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Beaming graduates and their families, exclamations of 鈥淐ongratulations!鈥� and the faint scent of airborne corn tortillas filled Commencement Grove at Pacific Union College, as the class of 2014 prepared to graduate on Sunday, June 15. The class is the largest in eight years to graduate from PUC, Napa Valley's only four-year college.

鈥淚 accomplished it with the support of family, friends and especially God,鈥� said Shayla Huerta, who graduated with an associate鈥檚 degree in nursing. She is the first person in her family to graduate from college or enter the medical field, and plans to complete her bachelor鈥檚 degree in nursing next year. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very satisfying to set an example for my siblings and cousins to pursue a education our parents never had,鈥� Huerta adds.

All told, the 382 graduates received 394 associate, bachelor, and master鈥檚 degrees. The largest departmental groups were the department of nursing (129 graduates from the associate of science and bachelor of science in nursing programs), health sciences (41), business administration (37), and psychology and social work (34). The class also included 19 summa cum laude graduates, 20 magna cum laude graduates, and 64 cum laude graduates.

Graduation weekend began with a consecration service Friday evening in the PUC Sanctuary. In her address, Tammy McGuire, professor of communication and one of the class of 2014鈥檚 sponsors, challenged graduates to consider a single-word question: 鈥淪atisfied?鈥� The program also featured music, a presentation to parents, and a special blessing on the soon-to-be college graduates.

During the baccalaureate service Sabbath morning, Jerry Nelson, senior pastor of the Arroyo Grande Seventh-day Adventist Church, encouraged the graduates and congregation to consider their legacy. Nelson鈥檚 daughter, Danielle Nelson, graduated with her bachelor鈥檚 degree in psychology, cum laude, the following day.

Nursing graduates and their family and friends reconvened in the sanctuary later that afternoon for the nursing recognition service. The president and CEO of Napa Valley Hospice and Adult Day Services, Linda J. Gibson, spoke in a ceremony that included the awarding of ceremonial nursing pins to new graduates. In the cool of the Dining Commons that evening, PUC President Dr. Heather Knight, faculty members, parents, and graduates gathered for a light reception that also showcased senior projects.

Early on Sunday morning鈥擣ather鈥檚 Day鈥攆amily members and friends arrived to save the best seats for the weekend鈥檚 final event, commencement. The sounds of 鈥淧omp and Circumstance鈥� called graduates鈥攎any wearing colorful leis, honor cords, medallions, chains of artfully wrapped candy or all of the aforementioned鈥攄own the two center aisles to face the stage, as audience members proudly cheered.

Senior Class President Luke Thornburgh gave the valedictory following the presentation of the class gift, a high-quality permanent sound system for PUC鈥檚 Campus Center. Bradford Newton, executive secretary and ministerial director of the Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and chairperson of the PUC Board of Trustees, offered the commencement address: 鈥淭aking Your Own Best Advice.鈥�

鈥淲hat would you give back to the 鈥榶ou鈥� of today: your best advice from 2024?鈥� Newton asked. Imagining that graduates could send back a message via Twitter from the future, he suggested two tweets of advice that the class of 2014 might send in twenty years: 鈥淏e brave enough to speak the three hardest words in the English language: I don鈥檛 know鈥� and 鈥淒evelop your serve,鈥� noting that graduates should love others and serve them the same way that Jesus Christ did. The final message Newton wanted the class to hear was Christ鈥檚 message in Jeremiah 29:11: 鈥淚 know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.鈥� Newton encouraged the students to rely on Christ鈥檚 guidance and help today and throughout their journey.

Following Newton鈥檚 address, PUC President Heather J. Knight conferred degrees upon graduates. Mark Ishikawa, director of alumni relations and engagement, officially welcomed the newest members of PUC鈥檚 alumni community, the class of 2014, before Ricardo Graham, president of the Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, gave the benediction. Shortly after the ceremony, while graduates and their loved ones gathered together, PUC鈥檚 familiar noon siren sounded鈥攁 rising and falling farewell from the campus.