The following classes are gathering on Saturday, November 21 at 11:30 a.m. for a reunion luncheon (click link for more information and to make reservations):
Class of '59 Class of '94
Class of '69 Class of '99
Class of '79
The following classes are gathering on Saturday, November 21 at Noon for a reunion luncheon (click link for more information and to make reservations):
Class of '49 Class of '84
Class of '64 Class of '89
Class of '74 Class of '04
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Come Celebrate PLNU's Math and Sciences!
On November 20, 2009, alumni and former faculty of Pasadena College/PLNU will join with current students and faculty to celebrate over five decades of rich history and remarkable achievements of math and the sciences at Point Loma Nazarene University. Please join us for this once-in-a-lifetime celebration, including an elegant dinner celebration.
Registration deadline for the Celebration Dinner is November 9. Make your reservations now!
Celebration Schedule
Homecoming Chapel
Brown Chapel
9:45 am - 10:30 am
Science/Math Alumni and Faculty Reception
Ellipse Chapel and Patio, First Church
10:30 am - Noon
Poster Session: Preliminary Viewing
Friendship Patio, First Church
10:30 am - Noon
Lunch (on your own) with friends
Noon - 2:30 pm
Poster Session Presentations*
Friendship Patio, First Church
2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Celebration Dinner
Family Life Center, First Church
4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Registration Information
Variety Show
Brown Chapel
Doors open at 7 pm
Show starts at 8 pm
* students/faculty will be present to explain their work
Visit www.pointloma.edu/ScienceCelebration for registration information and a list of former and current faculty attending.
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Fall Sports Update
Entering the weekend of October 16, the PLNU volleyball team holds No. 17 national ranking. However, just one week ago the Sea Lions (15-5) were sitting at No. 9 and were coming off a huge upset win over No. 2-ranked Concordia. Since then, the squad was handed a pair of unexpected losses and has the toughest part of their schedule looming. The team needs to get back on the winning track if they hope for a return trip to the NAIA National Championship Tournament.
The women’s soccer team (8-3-1) fell out of the rankings recently but should find themselves back in the top-25 after a 2-0 win over #3 California Baptist. The Sea Lions began conference play on a three-game losing skid but have since rolled off three consecutive wins and are back into contention for a playoff spot.
PLNU’s men’s soccer team is scuffling through a tough season. So far they are just 3-8 on the year and have won only two GSAC matches. They still have a chance to compete in postseason play, but need to reverse the streak of bad luck they have experienced.
The men’s and women’s cross country teams are doing well. The PLNU ladies are ranked No. 15 in the country, led by an outstanding freshmen recruiting class. The team has a solid chance of a nationals berth if they can run up to par at the conference meet. PLNU has only seven male runners but they are doing a fine job on Saturdays. Competing at nationals will be a tough go, but anything can happen.
Basketball will be starting soon. It looks like another banner year in the making for the women’s team. Coach Westphal’s squad is absolutely loaded, led by All-American and Conference Player of the Year Colleen Planeta. The team lost just one starter off of last year’s fifth-place national’s finisher and has only gotten better. If everything goes well, the Sea Lions could be competing for the conference and national championships.
The men’s basketball team is in rebuilding mode. There aren’t any starting upperclassmen on the young squad that is trying to build through freshmen, rather than through junior college transfers. PLNU’s coaching staff is optimistic that they will see dividends paid out as the year progresses and into future seasons.
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Congratulate Our DA & APL Award Honorees
The Alumni Association of PLNU presents Distinguished Achievement (DA) Awards annually to two alumni (one layperson and one minister) who have exhibited outstanding lifetime accomplishments in a profession, in an academic field, or in service to a nonprofit organization. These alums have exhibited a strong Christian testimony and have made an impact on the lives of others.
This year’s DA awardees:
Rev. Larry Pitcher (’65) Dr. Eugene Rice (’57)
On Homecoming Saturday, November 21, congratulate our Distinguished Achievement Award Recipients during The Main Event in the Crill Performance Hall, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm. During the event, enjoy music by Kasey (Croy) Johnson, Matt Johnson, Crystal (Richardson) Pridmore, and a student ensemble. This is a FREE event. Doors open at 3:30 pm.
The PLNU Alumni Association also presents awards to alumni who are in the midst of their careers and have displayed remarkable success in a profession, in an academic field, or in service to a nonprofit organization. The alumni honored with these Alumnus of Point Loma (APL) Awards have also significantly influenced the lives of others and exhibited a strong Christian testimony.
