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.”

Summer camps are still hot at Fresno Pacific University.

At the Boy’s & Girl’s Morning Camp July 9-13, players ages 5 and up learned the tactics and skills to better their performances on the field. In the coming weeks, young people interested in basketball and cheer will pursue their passions on the main campus. Check out all the possibilities at fresno.edu/summercamps

Remaining camps are:

Soccer
Boys & Girls Advanced High School Camp (July 23-26)

Boys & Girls Advanced Goalkeeper Camp (July 23-26)

Fresno Pacific’s annual summer music camp was bigger than ever this year, with a record 70 students on the main campus June 24-29. Participants ranging from sixth grade through high school chose from programs including vocal, string, piano and woodwind performance; sound recording; church music; musical theater; jazz; and chamber music. More information at fresno.edu/summercamp

The Fresno Pacific community said good-bye to D. Merrill Ewert and his wife Priscilla in several venues as he retires as president.

 Ewert took office June 1, 2002, making his 10-year tenure longer than the average university presidency of six-seven years. “It’s been a very unique and special privilege to serve in this capacity,” he said.

Fresno Pacific hosted the Global Anabaptist Peacebuilders (GAP) Institute, a partnership between FPU and the international relief organization Mennonite Central Committee, took place DATES on the main campus. FPU faculty taught classes on immigration, agriculture, restorative justice and other subjects to students from all around California. Find out more, and see dates for next year’s event, on the West Coast MCC website: westcoast.mcc.org/gap-institute

The first week of boys basketball camps started June 18 on the main FPU campus. Local elementary and high school students came to the Special Events Center to learn and practice the fundamentals of the game, taught by Sunbird coaches and players. For registration and more information on all FPU summer camps, check out: fresno.edu/summercamps

Summer camps kicked off June 18 with Junior University. About 55 students grades 2 through 8 learned about science, math and technology with hands-on classes designed to be engaging and fun. This year, 10 kids received a Karen Crozier full scholarship through the AIMS Foundation. Watch the video for an inside look. More information about FPU summer camps at fresno.edu/summercamps

Merrill and Priscilla Ewert were honored June 5 by the Fresno County Board of Supervisors for their contribtuions to FPU and the community.

The full text of the proclamation:

WHEREAS
D. Merrill Ewert, who became President of Fresno Pacific University in June 2002 after a career at Wheaton College, the University of Maryland, and Cornell University, will retire July 31, 2012; and

While students are away from the main campus for the summer, FPU is making room for a large new resident: a 400-ton centrifugal chiller that will be worth more than its weight in power savings.

Bryan Taylor, with the help of other members of the FPU family and beyond, served dinner to his neighborhood May 12. This was the first event hosted by Feed Our Streets, an organization Taylor founded to reach out to people who are everyone’s neighbors.

“God was just telling me to get out into my community and start bringing people together for conversations,” said Taylor, who is regional center information specialist at FPU. “The best place to do that seems to be the dinner table.”