Pacific Magazine 2023

PACIFIC UNIV ERSIT Y OF THE PACIFIC MAGA ZINE | 2023

CREATING A CLIMATE OF SUSTAINABLE CHANGE | STUDENTS VENTURE OUT OF THE CLASSROOM | PACIFIC PUSHES NEW BOUNDARIES IN HEALTH CARE

OPENING SECTION

STAFF EXECUTIVE EDITOR Mike Klocke CREATIVE DIRECTOR Nico Barredo PROJECT MANAGER Svend Holst LEAD WRITERS Johanna Bakmas ’09 Erica Hechtkopf Monica Klem Kelsey Lindquist CONTRIBUTORS Scott Biedermann ’05, ’20 Ashley Golledge Sheri Grimes Kelli (Williams) Page ’87 Jeanine Simnick Lisa Soto Zac Spurlin Janice Wagner Ryan Walters SENIOR DESIGNER Mishi Chua DIGITAL DESIGNER César Larios LEAD PHOTOGRAPHERS Jason Ramos Millner ‘19 Christian Murillo CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Victoria Ambriz Peter Baiamonte Alex Banks Jaslyn Gilbert Ashley Golledge Svend Holst Mark Rodriguez ‘21 José Luis Villegas Peter Williams ‘25 CONTACT: Magazine@Pacific.edu P: 209.946.2311 PUBLISHED BY: University of the Pacific 3601 Pacific Avenue Stockton, CA 95211 Send address changes to: Pacific Magazine Advancement Services Bannister Hall 3601 Pacific Avenue Stockton, CA 95211 Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

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PACIFIC MAGA ZINE | 2023

2023

CONTENTS FROM THE PRESIDENT 04 MESSAGES AND BOARD CHAIR

48 CHARTING A NEW FUTURE

06 A HISTORIC YEAR OF MOVEMENT

56 GOING THE EXTRA MILE

08 CREATING A CLIMATE OF CHANGE

58 OUR SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

14 STEPPING OUT

76 SUMMER HIGH SCHOOL INSTITUTE

24 GRANTED

80 PEOPLE OF PACIFIC

30 PULLING BACK THE CURTAIN

92 ATHLETICS

34 NEW LEADERS

102 GIVING BACK

42 DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

112 ALUMNI

Pacific rode a wave of momentous accomplishments in a historic year of excellence.

Pacific’s multi-faceted sustainability programs maintain an ecological balance on all three campuses.

In the community, throughout the state and across countries and continents, Pacific students are stepping off campus and making a difference.

Pacific aggressively sought governmental grants this year and the effort paid off with more than $36 million in funding.

The 80-year history of excellence in opera continues this year at Pacific. Take a trip behind the scenes during the production of “Into the Woods.”

Mary-Elizabeth Eberhardt ’76 continues a family tradition as its fifth member to serve on the Board of Regents. Also, get to know new Provost Gretchen Edwalds-Gilbert.

More than 50 Pacificans took part in a diversity, equity and inclusion-themed retreat in Sacramento—just one part of the university’s continued DEI efforts.

Left: Folklorico dancers dazzled the crowd outside the DeRosa University Center during the 2023 Latinx Heritage Month kick-off.

The annual event showcases Latinx student groups, university departments and entertainment.

Pacific is redefining health care in Sacramento’s Oak Park neighborhood with the new Pacific Health Care Collaborative.

Pacific strengthens partnership with nearby Miracle Mile shopping district thanks to First Lady Jean Callahan.

Read about mariachi music, poetry in Ireland and many other innovations in Pacific’s nine schools and colleges.

High school students from places as far away as Hong Kong were part of the meteoric growth of the summer program.

The very fabric of the university is its people. Meet some of the students, faculty, staff and alumni who are doing special things at Pacific.

Pacific’s new Athletic Director Adam Tschuor answers questions. The history of the moniker “Water Polo U” is explained. And it’s time for pickleball.

Pacific is turning a former sorority house into boutique lodging named—appropriately—Pacific Inn, one of many projects possible because of the generosity of donors.

Steven Goulart ‘80, former MetLife executive vice president and chief investment officer, will receive an honorary doctorate from his alma mater.

About the Cover For this year's cover, Pacific Magazine's creative team knew it had to think outside of the box...literally. With "Looking Beyond" as the cover theme and the Pacific "P" a certain design element, after many days of thinking it became clear what the team needed to do—trace and carefully cut out a six-foot-tall Pacific "P" from an even larger backdrop and have students step through it. The full-day photo shoot with the energetic students made for a vibrant cover and captured the dynamic spirit of this year's issue.

UNIVERSIT Y OF THE PACIFIC

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MESSAGE FROM THE

PRESIDENT This has been a remarkable–and in many ways historic–year for University of the Pacific.

At a time when many United States universities are shrinking, today we celebrate the largest student population in our 172year history, across our three Northern California campuses. This year was among our best in student retention, fundraising and research. We finished renovations so that now every first-year residence hall has been fully modernized. We broke ground in Sacramento on one of our largest expansions ever, recruited new faculty and university leaders and launched exciting new degree programs.

But perhaps the most visible manifestation of our progress was seen during Homecoming and Family Weekend–a single point in time that helps define our institution and illustrates our trajectory forward. Yes, we had recordbreaking attendance with more than 5,000 alumni, parents, family, prospective students and their families, faculty, staff, Tiger fans and supporters. But beyond the numbers, there was a tone, a feel, an atmosphere of energy, goodwill and love of Pacific–a celebration of our past, an embrace of our present and an optimism about our future that was palpable.

Under the leadership of Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Scott Biedermann, Homecoming and Family

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Weekend is now truly a university-wide extravaganza and celebration of all things Pacific. Vice President for Student Life Maria Blandizzi and her outstanding student life team created a series of engaging events for students, parents and other family members. Deans, under the guidance and mentorship of new Provost Gretchen Edwalds-Gilbert, and working closely with faculty and current students, hosted dynamic and interactive events for families and alumni alike.

Tiger Athletics hosted five NCAA home games and spearheaded an Orange and Black Ball that broke all fundraising records while introducing our new Athletic Director, Adam Tschuor, to the community.

Vice President for Enrollment Strategy Chris Ferguson brought in nearly 700 prospective students with their families for an enrollment open house fully integrated into the Homecoming festivities (this year’s one-day participation was higher than that of both open houses last fall combined). And the Pacific Alumni Association hosted its Faculty Mentor Awards as a heartfelt finale to the weekend celebrations.

This year’s Homecoming and Family Weekend is the perfect example of what we need to do across Pacific every day: build on our amazing history and traditions while looking forward. Think big and bold. Design

with innovation and ambition. Execute with precision and pride.

And our new Board of Regents Chair Mary-Elizabeth Eberhardt is the ideal leader to help us do exactly that. The 1976 graduate is carrying on the great tradition of the Eberhardt family as Pacific leaders spanning 70 years. Her father, Bob, served as a regent for more than 30 years, including 18 years as chair, while her mom Mimi, uncle Douglass and grandfather R.L. Eberhardt also served as Pacific regents.

