PLNU Athletic Director Honored with Award
Dr. Carroll B. Land, the Athletic Director of Point Loma Nazarene University was selected by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to be the recipient of the 2009 Jerry Kendall Character in Coaches Award. The Award was presented at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Breakfast on January 4, 2009, during the American Baseball Coaches Association convention held in San Diego. During the convention, Dr. Land had the pleasure of introducing to the delegates, Dr. Michael Josephson of the Josephson Institute of Ethics, the founder of the national youth initiative on Character Counts.
The Award received by Dr. Land (a PLNU Alum from the Class of 1961), was named after Coach Jerry Kendall, and is presented annually to the baseball coach who bests exemplifies the Christian principles of character, integrity, excellence, teamwork and service both on and off the baseball field.
PLNU Alumni Win at Sundance
Congratulations to our PLNU Alumni who were awarded the U.S. Jury Prize at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival! We are very proud of the diligent and creative work of Destin Daniel Cretton (01), Bekah Macias (06), Brad Kester (07), Jared Callahan (05), Whitney Ball (05) and Lowell Frank (01) in this fantastic accomplishment.
On January 20, 2009, PLNU alumnus Destin Daniel Cretton (01) won the U.S. Jury Prize for his short film Short Term 12. There were 96 films in the category accepted to the festival out of 5,632 submissions.
Destin’s film springs from his experience in working at a residential facility for at-risk teenagers. “Short Term 12” was a segment of the facility housing kids who were expected to live there temporarily. The film addresses difficult questions and fears concerning our current systems for at-risk teens.
“Working in this environment was one of the most intense experiences of my life, as every day I witnessed what these kids were being forced to deal with because of the poor choices of their parents…”
The film also premiered internationally at the prestigious Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival in France.
Read the full story in the Winter Viewpoint issue.
Coffee with a Purpose! Supporting PLNU Student Scholarships through Crown Coffee
Who would have thought that drinking coffee and supporting your alma mater could occur in the same gulp? If you love coffee and want to support PLNU, then the alumni association’s new partnership with Crown Coffee is perfect for you.
Through this program, you receive two 12 oz. bags of coffee delivered to your door every month in either ground or whole bean varieties. In addition, this membership comes with free shipping and will provide you with the perfect opportunity to support PLNU students.
Operated by two PLNU alumni, Joe and Mandy Arioto (2000), Crown Coffee produces premium coffee brands that are micro-roasted by hand for the best blends and flavors in the industry. They currently offer twelve varieties of fair-trade produced coffee, including seven organic options. Crown Coffee will donate a percentage of the sale to the PLNU Alumni Association Student Scholarship Fund to help current and future students. Each membership will directly impact the lives of students.
If you would like to participate, the process is simple. Enjoy delicious coffee and significantly impact the lives of students! Click here to sign up for the 12 month membership program.
PLNU Events in Your Area!
Each year our PLNU Alumni Association hosts 6 events in various locations around the United States. We appreciate the times you have visited the PLNU main campus in San Diego, but now we’re coming to you!
For further details and to make reservations, visit our Alumni Events section
We are excited to see you in the following cities in 2009!
Fresno, California
February 7, 2009
PLNU vs. Fresno Pacific
Alums enjoyed 2 exciting games and a reception during each half time!
San Diego, California
April 25, 2009
Night with the Padres (vs. Pittsburgh, 7:05pm)
Taco Fiesta & Tailgate Party on PLNU campus before the game
Ride the bus over to Petco Park!
Anaheim, California
May 30, 2009
Further details soon to come!
Orlando, Florida
June 27, 2009
Luncheon at Maggiano’s Italian Restaurant
Albuquerque, New Mexico
July 24, 2009
Details soon to come!
Denver, Colorado
August 1, 2009
PLNU Luncheon in Orlando During General Assembly
General Assembly, the denominational gathering that takes place every four years, is scheduled for June 24th through July 3rd, 2009. Thousands of church congregational members, pastors and families join together for musical worship, inspirational speaking and reconnection with friends around the globe.
This year the General Assembly and conventions are being held in Orlando, Florida.
General Assembly facilitates an incredible experience of self-reflection, development, and building relationships with like-minded followers of Jesus. Come anticipating a renewal of faith and encouragement through hearing about the work of the Lord around the world.
Join your friends and classmates during our PLNU luncheon on Saturday, June 27th. We will enjoy an Italian luncheon at Maggiono’s Restaurant with alumni music and greetings from President Bob Brower.
Order tickets now!
10th Annual Writer's Symposium by the Sea
Over 2,000 people gathered to hear speakers Karl Giberson, Greg Laswell, Richie Furay, Brian McLaren, David Paterson, Luis Alberto Urrea, Pauline W. Chen, and Christopher Buckley during the week of February 2 – 6th, 2009.
