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SHS STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

Pillar 1: Students and Graduates

Prepare and educate compassionate, clinically competent, and knowledgeable healthcare providers who will lead our professions.

Pillar 2: Academic Innovation

Pursue innovation and discovery in education and heathcare

Pillar 3: Community Engagement

Expand the role and impact of the school as a community partner in health and wellness

Pillar 4: People and Culture

Recruit, develop, and retain excellent faculty & staff who reflect the values of the school of health sciences and challenge the status quo

14 Pillar 5: Financial Strength

Strengthen the financial standing of the school and each program to sustain our mission and realize our vision.

Message from the Dean

These pillars are the framework that shapes every decision we make.

Nicoleta Bugnariu

Mike

Lana

Contributors Photographers

Jillian

Editor

For more information about the School of Health Sciences, you can reach us via email at: shsmarketing@pacific.edu

School of Health Sciences Marketing Department 3200 Fifth Ave. Sacramento, CA 95817

This year, I am filled with profound gratitude for the remarkable students who have entrusted us with their education, for the dedicated faculty and staff who show up every day with expertise and heart, and for the community partners, preceptors, and donors who make so much of what we do possible

The 2025–2026 academic year has been one of meaningful milestones We held the largest SHS commencement to date, celebrating the accomplishments of 404 SHS students who completed their programs and entered the workforce to provide desperately needed healthcare and services in the community We celebrated the 10th anniversary of our Audiology program and the completion of a stateof-the-art audiology learning hub at our San Francisco campus. This space reflects our commitment to clinical excellence and to making investments that will benefit our students, staff, and faculty. We awarded more than $2.7M in scholarships to our deserving students.

The pages that follow tell the story of a school in full stride You will see stories that demonstrate our commitment to our five strategic pillars: Students and Graduates, Academic Innovation, Community Engagement, People and Culture, and Financial Strength These priorities are the framework that shapes every decision we make This year, we advanced each one with clarity and purpose I am proud of what we have built, and even more excited about the direction we are headed

With gratitude and Tiger pride,

Nicoleta Bugnariu Dean, School of Health Sciences, University of the Pacific NicoletaBugnariu

The 2026 SHS Commencement had 404 graduates, the largest number in our history.

Occupational

Physician

SHS Day remains a cherished annual tradition that fosters connection and school spirit, bringing together students, staff, and faculty from across our ten departments and all our campuses. This year, we gathered at an indoor soccer facility for team-building activities, awards, and fun events that strengthened our camaraderie. SHS Day exemplifies the power of coming together beyond the classroom, reinforcing our values of mutual respect, innovation, and collective growth

Events like SHS Day extend our commitment to collaborative learning, an essential component of health care education and practice. By creating spaces for connection, we empower students to see themselves not just as individual practitioners but as vital contributors to a larger, integrated health care ecosystem. Whether in academic settings, clinical environments, or community celebrations, we are dedicated to building relationships and cultivating environments where students, faculty, and staff support one another in becoming compassionate, skilled, and socially conscious leaders

Students Graduates

&

At the heart of everything we do are the students who arrive with a calling and leave as clinicians, leaders, and advocates. This year, our ten programs graduated hundreds of healthcare providers. Additionally, our alums continue to excel in the workforce, leading the way forward in our ever-changing healthcare system.

Nutrition students at their Pinning Ceremony

DHSc/DMSc graduates at their Graduation Banquet

These outcomes are a direct reflection of our fiveyear strategic commitment to preparing compassionate, clinically competent healthcare providers ready to lead. As we look ahead, SHS remains focused on strengthening pathways into our professions, deepening interprofessional collaboration, and equipping graduates to thrive in an increasingly complex healthcare landscape.

Pacific’s School of Health Sciences prepares students who strive to become leaders in their field and transdisciplinary healthcare providers.

Speech-Language Pathology students at the SLP Graduation Banquet & Awards Ceremony

Nutrition and Social Work students at the Sustainability IPE

Physician Assistant students at the PA White Coat Ceremony

Nursing alumni at the first Nursing Alumni Reunion

Academic Innovation

Healthcare is evolving, and so are we. From a new state-of-the-art Audiology learning hub at our San Francisco campus to the launch of a new online emergency management program, this year brought bold investments in the future of health sciences education. Our faculty presented at national conferences, earned competitive grants, and developed curricula that integrate technology, interprofessional collaboration, and real-world clinical relevance. At SHS, innovation is not a destination. It is a daily practice.