Chair Eberhardt cherishes our traditions but also embraces our future as we continue our path to become the nation’s best student-centric comprehensive university.

Please enjoy this edition of Pacific Magazine (which won national honors from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education as one of the best of its kind in higher education). We hope to see you at Homecoming and Family Weekend 2024 on Oct. 11-13. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to me at ccallahan@pacific.edu or just stop by Anderson Hall next time you’re on campus. Our door is always open.

Go Tigers!

President Christopher Callahan

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD OF REGENTS CHAIR As I began my term as chair in July, I reflected on my family’s history at Pacific. I am the fifth in my family to become a regent, preceded by my grandfather, father, mom and uncle.

My father Robert M. Eberhardt served as board chair 1976 to 1994. I am reminded of his leadership every time I walk past the carved wooden chair he was gifted when he retired from the board—it sits in the lobby at Bank of Stockton. I have never been prouder to continue our family’s long-standing service to Pacific than I am today.

I have also been reflecting on the talented volunteers who make up today’s Board of Regents. This committed group of 25 people upholds our mission, and we are honored to serve on the board of California’s first and oldest university. To paraphrase former provost and university historian Phillip N. Gilbertson, the regents’ dedication to building people for professional service and personal growth has never waned since 1851.

Our founding board was made up of 14 members of the clergy, three physicians and six lawyers or judges. Today, a diverse range of professions are represented.

One regent is a scientist whose research and development revolutionized the food industry. We have an Emmy Award-winning producer, composer and musician whose credits include work with William Shatner, Aaron Sorkin, Frank Sinatra and Boz Scaggs.

Two regents are judges who received Juris Doctors degrees from McGeorge School of Law. We have regents who bring important insurance industry expertise, one who was invited to testify before a congressional subcommittee. As a retired nurse, one regent serves as a patient advocate, helping others navigate the complexities of care. We have leaders who specialize in health care, dentistry, finance, investment, higher education, pharmacy and business. More than twothirds of the board are Pacific alumni who embody our tradition of giving back to our beloved university.

Not only generous with their time and talent, regents are generous with their treasure. For several years, every regent has

contributed financially to Pacific. These donations largely support scholarships for our students, aiding them as they achieve their goals in college.

Last summer, a board member’s leading gift sponsored more than 20 youth for the Pacific Summer High School Institute, expanding the reach and opportunity associated with this growing program. Financial support has gone to our Student Investment Fund and athletics facilities. Gifts also support capital projects, including updates to historic Manor Hall, which will be renovated into housing for our student veterans.

As chair, I am thrilled to partner with the Board of Regents and President Callahan, as well as our community of students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends. Working together in the spirit of innovation and service, I know we can reach our goal of becoming the best student-centered comprehensive university in the nation.

Go Tigers!

Mary-Elizabeth Eberhardt ’76 Chair, Board of Regents

“More than two-thirds of the board are Pacific alumni who embody our tradition of giving back to our beloved university. Not only generous with their time and talent, regents are generous with their treasure.”

MARY-ELIZABETH EBERHARDT ’76 Chair, Board of Regents

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OPENING SECTION

A HISTORIC YEAR OF MOVEMENT The flywheel is gaining momentum.

When President Christopher Callahan describes Pacific’s progress, he often uses the metaphor of a flywheel in motion. The concept, created by leadership author Jim Collins, is simple: A giant, heavy flywheel is hard to start, but with each turn the wheel moves more easily and faster–eventually building up momentum to the point where it is powering itself. A large, complex organization is equally hard to start, but each success builds forward progress until it too has unstoppable momentum.

Callahan says that while much work remains before Pacific reaches its goal of becoming the best student-centric comprehensive university in the nation, California’s first and oldest university made tremendous strides in Year 2 of its 10-year goal. The Pacific flywheel, he says, is building speed and momentum.

Many of the successes from the past year are historic in nature. They include: Enrollment: With 6,755 students in fall 2023, Pacific recorded the largest student population in its 172-year history, a particularly remarkable achievement given steady enrollment declines across U.S. higher education. Pacific’s student population has increased 11% over the past two years.

Student Success: Retention of first-year students was 89%, the second highest in university history, in part due to a new one-stop-shop digital portal for students, dramatic increases in tutoring services and a Student Success and Retention Council that meets weekly and includes the university’s top leaders.

Research: Pacific secured $36.4 million in government research and sponsored program grants, more than triple a typical year and the second highest amount in Pacific history.

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Fundraising: The year following a major capital campaign is typically a down year for fundraising, but supporters gave the university $33.5 million over the year, the fourth best in Pacific history, behind only last year’s efforts and the years the university received the Powell endowment and the Muir collection.

New Programs: Pacific launched its first set of fully online degree programs, including graduate-level executive programs in business law, cybersecurity and an MBA.

retention of first-year students in 2023. The second highest in university history.

Diversity: The university reached the goal of 25% Latino students, leading the way to securing Hispanic-Serving Institution status from the U.S. Department of Education.

Campus Housing: Renovations were completed on the Quads. Together with the full renovation of Grace Covell Hall in 2020, every first-year residence hall has now been completely renovated. Nearly 2,000 students lived on the Stockton Campus in fall 2023, the most in 12 years.

students enrolled in fall 2023, the largest student population in Pacific's 172-year history.

Tuition and Alternative Revenue: The university again successfully kept tuition and fee increases to 3% or below. To grow the university while keeping tuition as low as possible, Pacific has focused on creating and growing new revenue sources. Leading a new series of revenue-generating initiatives is the Pacific Summer High School Institute, which in its second year brought more than 1,600 high school students to campus for an immersive two-week residential college experience.

Rankings and Classifications: Pacific’s successes were noted in national rankings. A new ranking

by Money Magazine placed only Stanford University and

was given by supporters in 2023, the fourth best in Pacific history.

Cal Tech ahead of Pacific among private universities in California. Among West Coast Conference schools, Pacific was third in separate rankings conducted by the Wall Street Journal, Washington Monthly and Forbes, and the university was the only WCC school to move up in the U.S. News & World Report rankings.

Storytelling: Even the university’s storytelling received national recognition, as Pacific Magazine won silver for publishing improvement and bronze for annual magazine in the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s Circle of Excellence awards.

The president attributes much of the success to Pacific’s faculty.

“Our faculty are amazingly creative and dynamic master teachers who devote themselves to the growth and development of our students and the creation of cutting-edge degree programs,” he said. “They are the reasons students come to study at Pacific. But our professors also are integral partners in student recruitment, retention, research and virtually every aspect of the enterprise.”

Callahan also points to university leaders as drivers of the remarkable success.

“I was looking at our Cabinet assembled in a row at the recent regents meeting at the Vereschagin Alumni House,” the president said. “They are the ’27 Yankees. The best of the best.”

New Provost Gretchen Edwalds-Gilbert joined Vice President for Student Life Maria Blandizzi to provide laser-focused leadership on the success of students, Callahan said, while Vice Presidents Scott Biedermann and Chris Ferguson are responsible for record-breaking results in development and enrollment, respectively. And CFO James Walsh is “simply a game-changer” for university finances, budgeting and smart and streamlined operations.