Christopher Buckley sparked continuous laughter among the audience with clever quips. Former Governor of Massachusetts, Michael Dukakis, was in attendance as Buckley shared about his satirical writings. Buckley is the founder and editor-in-chief of Forbes Life magazine and served as a speechwriter for President George H.W. Bush. He has written several novels including Thank You For Smoking, which became a Hollywood film.
“A statement can bring you to a new state, but questions can bring you to a new quest,” commented Brian McLaren at this year’s Writer’s Symposium by the Sea.
"Perhaps a more vibrant kind of faith is a quest, a journey, not a state of being," conjectured Brian McLaren. McLaren, author of various books including “A New Kind of Christian” writes about faith that changes one’s character, purpose and life.
Brian McLaren described writing within a narrative structure or crafting a story, as a more efficient way to portray one’s thoughts. He encouraged aspiring writers to frame their story, clearly outlining the overview and big idea. Blogging and other forms of regular public writing are highly beneficial in perfecting one’s writing skills, McLaren said.
“I see our responsibility not to proclaim a belief, but to lead in a way of life.” Brian McLaren said.
Click here to read more about the Annual Writer’s Symposium by the Sea. Plan now to attend in March 2010.
Concert Choir Tours Southern California this Spring
Each year, PLNU’s Concert Choir travels throughout our educational region to encourage and inspire others with their musical melodies and incredible talent.
Concert Choir is an auditioned ensemble of 70 – 80 students. The group performs songs from a variety of genres, from renaissance to contemporary.
Please contact Dr. Jackson for further information.
Below is the Concert Choir’s Spring 2009 Tour Schedule:
Friday, March 20 PM
Ridgecrest Nazarene
Ridgecrest, CA
Saturday, March 21 PM
Bakersfield Olive Knolls Nazarene
Bakersfield, CA
Sunday, March 22 AM
Visalia First Nazarene
Visalia, Ca
Friday March 27 PM
Chapman Invitation Festival
Saturday, March 28 PM
Newhall Nazarene
Newhall, CA
Sunday, March 29 AM
Pasadena First Nazarene
Pasadena, CA
Sunday, March 29 PM
Ontario First Nazarene
Ontario, Ca
Friday, April 17 7:30PM
Choral Spectrum
Crill Auditorium
Point Loma Nazarene University
(Concert Choir, Chorale, and Extol)
PLNU Athletic Teams Taking the Lead
Point Loma Nazarene’s spring sports teams take to the field, tracks, courses and courts with high expectations in 2009. Leading the seven-team pack is Sea Lion softball. Coach Dave Williams’ squad received a No. 2 preseason rating and is the favorites to win the Golden State Athletic Conference. Last year, softball won 50 games and placed third at the NAIA National Championships.
Coach Ben Foster returns six players to his golf team, including defending National Champion, Sam Cyr, and all-region golfer, Marc Machado. With Cyr leadership, there is every reason to believe that Sea Lions can equal or improve upon last year’s sixth place finish at the national tournament.
Joe Schaefer takes over as baseball head coach in 2009. He has recruited one of the best pitching staffs in recent memory and returns a solid group of players, among them is All-American Kaohi Downing. The Sea Lions are balanced. They can throw, run, hit and field. Along with being a good team, they play in “America’s Most Scenic Ballpark.” It’s a great place to watch a game.
Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams are improved as Coach Rich Hills brought in the best recruiting classes in years. The women, led by first team All-American Kristen Strimple, are especially good. The men showed they aren’t too bad themselves when they beat the Air Force Academy in the first match of the season.
Track and Field is ready for another great season as well. Point Loma plays host to three regular season meets (March 12, 21, 28) and the GSAC Championships starting on April 24. Both of Jerry Arvin’s squad represented themselves well last year with the women winning their second consecutive conference title.
Science Celebration Homecoming 2009
Nearly 50 years ago, Dr. Val Christensen arrived at Pasadena College. As chair of the Science and Mathematics Division, Dr. Christensen played a pivotal role in recruiting the outstanding faculty who would succeed in transforming PLNU into one of the nation’s premier Christian institutions for science, mathematics, and computer science education.
On Friday, Nov. 20, 2009, as part of PLNU’s Homecoming Weekend, hundreds of alumni and former faculty will join with current PLNU faculty and students in celebrating 50 years of mathematics and science at PLNU. Plan to take part in this once in a lifetime celebration!
In addition to our current math and science professors, the following individuals plan to attend the celebration:
Biology:
David Brown
John Cromer
Richard Friesen
Ed Hoskins
Ken Hyde
Sue Justis
Glenn Keys
Cindy Lewis
Math/Computer Science:
Bill Hobbs
Jerry Lashley
Maxine Nickerson (widow of David Nickerson)
David Strawn
Physics:
Ken Aring
Chemistry:
Val Christensen
Gay Oliver-Lilley
*Links to past newsletters can be found in "Archives"