This year’s APL awardees:
Dr. David Alexander (’77) Dr. Janis Blair (’83)
Melva Morrison (’75) Dr. Bob Wiese (’82)
Please join us, during Homecoming Chapel, and hear from these Alumnus of Point Loma Honorees on Friday, November 20, 2009 at 9:45 am in Brown Chapel.
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Know Someone Applying to PLNU? - Find Out about Early Action!
Most of us have heard the saying “the early bird gets the worm”. Well, for students applying to PLNU, Early Action application has its advantages.
According to Eric Groves, Director of Undergraduate Admissions at PLNU, each year over 50% of the students who apply to PLNU for their undergraduate studies choose to apply via Early Action. With over 3000 total applications received by PLNU from prospective students last year alone, the number of Early Action applicants is significant.
Who can apply via Early Action?
The Office of Admissions requests that Early Action applicants hold PLNU in their top 3-5 college choices. Early Action is available only to high school senior applicants. Transfer students do not have an Early Action admissions option. For other requirements, see the Admissions Requirements webpage.
How can one apply via Early Action?
All the application items necessary for General Admission are required for Early Action. However, no additional items are required for Early Action. What distinguishes an application as Early Action versus General Admission is the date the application is received in full. This year’s Early Action Deadline is November 15th.
Why should an individual apply via Early Action?
Early Action has many advantages:
- Notification of admission is mailed before Christmas. (General Admission notifications are mailed mid-March.)
- If admitted via Early Action, the applicant can be considered for the academic scholarship process. To be considered for PLNU's Academic Merit Scholarships, the prospective student must be admitted by February 1st. For this reason, the acceptance criteria for the Early Action pool of applicants are weighted towards academics.
- Acceptance via Early Action is not binding. You have until May 1st to decide to enroll at PLNU.
- Counselors have more time to review application files in November than in the spring. Due, in part, to this increased review time, Early Action has historically offered applicants a better chance for admission than General Admission.
- If not admitted via Early Action, the selection committee has the option of holding the application over and adding it to the General Admission pool for consideration in the spring.
So if you know someone considering PLNU as one of their top 3-5 colleges, encourage them to submit their application in full by November 15th, 2009!
Visit our revamped online application system. Apply Online!
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Show Us Your Team Spirit! ~ Spirit Collaboration & Tip-Off Tailgate BBQ
While our men’s and women’s basketball teams take on Olivet Nazarene University on the courts, PLNU students and alumni will collaborate this year to out-cheer Olivet’s fans! Come unite as a PLNU family in a battle of energy, wit and spirit.
Originating as a dorm spirit competition, students rallied against each other to take hold of the PLNU Spirit Bell prize. For the last two years, students challenged the alums in the Homecoming Spirit Competition. This year, alums and students will come together at the men’s and women’s Homecoming basketball games dressed in a sea of matching spirit shirts, their faces brightly painted, and cheering their loudest. Spirit shirts are included in the basketball game tickets. Buy one ticket and get into both games – 2 games for the price of 1!
Women’s Game - 6 pm
Men’s Game - 8 pm
Come to the women’s game and get the best seats in the house!
Before the men’s basketball game, join other alumni and friends at the Tip-Off Tailgate BBQ! Enjoy pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, a salad bar, beverages and dessert – all for only $7.50. Enjoy your meal inside the Dining Hall or bring a blanket and eat picnic style outside on the lawn. Keep your parking spot, visit with friends, gear up for the game, paint your face, spray your hair green, and have a great dinner! Come and go at your convenience and celebrate with us between 5:00 and 6:15 pm. Buy tickets now to reserve your spot!
Visit the Tip-off Tailgate BBQ site to reserve a ticket!
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Special Homecoming 2009 Events
The following events are unique to this year’s Homecoming Celebration. Be sure to catch these exciting opportunities to celebrate and see alumni, friends, students, and professors.
Math & Science Celebration
Come celebrate the last 50 years of math & the sciences at PLNU! There will be special events on Friday, November 20, for all math & science alums. Festivities will include an elegant dinner celebration. For more details, see the e-newsletter article above. To make reservations for the dinner and for a list of former & current faculty planning to attend, visit
www.pointloma.edu/ScienceCelebration.
Back-to-Back Basketball Games
Cheer on our women’s and men’s basketball teams as they take on Olivet Nazarene University. This year, alumni and students will join in a Spirit Collaboration to out-cheer Olivet fans! Your ticket is good for admission to both games (two games for the price of one!), and you’ll receive a free PLNU spirit shirt.
Women’s Game – 6 p.m.
Men’s Game – 8 p.m.