He noted that Cabinet members–all of whom joined Pacific in the past three years– have come from some of the top universities in the nation: Stanford University, UCLA, Tufts University, Scripps College, Occidental College and University of San Francisco, as well as Pacific.

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CREATING A CLIMATE OF CHANGE C

alifornia is feeling more than ever the intense— and sometimes whiplashing—impacts of climate change.

A fury of record-breaking heat in the summer of 2022 was followed by record snowpack in the Sierra Nevada region. A years-long drought was finally countered with a torrent of rain in 2023.

The Central Valley supplies 25% of the nation’s food. Impacts to the agriculture-rich region can have far-reaching effects.

University of the Pacific is stepping up to turn the tide by enacting new sustainability initiatives across its three campuses, supporting faculty-led research that is digging deeply for answers and educating the next generation of students prepared to tackle the complex crisis.

“As an educational institution, we have a responsibility to demonstrate and drive a culture of sustainability,” said Jessica Bilecki, sustainability director. “We want to create actionable steps we can take

to minimize our negative impact on the environment and foster regenerative environments. Expanding the conversation to include everyone in the Pacific community will help us reach that goal.”

It takes a village While undertaking a major renovation of the Quad residence halls on the Stockton Campus, the Division of Student Life had to figure out what to do with hundreds of old bed frames, dressers and desks.

Rather than throw them in the landfill, they found a better option— donating the items to area nonprofits and homeless shelters.

The move reflects a shared sense of responsibility at Pacific for incorporating sustainability practices into all aspects of university life. These practices are amplified by Pacific’s first comprehensive, university-wide sustainability plan.

The new plan lays the blueprint for a multi-faceted approach to cultivating a campus climate deeply committed to lowering its carbon

footprint and ensuring resources are available for current and future generations.

Wide-ranging initiatives include incorporating sustainability into more academic courses, increasing funding for sustainability research, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and reaching zero waste at large university events, among many other efforts.

The new goals complement existing practices that have made Pacific a national leader. Solar canopies installed over parking lots in 2022 generate 30% of the energy consumed on the Stockton Campus, making it No. 3 among private universities in on-campus, renewable energy generation.

The university also uses 100% non-potable water for irrigation on the Stockton Campus, is ranked in the Top 10 in the Sustainable Campus Index for sustainable food and dining practices among universities around the world, and more than 70% of university fleet vehicles are electric.

1,400

lbs

of produce were harvested last year from the Ted and Chris Robb Garden on the Stockton Campus and distributed weekly to students. The garden also is used as a living laboratory for students and the community to learn how to grow produce sustainably.

Left: Karson BurtonReeder ‘25 in the Ted and Chris Robb Garden

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CLIMATE OF CHANGE

Investing in change

U

niversity of the Pacific is taking measures to combat climate change by considering environmental factors for the first time in the university’s investment portfolio.

The Board of Regents agreed to several measures, including establishing a working group comprised of students, staff, faculty and investment advisors to understand and discuss opportunities and challenges related to environmental concerns.

“We want to be good global citizens and do our part to help the planet,” said Regent Evan Dreyfuss ’86, chair of the Board of Regents’ investment committee.

“Pacific is going to outlive all of us, so we have to figure out: how do we make sure that we are sustainable?”

The university currently has 7.6% of its $570 million endowment invested in the energy sector. Pacific is working closely with investment firm Cambridge and Associates to explore options for clean energy investments.

“We want to start by targeting investments that offer flexibility and that will have the most impact,” said Chief Financial Officer James Walsh. “We want to make sure we are balancing the needs of the environment while also being good stewards of the endowment for our students.”

The university distributed $18.9 million from donor-fueled endowments in 2023, supporting nearly 1,300 students with scholarships as well as funding instructional, academic and student activities.

A working group of faculty, students and other stakeholders will be assembled to weigh in on the university’s plans and keep the campus community informed.

ASuop, the university’s student government, advocated for an environmental investment plan and partnered with university leaders and regents in developing the plan.

“For someone like myself who is really passionate about the environment and finding ways we can be more sustainable, I am really happy we are making this move,” said recent graduate Marissa Gandolfo-Gillaspy ’23, who was a member of ASuop’s sus-

tainability committee. “It’s in the right direction and it’s being talked about and students are getting more knowledgeable.”

A dashboard will be created to communicate future plans to the campus community.

Pacific hopes to use the experience as a learning opportunity for students.

“We have a student investment fund (and) we have engineering students who could chime in on different solutions, so this could also be very beneficial from a teaching standpoint,” Dreyfuss said.

Pacific becomes only the sixth private university in California to have an environmental plan for investments, joining University of Southern California, Loyola Marymount University, Pitzer College, California Institute of the Arts and Stanford University, according to BestColleges.com.

The university distributed

18.9M

$

from donor-fueled endowments, supporting nearly

1,300 students

with scholarships, as well as funding instructional, academic and student activities in 2023.

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For someone like myself who is really passionate about the environment and finding ways we can be more sustainable, I am really happy we are making this move.

It’s in the right direction and it’s being talked about, and students are getting more knowledgeable.

Marissa Gandolfo-Gillaspy ’23

Finding a sustainable solution

30

%

of the energy on the Stockton Campus is generated from solar arrays.

Pacific is only the

6th private university in California to have an environmental plan for investments.

The Alex G. Spanos Center, home to the men’s and women’s basketball programs and indoor volleyball, is unlike any other. The flagship facility is one of the largest in the West Coast Conference with a distinct style.

“It’s architecturally unique. To use the young people’s word, it has its own vibe,” said women’s basketball coach Bradley Davis. “That’s what you want in college basketball. You want an arena that has its own feel and atmosphere because that’s when home court advantage kicks in.”

But beneath the polished floorboards, which sit below the water table, the facility is being threatened by rising groundwater. It’s become an increasing issue in recent years.

Pacific has found a unique solution to the problem—pumping out water beneath the building and using it to irrigate the 175-acre grounds of the Stockton Campus, known

for its lush green spaces, ivy covered buildings and vibrant rose gardens.

This winter, a monitoring system will be installed to manage water levels. Work on the irrigation elements will begin in 2025.

Nearly all water used for irrigation currently comes from the Calaveras River, which runs through campus.

A central computerized irrigation control system managed by Pacific’s Physical Plant closely monitors and adjusts water use.

Water from beneath the Spanos Center will be tied into the existing system and will be used first for irrigation needs, with Calaveras River water used to augment supply if needed.

Pacific has been using computerized irrigation systems for nearly 20 years to ensure the minimum amount of water is used to irrigate the campus. They are adjusted almost daily to account for the weather and other factors.

With the new system, Pacific will be able to use less water from the river while still maintaining the grounds.

“I think it’s great. Sustainability-wise it’s what we need to be doing more often. We’ve got a problem, and if you can find a way to make it a solution for something else, that’s a winwin,” Davis said.

