More than 400 students will graduate during fall commencement.

Ceremonies will be Saturday, December 15, in the Special Events Center on the main FPU campus, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave., Fresno. Students in the traditional undergraduate, seminary and other graduate programs will graduate at 10:00 a.m., and students in the bachelor’s degree completion programs will graduate at 1:30 p.m.

The speaker at both events will be Pete C. Menjares, Ph.D., president of FPU.

The 15th annual Thanksgiving Luncheon again brought together students, faculty, administration and staff.

In a continuing effort to keep a quality education within the reach of students and families, the Fresno Pacific University Board of Trustees approved tuition and fees with little or no increases across all programs for 2013-2014.

For traditional undergraduates, tuition and fees will be $25,616, up 1.5 percent from 2012-2013. There will be no increase in room cost; board has not yet been set. Bachelor’s degree completion costs will stay the same at $415-510 per unit, depending on the program.

The Fresno Pacific University Center for Community Transformation (CCT) will build on hope in Fresno and beyond. The CCT is a new effort to connect the strengths of the university with the resources of the region to transform cities.

Looking into the heart of the city, some observers see statistics: high rates of poverty, crime, drug use, gang activity and violence; low levels of income, education and employment.

Ted and Joyce Smith, friends of FPU, have been honored for their generosity.

The couple received the 2012 Outstanding Philanthropist Awards from the Association of Fundraising Professionals California Valley Chapter during the organization’s annual National Philanthropy Day Luncheon, this year on November 8 in Fresno.

The AFP citation reads, in part:

The 10th annual Lessons and Carols service was among a host of great FPU music events in November and December.

FPU added faculty throughout the university during the fall semester. Here is a list of new and promoted faculty as of November 1, 2012.

Michael Allen, MBA, M.Div., is director of institutional research. He has a master’s in business administration from Keller Graduate School of Management, a master’s in divinity from Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary and a bachelor of arts from California State University, Fresno.

Fresno’s Leading Young Professionals announced its 2012 award winners—and an FPU staff member was on the list: Jill Coppler, regional center communications specialist, is FLYP’er of the Year.

Results from a recent Pew study may concern and confuse those who care about the place of faith in the community.

Giving and getting are not opposites, they are two sides of the same coin—and people who flip their focus from the “get” side to the “give” side will actually receive.