Come early to get the best seats!
Concert & Reception Honoring Dr. Dan Nelson
During Homecoming Weekend, Music Alumni and the Music Department will honor Dr. Dan Nelson with a concert and reception. The Fall Musicale Concert will take place on Thursday, November 19, in the Crill Performance Hall at 7:30 pm. The MUSICALumni reception will be on Saturday, November 21, in the Cooper Parlor. Come celebrate this gifted member of our music faculty who has made a difference in the lives of so many.
Theater Presentation: “Waiting for Godot”
Don’t miss this year’s theater presentation, “Waiting for Godot”. Performances will be Saturday, November 21, in Salomon Theatre at 2 pm and 8 pm. Tickets are $10 each ($8 for students). Call the box office (619-849-2433).
Alumni Parent Reception
For the first time, alumni who are also parents of current PLNU students will have a chance to gather and mingle. Join us at Smee Hall on Friday, November 20, at 2 pm for the first Homecoming Alumni Parent Reception.
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PLNU Forms MBA Partnership with Scripps Health
Much recent national attention has been focused on the healthcare system. In the midst of this, Point Loma Nazarene University and Scripps Health are both committed to making positive impacts in the industry. From this mutual commitment, a partnership has emerged that José Muñoz, Director of PLNU’s MBA program, calls a “win-win situation” for both parties. PLNU has recently entered into a 3-year renewable partnership with Scripps Health to be the preferred MBA provider for Scripps employees and their employees’ dependents.
According to Muñoz, there are many positive reasons for partnering with Scripps. Scripps was ranked among Fortune Magazine’s Top 100 Employers to Work for in 2009. With over 10,000 people in San Diego County who are Scripps employees or dependents of a Scripps employee, this partnership also opens up a strong contact base for the university. In addition, Scripps maintains its own classroom facilities. With the growth of the MBA program and other graduate programs, classroom resources are becoming tighter at PLNU’s Mission Valley Regional Center. With Scripps’ willingness to hold some courses at their facilities, this will enable the MBA program to grow further without putting a large, additional strain on classroom resources.
Scripps also benefits from partnering with PLNU. As a part of the agreement, PLNU has committed to developing two new MBA elective courses by next fall that are specifically geared toward the healthcare industry. These electives will be available to all PLNU MBA students, not just those affiliated with Scripps. The development of these courses will be collaborative, as well, to ensure that the courses will benefit those in the healthcare industry and will meet PLNU’s high educational standards. During negotiations, “Scripps came and observed classes at PLNU,” says Muñoz. He also indicated that, once the new elective courses were developed, they would be sent to Scripps for review. Since PLNU is the preferred MBA provider for Scripps, the process to get the program approved and financed through Scripps is much simpler for their employees and dependents. In a recent interview with Muñoz, he spoke of how pleased Scripps was with PLNU, its flexibility, and its ability to collaborate with their needs.
It is important to note that this partnership does not imply that Scripps-affiliated students will gain preferential admission or will be segregated from non-Scripps students in any way. Those affiliated with Scripps must go through the same admissions process and are evaluated equally with non-Scripps students. In addition, Scripps and non-Scripps students take their coursework together. “There are not ‘Scripps classes’ and ‘non-Scripps classes’. Students are mixed together,” says Muñoz. Even the classes specifically geared toward the healthcare industry will be open for non-Scripps students to take as elective credit. These two courses will be required of Scripps-affiliated students, however.
Students from Scripps Health are already enrolled and taking advantage of this newly fledged partnership. A number of Scripps-affiliated students are enrolled this fall and spring, and Scripps is looking to increase its internal advertising efforts.
While this MBA partnership is a great, mutually beneficial endeavor, it is only the beginning, indicates Muñoz. “Scripps has been great to work with.” Muñoz is looking forward to developing the partnership further in the near future.
When asked if he saw this MBA partnership as a stepping stone to future partnerships with Scripps and others entities of similar stature, Muñoz answered with an emphatic, “Absolutely.” When asked what future partnerships might look like, Muñoz continued to echo a spirit of collaboration. “Each would be tailored to meet the partner’s demands and needs.” Muñoz continued to emphasize the mutual benefits of long-term partnerships with local entities. These partnerships create the opportunity to connect outside entities with the university and open doors for students. In addition, they give the outside partners an opportunity to have a quality academic partner, and possible new courses, such as those being developed for Scripps, add diversity in our graduate coursework and expand it.
With this MBA partnership established, Muñoz says the outlook for the future is a very bright one. “This is the wave of the future for small universities like PLNU. We’re going to be creating niches that will give us a unique advantage over large state schools. This is how we can compete effectively and grow.”