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CLIMATE OF CHANGE

Changemaking research

O

ngoing research in the Sierra Nevada presented some challenges over the summer for Professor of Geological and Environmental Sciences Laura Rademacher and her team.

First, it was the record-breaking snowfall.

“People were snowshoeing and skiing on the first couple trips this spring. They were definitely not hiking, let alone driving, to the study sites,” Rademacher said.

Then, it was the bears, which—as it turns out—are highly attracted to the ethanol traps used to collect bugs at the site.

“The bears have just been wreaking havoc on our traps,” said Jenny Dagnino ’23, an undergraduate student assisting with the research.

After making modifications to the traps and getting a break from the snow, the team was able to move forward with its work exploring the impacts of climate change on mountain groundwater systems and the ecosystems they support.

The work is vitally important to the Central Valley of California, which receives much of its water from the Sierra Nevada.

“You can think of the mountains as water towers,” said Zach Meyers, a postdoctoral researcher who is working on the project. “The snowpack in the mountains is what feeds the rivers and reservoirs.”

Rademacher received a grant of more than $400,000 from the National Science Foundation to conduct the research alongside John Umek, an aquatic ecologist at the Desert Research Institute at Reno. Myers, Dagnino and a second undergraduate student, Jackson Morgan ’24, are working with them.

The team works at Sagehen, near Truckee, California. The site has been monitored for various research projects for decades, making it an ideal location to evaluate changes over time.

“We’ve noticed that some of the springs are behaving differently this year, and that’s a really interesting finding,” Rademacher said. “If you think about the bugs, the reason they live in these springs is because they like a stable environment. If there are big changes, it may no longer be so friendly for some of those bugs.”

Dagnino is studying these springdwelling bugs more closely with the help of her advisor, Professor of Biological Sciences Ryan Hill.

She received a grant through Pacific’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, which provides funding for student research.

Dagnino took numerous trips to the site to set up emergence traps, a pyramid-shaped net used to capture insects.

Undergraduates Jackson Morgan ’24 and Jenny Dagnino ’23 collect water samples during a trip to Sagehen Experimental Forest in 2022.

She is hoping the work will be useful to future researchers, but it’s already providing invaluable experience. “We can only learn so much from class lectures, so these opportunities give us the experience to be well-rounded in our fields of study and for our future careers,” Dagnino said.

Digging for solutions The changing climate poses a risk for one of California’s most lucrative industries—winemaking.

With funding provided by Pacific, two professors are exploring ways to increase its sustainability.

Professor of Biology Paul Orwin and Professor of Chemistry Skylar Carlson were awarded an interdisciplinary grant to study a certain type of bacteria, called Variovorax, that has the potential to increase plants’ ability to resist disease and drought.

“We will look at the microorganisms that live around the roots of plants to understand how they help them grow faster,” Orwin said.

“We want to understand how the microbes communicate with plants and how chemicals produced by microbes can help plants

Left: A colony of Variovorax on a petri dish from the lab of Professor of Biology Paul Orwin and Professor of Chemistry Skylar Carlson.

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Driven to create change A committed and quickly growing group of students have created the university’s first solar car club with the goal of building a vehicle that runs entirely on solar power.

The team is designing a car that can compete in the Formula Sun Grand Prix, a national solar car challenge, with the ultimate goal of making it to the World Solar Challenge, which takes place every two years in Australia.

The club was formed in early 2022 and students have made steady progress with guidance from their faculty advisor, Assistant Professor Dongbin Lee. “We want to show the world that good stuff is coming out of Stockton and University of the Pacific,” said mechanical engineering major Aleksei Macatuno ’25, the club’s president and founder. “We also want to show the community that students graduating from Pacific are coming out with sustainability and climate change in mind.” grow faster with potentially less water and less fertilizer.”

Long term, the findings could help winemakers grow grapes in the Central Valley using less resource-intense methods.

The two-year grant will allow Orwin and Carlson to collect data, which will open the door for external funding to further their research. Biochemistry major Elisabeth Garner ’25 and biology graduate student Christina Zhang ’23, ’25 will assist with the research.

Creating climate changemakers Sustainability is woven into the curriculum at Pacific, offering perspectives through multiple frameworks, including history, sociology, communication and law.

“That’s the value of a liberal arts education,” said Professor of Sociology Marcia Hernandez. “We can provide students with the training to tackle these problems, and you can’t do it solely from one perspective.”

Through thought-provoking courses and student-led projects, Pacific is helping students develop the knowledge and skills they need to think deeply about sustainability in the community and globally.

Immersed in the community Through College Corps, students are tackling service-learning projects in critical focus areas—including climate action.

College Corps is a state program in which students earn stipends in exchange for participating in community service assignments.

The projects are deemed essential in the San Joaquin Valley where there are concerns over poor water and air quality.

Psychology major Kayla Perrott ’25 worked with the Edible Schoolyard Project during the 2022-23 academic year. The Stockton nonprofit is a community garden and learning space.

“The area where the Edible Schoolyard is located is a food desert…It acts as a home for people to be able to access fresh produce that they would otherwise have to drive five to 10 miles away to get,” Perrot said. “We also have educational field trips with nearby schools to help kids learn where food comes from, how they can grow their own food and be environmentally mindful, such as composting and recycling.”

Two other College Corps fellows assisted the city of Stockton with its request for proposals for a new climate action plan.

We also want to show the community that students graduating from Pacific are coming out with sustainability and climate change in mind.

Aleksei Macatuno ’25

Through a different lens Teresa Bergman, professor of communication and department chair, embarked on an arctic expedition with 29 artists and educators over the summer to document the effects of climate change.

During the two-and-a-half-week trip to Svalbard, Norway, Bergman interviewed others on the expedition about how they communicate climate change through art.

Students in Bergman’s fall documentary film production class used the interviews and video she recorded to produce their own documentaries.

“I am not a traditional environmental scholar; I’m a communication scholar.

The university had the wherewithal and the insight to realize that these things do intersect,” Bergman said. “They saw me as a very active and engaged scholar and were willing to invest in how communication around climate change takes place in art, science and education. For that, I am so thankful. It was a life-changing event.”

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STEPPING OUT

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STEPPING OUT Learning and Serving Beyond the Classroom

University of the Pacific is more than an academic institution–it is a launchpad for visionaries, trailblazers and changemakers. When students set foot on campus, they begin to gain important skills and develop rich personal networks that propel them to success as global problem-solvers and civic leaders. From studying the behavior of atoms in Switzerland, to administering essential dental care in Guatemala, to giving back at local nonprofits, Pacific students don’t just excel in the classroom. They amplify their impact in their communities and around the world.

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STEPPING OUT

COMMUNITY SERVICE EMBEDDED IN THE FABRIC OF PACIFIC Through classroom and volunteer experiences, Pacific students contribute thousands of hours annually to bettering their communities. Thanks to a campus culture rooted in service and initiatives that bolster it, students are seeking ways to directly incorporate service into their college experiences locally and globally.

DAY OF SERVICE IMMERSES PACIFICANS IN HELPING During the inaugural Day of Service on August 26, more than 350 students, staff and faculty members came together to spend the day engaged in community service projects throughout Stockton. Students and university leaders boarded buses where they were shuttled to 20 nonprofits and agencies, including animal shelters, community gardens, city parks, churches and elementary schools.

