News Articles

Walla Walla University has appointed Darren Wilkins as its new vice president for student life. Wilkins, who will step into this position in July,  comes to WWU after nearly 29 years of experience in Adventist education.

Seventh-day Adventist higher education is facing many challenges, including lack of affordability, mounting student debt, and emerging college alternatives. These are just some of the unprecedented difficulties colleges and universities nationwide — not just Adventist ones — have been grappling with in the past few years. But leaders at Adventist colleges and universities are working to change that, setting aside their competitive differences to further the mission of Seventh-day Adventist education.

Through generous support from the North Pacific Union Conference, Walla Walla University (WWU) is continuing to offer NextGen Scholarships, which combine with other funding sources to ensure that this year’s new theology and education students have 100 percent of their tuition covered. After Walla Walla University launched the innovative NextGen Pastor and NextGen Teacher scholarships in 2022, more than 35 new theology and education students were able to pursue their college goals.

The Pacific Union College School of Nursing has received a $540,000 grant from California’s Department of Healthcare Access and Information (HCAI), funding that will help address the statewide nursing shortage by expanding training opportunities.

More than 600 people were baptized at the completion of a nine-day evangelism series that took place around the Southeast Dominican Conference in the Dominican Republic as a result of an ongoing partnership between the Atlantic Union Conference and the Dominican Union Conference. Twenty-five pastors fanned out across the territory conducting the series at various locations under the theme “Rescue of Love.” 

Union College is significantly expanding its graduate offerings with three new master’s degrees. Two of the new degrees, a Master of Public Health and a Master of Science in Leadership, will begin in August 2023, while the Master of Occupational Therapy Program will launch in 2024.

On Feb. 28, 2023, Walla Walla University’s Center for Humanitarian Engagement (CHE) hosted the well-attended grand opening of the new Walla Walla Tool Library. CHE is grateful to Upper Columbia Conferences Adventist Community Services (ACS) for providing the trailer to house the new program.

The North American Division and Sonscreen Film Festival have announced the release of a new short film entitled Those Were the Good Days. Produced by Sonscreen Films and Pacific Union College, the film explores themes of joy and parenting as it follows a father and daughter on a trip to the park.

NASCAR driver Corey Lajoie and Irvine-based nonprofit Jessie Rees Foundation partnered to gift 100 "JoyJars" filled with toys, games, and activities to patients at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital Thursday, February 23, 2023.

Before the pandemic, the last mission trip by a medical team of the Guam Seventh-day Adventist Clinic was in November 2019. They traveled to Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia to provide primary care. The return to missions began in November 2022 when the clinic’s eye care team went to the Republic of Palau, followed by a medical and dental trip to Rota in the U.S. territory of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) in January 2023.