Dean Bugnariu, Provost Edwalds-Gilbert, AuD Department Chair Musacchia, and President Callahan at the Audiology Ribbon Cutting Celebration

Chris Pond, Thomas “TK” Koesterer, and MSAT students at the Sports Medicine Center Breaking Ground event

ducation to hrough the knowledge hts and the application xisting and echnology.

Physician Assistant student at the Pediatric Escape Room IPE

Nursing student presenting during the Nursing Student Showcase at Sutter Health

The School of Health Sciences has always believed that our campuses extend far beyond our walls. This year, our students and faculty served seniors, veterans, families, and youth in Stockton, Sacramento, San Francisco, and beyond. From the balance clinics and hearing screenings to the Kenya trip with Goal4Org, from the Oak Park Family Wellness Celebration to the three Employer Showcase events, we showed up for our communities with skill, compassion, and purpose.

Community Engagement

Nursing students at the Oak Park Family Wellness Celebration

Physical Therapy student with a community member at the Physical Therapy Balance Clinic on the Stockton Campus

Group photo with nursing, occupational therapy, social work and dental students at the Senior Smiles community service event at the PHCC

& People Culture

Our school is only as strong as the people who bring it to life every day. This year, we celebrated faculty and staff who were recognized for excellence - including Dean Bugnariu's Women of Distinction honor - and invested in the well-being and professional development of our entire community. We hosted retreats, wellness weeks, and community gatherings that remind us: collaboration and collegiality are not just nice to have. They are foundational to the culture we are building together.

SHS staff with Powercat during Diversity Week

Social Work student makes his mark on the 2025 SHS Day canvas

Nutrition Department staff & faculty posing for a photo during Diversity Week

SHS culture is one of discovery, inclusivity, and collaboration. We grow by investing ourselves in each other.

SHS staff come together for a baby shower celebrating the staff members having babies in 2026

Dean Bugnariu with the SHS department chairs and staff at the 2025 cabinet retreat

Staff and faculty at the 2026 Years of Service celebration

Audiology faculty at the Women’s History Month Lunch on the San Francisco Campus

A thriving school requires a strong foundation. This year, the School of Health Sciences made significant investments in its future - from generating the highest revenues yet to securing federal grant funding that will expand behavioral health access in underserved communities. Our growing philanthropic efforts, including the Pacific Gives campaign and new scholarships, reflect the confidence our donors place in our mission. We are building an institution that will serve our communities for generations to come.

Financial Strength

The Heritage Society recognizes those who have remembered Pacific in their estate plans. If you have included Pacific in your estate plans and/or would like more information on how to do so, please contact Lana Watts at lwatts@pacific.edu.

Dr Jeannene Ward-Lonergan and an SLP scholarship recipient at the SLP Graduation Banquet & Awards Ceremony

Dean Bugnariu, donors, alumni, faculty, staff, and students at the Scholarship Appreciation Lunch

Scholarship Impact

Thanks to the many donors who give during Pacific Gives and throughout the year, students have been enabled to continue pursuing their dreams of careers in the health sciences. During the 2025-26 academic year, the Dean's Resilience Endowed Scholarship Fund provided $18,000 in scholarships to nine (9) SHS students, one from each of our clinical programs Below are comments from three of the nine recipients.

Haddy Safriwe, a Doctor of Audiology candidate, expressed her gratitude, stating: "I'm the first in my family to pursue graduate school, and being awarded this scholarship was deeply meaningful to me Thank you!"

Melissa Barajas, who is pursuing an MS in Speech-Language Pathology, shared, "Thanks so much for this scholarship! I'm dedicated to creating inclusive spaces in healthcare, especially in Speech-Language Pathology

Nia Powell, who just completed her EntryLevel Master of Science in Nursing, faced significant financial barriers to completing her degree She said, "I am incredibly grateful to all the donors who supported this fund!"

$2,754,138

SHS Scholarships awarded during 2025-26 Academic Year

94Non-Endowed Scholarships

$907,588 33%

9.5%

71Endowed Scholarships $264,150 9.6%

In the face of changing rules for Grad Plus Loans, scholarships are critically important to our students. One can set up an endowed fund that will provide scholarship funding in perpetuity with a $50,000 gift (payable over 5 years), with the possibility of being Powell matched while funds are available Please contact Lana Watts at lwatts@pacific.edu for information.