“We want service to be a part of the Pacific experience, and we believe it should start as soon as students step on campus,” said Kim Montenegro, director of religious and spiritual life, who organized the event.

That’s why the event was wrapped into Pacific Welcome, a week of festivities designed to welcome new and returning students to campus and the Stockton community.

Participants were randomly assigned to volunteer sites with no prior knowledge or skillsets taken into consideration.

“So we could have a cabinet member who doesn’t know anything about that site, but we may have a student who has a deep knowledge. And that allows the usual expert to become the learner and the learner to become the teacher, which creates a new dynamic with our students that I think is really beautiful,” said Montenegro.

Volunteers spent the day cleaning kennels at the Stockton Animal Shelter, pruning and planting at Stockton’s Edible Schoolyard Community Farm, assembling hygiene bags for the unhoused—even baking cookies for the Greek Food Festival at Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church.

“It was nice to get to know people who have the same interests in serving the community as you do,” said Katelyn Leyva, a first-year student. “It was great to encounter all these opportunities that you have to just give back to your community that’s always been there for you.”

For Montenegro, it all comes back to an ethos of service at the very heart of Pacific’s identity. “When we think about service as a value and who we want to be, it’s different than what we do. It is part of who we are,” she said.

“One thing we’re all called to do is to serve. And so it’s kind of the unifying factor that we can all come together around.”

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LEGAL CLINICS HELP UNDERSERVED IN SACRAMENTO In Sacramento, McGeorge School of Law’s Community Legal Services operates as a pro-bono law firm, providing accessible legal help to underserved community members through its seven legal clinics.

Maritza Ortiz-Urrutia, a secondyear law student and Sacramento native, reflected on her experience in McGeorge’s immigration law clinic this past summer.

“As a first-generation daughter to immigrant parents, I have experienced first-hand how challenging it can be navigating the immigration system without legal representation,” she said. “This summer has been so special because I not only gained professional skills in client interviewing, developing a case plan for my clients, and preparing declarations, but I also learned to

do it in Spanish to serve our Latino community in Oak Park.”

SPRING BREAK SERVICE TRIP Pacific students and faculty also spread their service wings abroad.

From the San Francisco Campus, a group of 12 students and four faculty members at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry spent their spring break providing vital dental care to children and adults in Guatemala.

Services included cleanings, restorations, extractions, root canal therapies, and fluoride applications.

“The service trip to Guatemala was an experience of a lifetime,” said Ethan Madison ’23. “We were able to render dental care for over 100 patients, most of whom received multiple treatments addressing a range of issues. A unique aspect of the trip was that most patients would stay in the clinic until we were

all finished. As a result, we would witness our patients’ joy attributed to their dental experience throughout the whole day.”

STOCKTON, CA 37.9577° N 121.2908° W Left: Students spend the day in community service projects for the inaugural Day of Service on August 26.

COLLEGE CORPS LINKS STUDENTS WITH NONPROFITS, SCHOOLS AND MORE The #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program stands as a testament to the university’s strong legacy of student engagement in the region. Pacific is one of only four private universities selected to take part in the state program with its focus on high-impact community service that also helps students pay for college.

During the program, 90 students commit to 450 hours of community service during the academic year in organizations focused on K-12 education, food insecurity, climate action and community health, and earn up to $10,000 toward the cost of college annually.

This year’s cohort logged an impressive 33,263 hours of service—an accomplishment that has Chanel Page ’26 beaming with pride.

“We are excited about the impact we made in Stockton and the surrounding area,” said Page, who returned for another year in the program. She is working with Parklane School in the Lodi Unified School District. “We helped families and children and gave them a better outlook on life.

We are determined to do so again this year.”

GUATEMALA 15.7835° N 90.2308° W Left: A group of students and faculty members from the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry spent their spring break providing vital dental care to children and adults in Guatemala.

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STEPPING OUT

Q+A

LOCAL/GLOBAL INTERNSHIPS THERESA HUYNH ‘23 graduated with a bachelor of music in music therapy. They interned at Silverado Beverly Place, a memory care community in Los Angeles.

What have you learned about yourself? What I learned is I can still be myself while leading a session. I might look like an extroverted version of myself, but I still feel true to myself when connecting and engaging with the residents.

Has the internship influenced your ideas about your career? When I first came to Pacific, I had the idea of using music therapy to help people recover from strokes, working with an interdisciplinary team with other physical and speech therapists.

I would still love to work with patients with strokes. But this internship has broadened my ideas of what I want to do.

What has surprised you the most?

Dementia is a progressive disease.

But music therapy maximizes patients’ capacities to connect with their environments and with themselves. There are a couple of patients who recognize who I am, as the person that brings them music, and just light up when they see me. It’s very gratifying that they know who I am because of how it makes them feel.

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DEVIN THOMPSON will graduate in May 2025 with bachelor’s degrees in speech-language pathology and psychology. He interned at the DREAM Project, which provides education and opportunities to children and young adults in the Dominican Republic.

Tell us about your internship: My internship was in the Dominican Republic. I started in Santo Domingo, where I learned the history and culture of the country. Then we went to Cabarete, where I worked in a children’s clinic. My client was a sevenyear-old girl who stuttered and we worked on different techniques to increase her fluency.

What have you learned about yourself? I learned more about my

ability to adapt to different situations. My client was very energetic and talkative, but she would also get bored easily and want to do something else. I would typically go with what she was doing, but focus on the things that I wanted her to improve in. That ability to pivot and stay on your toes and willingness to adapt to situations was very helpful.

What has surprised you the most?

Honestly, all of it was very surprising, because it was a very different environment compared to California.

The Spanish they speak there is very different. Even though I come from Mexican heritage, they sometimes had no idea what I was saying. The whole experience was so different, but it was wonderful.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 18.7357° N 70.1627° W Above: Devin Thompson ’25 Speech Language Pathology

ROSABELLA LOPEZ will graduate with bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and education and her teaching credential in May 2024. She interned at El Concilio California’s Astronaut José M. Hernández Academy.

LODI, CA 38.1341° N 121.2722° W Below: Rosabella Lopez ’24 Spanish and Education

What have you learned about yourself? I realized how impactful one person can be—on the students themselves, on the school and then on the families. Because I am bilingual, I was blessed to be able to communicate with the parents and families, and they were so appreciative. Seeing the impact and the joy that it brought was humbling.

Has the internship influenced your ideas about your career? It really cemented my goal of becoming an educator in the community, my passion for being an educator and my why: I want to serve the community that served me and serve it in a way that I can cause an impact on others.

well at school. You know the family and you’ve made a connection that first will build up the student and then the community.

What has surprised you the most?

I was surprised by how much students can grow. If you put yourself and your work into it, that effort can make such a big impact. It matters for the student to know you’re not just a teacher who wants them to do

Describe your internship: My major responsibility is safety in the manufacturing workplace, but I have worked with the director of injection molding on milling machine parts and the quality inspector on packing and assessing products.

