Senior Kaitlyn Nakanishi has previously been a member of the Student Association at Pacific Union College. With a deep love for the college, she wanted to help make a difference in student’s social life following the COVID-19 pandemic where so many students were online and campus culture vanished. Motivated by that feeling, she ran for Student Association president last school year and has been serving that role since the start of the 2023-2024 academic year.

Tell us about being president. What is the most important part of your role? 

I believe the most important part of my role is facilitating discussions between the administration and students. I want to ensure that PUC continues to be student-centered because that is what initially made me fall in love with this school. 

It involves a lot of meetings and striking up conversations with different students, which I enjoy. Another important part is ensuring that the many operations of SA run smoothly, providing students with safe spaces to grow socially and spiritually. I am so fortunate to have a fantastic team who have done a fantastic job creating these spaces for students.

How is it working with your SA team? 

I love my team. I feel truly blessed to be surrounded by such talented and hardworking individuals:

My Executive VP, Olivia Brown, provides a fantastic support and sounding board as we bounce ideas off one another. We have had many long talks in our shared office, and I know I can always turn to her for good advice. She has stepped up majorly as the Senate leader this quarter, and it has been amazing to develop as a leader alongside her. 

Bethanee Tabura, the Social Vice President, brings the perfect balance of enthusiasm and preparedness to every event. Her event ideas are always incredibly fun and creative, and her excitement is addictive. I have seen student engagement increase exponentially under her leadership. It is a joy to know her and an honor to be her teammate. 

For Religious Vice President, I cannot think of anyone better for the job than Ashley Castro-Rodriguez. She had the rare, perfect balance of personal connection, administrative organization, and preaching experience that the RVP job demands. She does so much to advocate for student’s spirituality on campus and has delivered programs that have given me- some of the greatest spiritual experiences of my life. I am constantly amazed by her dedication to God and this school. 

Our Financial Vice President, Esteban Ramirez, demonstrates the expertise and work ethic of an accountant with ten times his experience. I have never seen anyone so dedicated to their job as he has spent countless hours untangling the weeds of SA’s finances from years past and setting us on a clear trajectory for the future. I cannot overstate my appreciation for his ability to provide insight into such a complicated part of our organization.

Last, but certainly not least is Tessa Hutzkal, the Publication and Marketing Vice President. She has taken this job in directions that I had never even thought possible for our small campus like PUC. Not only has she initiated the development of a yearbook, funnybook, and PUC parent merch, but she also works tirelessly to make SA events as visible and accessible to the students as possible. If that weren’t impressive enough, she is quite simply the nicest person you will ever meet.

I thank God every day for allowing me to work alongside such incredible people, and am endlessly grateful to each of them for all they do for me as a student at PUC and as my teammates.

What do you enjoy the most about being president of PUC’s SA? 

I love the ability to be a part of such an incredible group of student leaders and to see the positive change that we have made on campus. It is so rewarding to see the combined efforts of our team pay off as campus culture and connectedness continue on an upward trend. I love seeing how little things that SA does, whether it be an event, spiritual program, or senate project, enhance the college experience for other students.

Do you have a favorite SA event?

My favorite SA event so far was the “World’s Largest Hot Tub Party”. We worked with the athletics department and the COGEN plant on campus to superheat the Hansen pool. It was towards the end of fall quarter at night and freezing outside. You could see the steam wafting off of the water. It felt so bougie to be enveloped in the warmth while drinking Martinelli’s and talking with friends. There were also many sources of entertainment. You could watch the water volleyball or basketball games or laugh at the belly floppers jumping off the diving board. I am also very proud to say that I worked up the guts to attempt my first-ever front flip off of a diving board at this event.

How can PUC continue to support SA and the student body? 

The best way is simply by showing up. Come to SA social events, club events, vespers, performances, and celebrations. Having staff, faculty, and community present at events outside of academics helps us students to feel the love and support of the PUC community and means more to us than anyone could possibly know. We have a great community on this campus, and I am endlessly grateful to all the people who have shown up to support me when I need it most. I would encourage PUC to just continue this support and just attend as many student programs as possible.

What makes PUC special to you? 

PUC is so unique because of the people that it attracts. I have never met kinder and friendlier people. The natural beauty of the campus provides a haven for students to be their authentic selves and to uncover the purpose for which God has ordained them. When I first stepped on the PUC campus, I felt the Christ-like love in both the friendliness of the students and the attentiveness of the employees. It is such a freeing feeling to be surrounded by a loving community while you undertake the difficult transition into adulthood. I have met my best friends here and love the opportunity to be part of this friendly community.

Can you share why you chose to attend PUC? 

The reason I came to PUC was because of the kindness of the faculty and staff. Growing up Adventist, I became disillusioned by some aspects of the church and was adamantly NOT attending an Adventist school. My mother dragged me to college days, and I agreed solely to appease her. I had been to PUC in the past and was not expecting anything to change. However, upon first walking into the dorm, my mom and I were smothered with greetings from her old friends, Dean Ringer and Dean Horn, and it felt like home. 

I was also given the opportunity to meet the Dr. Davises and was immediately struck by their passion for teaching and enthusiasm for learning. Upon meeting more and more of the PUC community, I found this was the norm for the professors here. 

One of my core memories of PUC occurred towards the end of our trip. We had to leave, and Dr. Rachelle Davis mentioned that it would be nice for me to meet Prof. Raboy, the music department chair, and texted him about me. He called her back immediately saying, “I’m driving like a madman and scarfing my tuna sandwich! I really want to meet them!” I couldn’t think of another school where a department chair would forgo his lunch break just to make an acquaintance with one high school student. From that moment, I was sold.

What’s your favorite thing about being a part of the Pioneers community?

I am always impressed by the grit of our athletics teams and student-athletes. I was a founding member of the PUC women’s soccer team, and we were beaten into the ground every single game. 

Today, our women’s soccer program is thriving- beating La Sierra and giving huge schools like UC Merced a run for their money. I am very proud of all the things our sports program has been able to accomplish in the short years I have been here and believe that we have yet to reach our fullest potential.

What would you tell someone interested in attending PUC? 

I would tell them that it is a fantastic school where you are able to get a personalized college experience. The staff, faculty, and students truly care about one another creating an incredible, supportive environment to learn and grow. The community here has made me feel at home, and the spiritual life of campus has helped me to form a personal connection with God. If you want a school where you can tailor your college experience to your journey while making lasting personal connections, PUC is definitely the place for you.