only thing keeping us alive! It strawberry fields of California’s Central Valley where you are to where you want to schools to meet with Hernández, who encouraged them to closer look at you as a candidate. seemed so delicate, I became an instant tree- all the way to his 5.7 million mile voyage on be; hard work; education; and follow their dreams through education. “Smart perseverance” Hernández shared his cora- Hernández relocated his family to Houston, hugger.” board the International Space Station in 2009. zon—heart. “I remember thinking, strategic approach to achieving his dreams at a Texas, taking a job as a research engineer at Second, recalling the multicolored maps luncheon for local business leaders and select The astronaut, who has received a flood of ‘Wow! My parents actually think I NASA’s Johnson Space Center. He was finally one sees in elementary school, he realized that PUC students. media attention because of his inspiring story, can be an astronaut!” he says. “Really, they “It takes perseverance, but it’s got to be smart selected for Astronaut Candidate Training in from above, he couldn’t tell where one country also revealed that at the urging of President were giving me a license to dream.” perseverance,” he said, describing his career 2004, training as a jet pilot, performing rigor- began and the next ended.