I also have shadowed extrusion molding machining repair and injection molding.

MATTHEW KYLE CHANG will graduate in May 2025 with bachelor of science and master of science degrees in mechanical engineering.

What skills or insights have you gained? During the first two months of my co-op, I learned about plastic container manufacturing and project management of product development. I have gained experience with problem solving, diagnostic report writing, die-setting, machining techniques and different techniques of plastic molding; increased my competence in PowerPoint, Excel and CAD; and improved my research and critical thinking skills.

Has the internship influenced your ideas about your career?

I’m learning what it is like to be a mechanical engineer in real work scenarios. I have built my skills. I have been challenged by technical puzzles and found outside-of-thebox solutions. I have enjoyed the ways that the internship has built on the classes I’ve taken at Pacific, as well as the opportunity to work with different people across the factory and the hands-on experiences I’ve been gaining.

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STEPPING OUT

SPAIN 40.4637° N 3.7492° W Left: Members of the women’s basketball team stand in front of the Royal Palace of Madrid during an international trip to Spain.

PACIFIC GOES ABROAD Pacific’s rich legacy of international education traces back to the innovative cluster colleges— Raymond, Callison and Covell—and the pioneering School of International Studies. Today, study abroad remains a tenant of the Pacific experience.

Students studied abroad in more than 12 countries spanning six continents last year, a testament to the university’s commitment to cultivating civic leaders and global problem-solvers.

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LONDON, ENGLAND 51.5072° N 0.1276° W Right: Rebecca Neel ’24 Media X

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA 37.5519° N 126.9918° E Left: Kanika Khemka ‘24 Music Industry Studies

CANNES, FRANCE 43.5528° N 7.0174° E Left: Charlie Ostner ’26 Media X

AUSTRALIA 25.2744° S 133.7751° E Right: Matthew Kyle Chang ‘25 Mechanical Engineering

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STEPPING OUT

BEYOND RESEARCH USING A SWISS SYNCHROTRON Twice a year, Pacific students travel to Europe with Bálint Sztáray, professor of chemistry, to conduct scientific research at the Swiss Light Source synchrotron, which is part of the Paul Scherrer Institut in Villigen, Switzerland.

The circular particle accelerator produces an intense light-emitting electron beam which is directed into channels called beamlines. These are connected to custom-designed instruments that allow researchers to conduct experiments with intense ultraviolet and X-ray radiation.

Sztáray and his students are investigating the ways molecules break apart after an electron is removed by ultraviolet light. These research trips offer particularly valuable experience for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers—and, sometimes, interested undergraduate students.

“Working with such high-quality, highly innovative instruments—stateof-the-art instruments—it’s really interesting to say the least,” said Luka Dockx, a first-year student in the Pharmaceutical and Chemical Sciences PhD program specializing in physical chemistry, who traveled to Switzerland in March and August.

“To be able to tinker with those instruments, and set up measurements independently—I think that’s very valuable, and it has taught me a lot for the future,” he said.

SWITZERLAND 46.8182° N 8.2275° W Right: Luka Dockx Pharmaceutical and Chemical Sciences PhD program

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ITALY 41.8719° N 12.5674° E Right: (left) Secondyear law student Sunny Gorba, (right) second-year law student Yanin Oretga

“Participating in the design, fabrication and use—often including troubleshooting—of custom-built high-tech instruments gives skills that are unattainable otherwise. This places our students at an advantage,” says Sztáray.

Gathering, processing and interpreting the data from research trips is a rich educational experience. And co-authoring scientific papers—close to 50 have resulted from this collaboration—provides valuable material for curricula vitae.

Sztáray’s experiments at the Swiss Light Source go hand-in-hand with the theoretical work of fellow Pacific chemistry professor Anthony Dutoi. Their collaboration is supported by a National Science Foundation grant for $525,000 over three years.

STUDYING INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL PROCEDURE IN ITALY In May, having completed her first year at McGeorge School of Law, Yanin Ortega arrived in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy to take up a short-term research post at the University of Parma.

An interest in criminal law in the United States motivated her to look for an international perspective.

Organized through the law school’s European Law in Practice internship program, Ortega’s experience was designed to give her an in-depth understanding of the Italian legal system, research experience and insights into international criminal law.

Ortega worked with Stefano Maffei, a lecturer in criminal procedure at the University of Parma who also teaches at the University of Catanzaro.

“A lot of my research focused on the European Court of Human Rights, where individuals bring claims or challenges to their solitary confinement or their imprisonment, and on how they brought those claims,” said Ortega. “It was interesting to see how, although different countries bring these cases, the way that they do the analysis for it is so uniform.”

She also had the opportunity to work with Maffei on a week-long conference on

international extradition law. That experience sparked her professional interest in the subject.

“There were all of these incredibly smart people from other countries in one room talking about what they specialize in. I thought it was absolutely fascinating and I was so grateful to be a fly on the wall,” said Ortega.

CONDUCTING PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH IN UGANDA When Bill Herrin first traveled to Kampala, Uganda, for a Fulbright fellowship at Makerere University in 1994, he had little idea of the repercussions the trip would have in his life and the lives of Pacific students over the decades that followed.

During two years at Makerere, for which he received two Fulbright awards, Herrin became close friends with now-retired Ambassador Arsene Balihuta, a member of the university’s faculty who came to Pacific as a visiting faculty member in the School of International Studies in 2014.

Another important contact was Grace Bulenzi Gulere, who Herrin taught as an undergraduate and master’s student during both of his Fulbright years, before she joined the Uganda Bureau of Statistics.

With their assistance, Herrin and Courtney Jensen, an associate professor in the health, exercise and sport science department, set up a summer internship program

for their students at the Uganda Bureau of Statistics in 2016.

“The most recent project looked at why so many kids there are very short for their ages (technically defined as stunted). It’s a mystery, because there’s so much food there, and it’s cheap,” said Herrin. “So we did a research project that shows the problem was largely due to a lack of dietary diversity from consuming way too much of one staple food with little nutritional value, including no zinc, which is crucial to growth.

And that explains a lot.”

The internship program ended in 2019 and was not immediately resumed after COVID. Herrin retired in 2023, receiving the prestigious Order of the Pacific, the university’s highest honor.

Now, as a professor emeritus, Herrin is working to revive the internship program in some form. After re-establishing contact with Bulenzi Gulere and others in Uganda, Herrin traveled to Kampala in November.

“Time abroad for U.S. students who haven’t yet traveled would be, I’m pretty sure, their single most important learning experience regardless of their major,” said Herrin. “Why? They learn about the world in ways they cannot in a classroom and, more importantly, they learn a lot about themselves, especially in a very poor country like Uganda.”

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GRANTED

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grantED University of the Pacific had one of the best years for government grants in school history, securing 62 grants from federal, state and county agencies totaling more than $36 million, the most in 15 years.

The dramatic increase during fiscal year 2023—double the amount awarded to Pacific in 2022—was driven by three of the university’s largest grants, which will allow Pacific to address the complex needs of mental health services in the community.

