Pete Menjares, Ph.D., took the baton July 28 as the 11th president of Fresno Pacific University—and he’s already running at full speed.

Menjares got a literal hand-off from retiring President D. Merrill Ewert at the national convention of FPU’s sponsoring denomination, the U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, in Omaha, receiving a baton inscribed with Hebrews 12:1: “….let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

Fresno Pacific’s Science-Technology-Engineering-Math (STEM) Learning Community hosted its annual summer camp the week of July 16. Incoming freshmen at FPU and College of the Sequoias, Visalia, took prep courses in science, math and college life. The week gave students the opportunity to experience college-level instruction, and to make connections with other students before their first day of classes in the fall. To apply for the STEM Learning Community, check out this link: experiencefpu.com/stem.

The Fresno Pacific main campus was filled with excitement with the annual Cheer Camp July 17-19. Local girls came to learn about dancing, stunts, cheers and more. At the end of the week, they performed for family, friends and even the Volleyball Camp girls. More on FPU summer camps at fresno.edu/summercamps

FPU’s new High School Advanced Camp (July 5-7) gave students the opportunity to check out the main campus, while coaches got the chance to see potential players as the program transitions into the NCAA. There were also Intermediate Camps (July 2-4), as well as the traditional All Skills camps (July 9-13 and 16-20). Players learned techniques as well as the importance of being a good teammate under the guidance of FPU Sunbird Volleyball players. To see more about summer camps offered at FPU, check: fresno.edu/summercamps

Mark Baker, Ph.D., associate professor of mission and theology, presented “Authentic Christianity and its Distortions: Communicating Jacques Ellul’s Thought Using Paul Hiebert’s Bounded and Centered Set Categories” at Prophet in the Technological Wilderness: A Centenary Celebration & Critical Review of Jacques Ellul, Wheaton College, July 9, 2012.

A Friday morning telephone call brought good news to FPU athletics.

The university received notification from the NCAA on Friday that it has successfully completed the first year of candidacy in the association's Division II membership process and has been moved on to year two of the three-year process.

“We are excited to be advanced by the NCAA into Candidacy Year Two,” said Athletic Driector Dennis Janzen. “The NCAA membership process has made the entire university better. Today’s news affirms the commitment and efforts of everyone here at FPU.”