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Music, Dessert, and Mingling at Café 10
Did you graduate from PLNU between 1999 and 2009? If so, come connect and reunite with friends after the men’s Homecoming basketball game on Saturday, November 21 at Café 10. Enjoy a fun, casual and comfortable atmosphere with free coffee, dessert and great music. Admission is free! Come to the Rec Room at 10:00 pm or directly after the men’s basketball game (if we go into overtime!).
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An Alum's Ministry Goes Global through TBN
Mary Rice Hopkins (79) has a storied career as a family and children’s recording artist, speaker, and worship leader. Her curriculum, songbooks, and children’s books have touched many, and the powerful DVD she and colleague Darcie Maze developed, “Mary Rice Hopkins and Puppets with a Heart,” earned a Dove Foundation Five-Star Award and the Parents’ Choice Seal of Approval. Her gifts have garnered her an international following, and she has been able to touch the lives of many children and families with the Gospel.
Mary has always viewed her job as “planting seeds that will last a lifetime.” Recently, her field for planting has grown much larger.
When TBN, the world’s largest Christian television network, saw “Mary Rice Hopkins and Puppets with a Heart,” they invited Mary and Darcie to create a TV show. The pair created five initial 30-minute episodes from the content they had, and they are planning to use TBN’s studios to create more shows starting in January. The first five shows have been airing on TBN on Saturdays since the summer.
As in the DVD, the new television show uses music and puppetry to speak to children and families about issues that are important to them and to help share God’s Word with them.
The unique puppets each have a removable heart that Mary and Darcie use to share lessons with viewers. For example, Mary explained, the puppet might show her that he has Dum Dum lollipops in his heart because he is having trouble in school and feels sad about it. She will remove the Dum Dums and replace them with a pack of Smarties, sharing encouragement and reminding the puppet that God loves him and created his mind. Another example Mary shared was that a puppet might show her band-aids on her heart because her daddy lost his job. She helps teach the puppet about God’s provision and love.
The initial feedback to the show has been overwhelming.
“Your songs touch hearts young and old,” wrote one woman.
"Your program is so awesome in that it is fun and entertaining but SO much more by offering life-lessons which make a difference,” said another.
TBN has told Mary that ratings for the show are high, and because TBN broadcasts worldwide and online, Mary has been receiving emails from people all over the globe. Mary is encouraged by the fact that children, parents, and grandparents in countries like Russia and Indonesia are writing to her.
“We give kids tools and ways to cope. What we are really all about is giving hope,” Mary said.
You can learn more about Mary and her ministry at www.maryricehopkins.com.
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Fun for All at Homecoming Extravaganza
On Homecoming Saturday, the Campus Mall will be bustling with friends, families, food, and great music! Come join us at the Homecoming Extravaganza on Saturday, November 21, between 9:30 am and 3 pm. This year, visit booths from student clubs, alumni auxiliaries, and Women’s Auxiliary. Be sure not to miss the Rock-A-Thon. (You never know who will end up in a rocking chair to raise money!)
In addition to catching up with friends, eating delicious food and listening to great music, families can enjoy children’s festivities at the Family Fun Fair (part of the Homecoming Extravaganza on the Campus Mall). There will be pony rides, a bounce house, a tandem bungee, games, and crafts. The Family Fun Fair will be open during Homecoming Extravaganza, 10 am – 2 pm, at the south end of the Campus Mall on Saturday, November 21.
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Fall Music Events
Listed below are some of the music events occuring at PLNU this fall!
One Act Operas: “Gianni Schincchi” and “Dido & Aeneas”
Nov 6, 11, 13, & 14 @ 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 8 @ 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $10 ($8 for students, staff, faculty, seniors, and military)
Crill Performance Hall
PLNU Chamber Music Ensembles
Tues Nov 10 @ 7:30 p.m.
Free Admission
Crill Performance Hall
PLNU Concert Band & Jazz Band: Honoring Dan Nelson
Thurs Nov 19 @ 7:30 p.m.
Free Admission
Crill Performance Hall
Cider Celebration
Dec 3 & 4 @ 6 and 8 p.m.
Tickets: $8
Crill Performance Hall
The Messiah
Sun Dec 6 @ 3:00 p.m.
Brown Chapel
Free Admission
The PLNU Chamber Orchestra Winter Concert
Fri Dec 11 @ 7:30 p.m.
Free Admission
Crill Performance Hall
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*Links to past newsletters can be found in "Archives"