Prestigious grants obtained by faculty also are furthering research with real-world implications, from overcoming opioid overdoses to combating mosquito-borne diseases.

“This is a reflection of the exceptional work our faculty are doing to address pressing issues,” said David Ojcius, assistant provost for research and scholarship. “These grants will have a significant impact on the community.”

See how Pacific is finding solutions to pressing problems while preparing the next generation of critical-thinkers, compassionate counselors and cutting-edge scientists.

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GRANTED

SUPPORT FILLING THE NEED FOR SOCIAL WORKERS The fall 2023 cohort in Pacific’s Master of Social Work program within the School of Health Sciences is its largest by far.

The program enrolled 2.5 times more students than the previous year, a direct result of the $6 million grant the school obtained in 2022 from the California Department of Health Care Access and Information.

The grant, the largest awarded to the School of Health Sciences, has allowed the program to offer generous student stipends, create a new behavioral health specialization and hire an additional faculty member.

Pacific received the largest grant among the 23 schools funded. The grant is intended to improve access to behavioral health care in California. A 2018 report from the Healthforce Center at UCSF found the San Joaquin Valley has a lower ratio of social workers per capita than any other region in California.

“There’s a lack of social workers in the workforce in general, and then mental health needs have also really increased. It’s a perfect storm.

There is a crisis in mental health, especially in San Joaquin County,” said Chair and Program Director Amanda West.

Nick Patel ’24, part of the fall 2023 cohort, sees the need firsthand. He works as a case manager at Community Medical Centers, interacting with patients throughout San Joaquin County. “I think I can be a greater voice and have a greater impact on people’s lives with this degree,” he said.

The new behavioral health track will enable students to specialize in child and youth mental health, trauma, grief and substance use, among other areas.

Students receive support from the grant in the form of $10,000 stipends that can be used however they choose, which Patel calls a “gift from God.”

GRANT

from the California Department of Health Care Access and Information for Pacific’s Master of Social Work program

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“We’re not going to be doctors when we’re done, so it’s not like our salaries are going to increase dramatically right away. It’s a blessing to know there are programs that can help assist us with our financial needs,” Patel said.

Paid internships also are being offered through a new partnership with HealthForce Partners. With the intention of educating more students who will remain in the area when they graduate, the internship program requires participants to live in San Joaquin County.

“People want someone they can relate to because mental health is so stigmatized already. Being able to go to someone who is from your own community is huge,” West said.

EXPANDING SERVICES IN K-12 SCHOOLS The shortage of mental health providers in some K-12 schools in the San Joaquin Valley is staggering. In one school district, there are only three school psychologists and three counselors for more than 6,600 students.

A $5.6 million grant awarded to Benerd College is helping to change those numbers.

The funding from the U.S. Department of Education will cover the cost of tuition for graduate students in Benerd’s counseling and school psychology programs who will provide mental health services to high-need schools in the region.

The five-year grant covers tuition for eight graduate students a year for a total of 40 students.

“This grant will make a marked difference for our area schools, which are struggling to meet the mental health needs of their students,” said Project Lead and Associate Professor Amy Scott Brown. “Schools are often the first— and sometimes only—resource for students to access mental health care.”

Pacific has partnered with 23 local education agencies where graduate students will do their fieldwork and internships. After graduation, students must commit to work in one of the partner school districts for the number of years they were supported by the program.

“Having my tuition covered in my last year of the school psychology program and a paid internship will greatly aid in the overall cost of my education,” said Victoria Pacajoj Santos ’24. “I’m excited to intern in a high-needs district and provide much-needed mental health services to the school-aged population.”

In one school district in the San Joaquin Valley, there are only six mental health professionals for more than 6,600 students.

TRANSFORMING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN CALIFORNIA McGeorge School of Law is helping local governments make transformative changes to mental health services in California with an innovative pilot program launched in fall 2023.

The goal is to provide a shift in mindset and a new set of tools that behavioral health departments and their partner agencies can use to bolster the system’s development of preventative to intensive care that supports the goal of reducing homelessness, incarceration and hospitalizations among people with untreated mental health conditions.

“Local governments often struggle to manage the complex mental health services vulnerable populations need,” said Adjunct Professor of Law James Mayer. “We will work directly with people on the front lines to help them develop the skills and tools they need to make substantive changes that are focused on recovery.”

The law school received a $5 million grant from the state’s Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission to develop the pilot program, which was created in partnership with Third Sector Capital Partners, the California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions and the Stanford University Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing.

Three counties were selected to participate in the inaugural nine-month program, dubbed the Transformational Change Partnership. Each county team will bring six to eight people from a mixture of behavioral health agencies and community partners representing their organization’s leadership as well as front line staff.

“This is one of the elements that is quite unique but also extraordinarily important,” said Program Director Jason Willis. “We want to encourage a lot of cross-sector partnership among government agencies, but simultaneously engage local community partners. Imagine having somebody who has been living in that community for decades having an opportunity to steer the way the behavioral health department rolls out a new initiative.”

The work is intended to advance the goals of the Mental Health Services Act passed by California voters in 2004. The legislation calls for sweeping changes to the state’s mental health system.

Nearly 2 million adults in California who are eligible for public mental health services say they have received no treatment or support, according to a 2020 report from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

“The stakes are high,” Willis said. “The hope is that this becomes a valuable asset for governmental and non-governmental agencies in California.”

Local governments often struggle to manage the complex mental health services vulnerable populations need.

We will be working directly with people on the front lines to help them develop the skills and tools they need to make substantive changes that are focused on recovery.

James Mayer Adjunct Professor of Law

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GRANTED

RESEARCH

Professor Mamoun M. Alhamadsheh

FINDING A BETTER ANTIDOTE TO OPIOID OVERDOSES Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy Professor Mamoun M. Alhamadsheh is working to discover a more potent and longer lasting antidote for opioid overdoses with the support of a prestigious $1.7 million federal grant from the National Institutes of Health.

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The research is urgently needed.

Illicit synthetic opioids such as fentanyl account for about two-thirds of drug overdose deaths in the United States.

“Current antidotes are not very effective with synthetic opioids because the opioids stay in the body much longer than the antidotes, which causes people to relapse and

stop breathing again,” Alhamadsheh said. “That’s why many patients may require multiple doses of the antidote after the initial rescue.”

A team of students including graduate students Hala Aldawod ’24, Joshua Ho ’24, Arjun Patel ’24 and Rasha Emara ’24 and recent graduates Dengpan Liang ’22 and Md Tariqul Haque Tuhin ’22 is working with antidotes already approved by the Food and Drug Administration— naloxone, known as Narcan, and nalmefene—to extend

their duration in the body to 24 hours or more.

Aldawod provided the majority of the preliminary data using a novel drug delivery approach previously discovered by Alhamadsheh. Aldawod optimized the technology for countering overdoses by designing a new molecule that stays in the body and releases the antidote slowly rather than all at once.

“The significance of this finding is tremendous. This is the first time someone has increased the half-life of naloxone, while maintaining its full efficacy. The beauty of our approach is that we are empowering drugs that are already approved by the FDA,” Alhamadsheh said.

Aldawod was drawn to the research after learning of the dramatic increase in overdose deaths among high school students in the United States, which has more than doubled since 2019.

“Many of these kids were taking pills that they thought were Xanax, not knowing it was laced with fentanyl. I want to do something to protect them from overdoses,” Aldawod said.

The team is currently optimizing the technology to eventually allow for moving the lead antidotes to clinical trials.

COMBATING INSECTICIDE RESISTANCE Researchers at Pacific are working to answer a problem plaguing Northern California—why are mosquitoes that can transmit West Nile Virus becoming resistant to insecticide?

Associate Professor of Biology Tara Thiemann was awarded $500,000 in research funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study the issue over five years.

“We’re comparing samples from 10 to 15 years ago to the present day to see if we can figure out the triggers,” Thiemann said. “The goal is to give vector control districts information about resistance that they can use to inform their choices about what works best to control the mosquitoes in their areas.”

The research provides an ideal opportunity to train future scientists, a crucial component of the grant. The urgent need for more scientists and public health workers was highlighted during the 2016 Zika outbreak.

Natalie Linker ’24, a graduate student in the Master of Biology program, is one of the students helping to collect samples, perform tests and analyze data.

Associate Professor of Biology Tara Thiemann was awarded

in research funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Associate Professor Tara Thiemann

“Over the summer I set traps in rice fields in Sacramento and Yolo County and am doing an abundance survey to see how well an insecticide treatment is working,” she said. Her work then moved into the lab during the fall.

“It’s the best way to learn,” Linker said. “My understanding of vector-borne diseases has really developed through this project. I read dozens of research papers leading up to starting my project and none of it has compared to the amount that I’ve learned by doing it.”

Pacific is one of seven institutions collaborating on the research as part of a larger grant awarded to the Pacific Southwest Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases.

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Pulling

Back the

Curtain Behind the scenes with Pacific Opera Theatre

For nearly 80 years, students in the Conservatory of Music’s Opera Theatre program have captivated audiences with performances that garner national recognition.

Most recently, the program’s 2022 production of “The Threepenny Opera” by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill won first place in its division of the National Opera Association’s production competition—the fourth time Pacific has earned the honor.

Awe-inspiring arias and breathtaking productions were first performed at Pacific in 1946. The program was founded by distinguished German music critic Lucas Underwood, who came to America with his wife in 1940 to escape Nazi persecution. After teaching in Kentucky for six years, he moved to Pacific where he taught until his retirement in the 1970s, putting

Pacific and Stockton on the operatic map where it has remained.

In 2001, Pacific was chosen to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., as part of the American College Theater Festival. Its production of the Cinderella story, “La Cenerentola,” marked the first time an opera was selected for the festival.

Three other productions have also earned recognition from the Kennedy Center–American College Theatre Festival. Opera alumni have gone on to perform at major opera houses and concert halls in the United States and around the world, including the San Francisco Opera, the Royal Opera House, Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Metropolitan Opera.

The strength of Pacific’s opera program is stellar vocal training coupled with robust acting preparation.

“My colleagues and I have created a program that trains performers so that when they walk into the rehearsal hall, they have all the skills they need. Most professional singers I’ve directed in the past don’t have much formal acting training,” said Professor of Opera James Haffner.

“Pacific is unique in how we help our students develop that skill set. It has to be student centered. If I see something in rehearsal, the next day I evolve the lesson plan so I can include something they need right now.

I’m constantly checking in with the students and looking at what they need in the bigger picture.”

See how Pacific is training the next generation of standout performers and the preparation students go through to make their productions sing.

Photo: Students in Pacific’s Opera Theatre program perform “Into the Woods” by Stephen Sondheim for their 2023 spring production, a tale of beloved fairy tale characters who cross paths as they try to accomplish individual goals.

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“The process of a show isn’t just learning the acting or the music. It’s about experiencing the emotions and the characters. That’s the beauty of theater.”

Filo Ebid ’23

Filo Ebid

Abby Van De Water ‘23 and former Stage and Technical Director James Gonzales work with other members of the stage crew to transform Faye Spanos from a concert hall to a theatrical venue a few weeks before showtime by installing new lights, laying down a stage floor and hanging a projector.

Students take part in a sitzprobe, a rehearsal where the cast sings with the orchestra for the first time.

SCAN TO WATCH VIDEO

Jonathan Singer, an assistant professor at San Joaquin Delta College, designed 24 intricate costumes for the production. “The

costumes are very elaborate and delicate. They look amazing,” said Alexis Bondoc ‘24, who had the role of Little Red Riding Hood.

Brylan Finley ’23, who played the role of the baker’s wife, rehearses with other students. Productions are selected with current students in mind to best showcase their talents.

Hanna Grossenbacher ‘24 is fitted for her wig to perform the role of Florinda. Nineteen wigs were handcrafted for students with each performer also receiving personalized makeup training for their character.

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Q& NEW LEADERS

WITH PROVOST

Gretchen Edwalds-Gilbert

A

Gretchen Edwalds-Gilbert joined Pacific in July from Scripps College where she was acting vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty, the top academic post.

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As provost, she works sideby-side with faculty, deans, staff and the President’s Cabinet to build new and innovative curricula and improve all dimensions of the student experience.

She has direct responsibility for the university’s nine schools and colleges across its campuses in Stockton, Sacramento and San Francisco; more than 1,250 faculty and staff; and 6,300 students.

During her time at Scripps College, EdwaldsGilbert also spent six years as associate dean of the faculty—the No. 2 academic post—and was a biology professor at Scripps, Claremont McKenna College and Pitzer College.

A molecular biologist, Edwalds-Gilbert earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Weill Medical College of Cornell University/SloanKettering Institute and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Swarthmore College.

A

What made Pacific the right place for you? I was drawn to Pacific because of its commitment to students. It’s a very student-centered university at all levels: undergraduate, graduate and professional. The way faculty and students work together—it’s something I’ve done my whole professional career.

The president is also a big reason I came here. He is very forward thinking. He didn’t want a provost who was just going to keep things going.

He wants somebody who is helping advance the goals of the school, which are really mission driven, to be the best comprehensive, student-centered school in the country.

From your perspective, what is key to meeting the president’s goal? It’s well on its way. The things we are working on are how do we make sure that all students who come here are successful. What does that mean? And with respect to curriculum, students learn a little differently than they used to, and faculty need to perhaps teach differently.

We are excited about becoming a Hispanic-serving institution (one where 25% of undergraduates are Hispanic or Latino). Our enrollment is there.

We are now saying, “what other programs do we have to make sure all students are successful and thriving?”

What are your top priorities? I want to build on the strengths that are here, such as making sure we are applying for external grant support from the federal government and from foundations. Last year

was a great year for Pacific with respect to getting external funding, and that was true across almost every unit.

What deans have said is some faculty are nervous about applying. I want to help people get over that hurdle and increase the number of applications because success begets success.

How does your background in science and research shape your approach as a leader? I am proudly a molecular biologist. I’m very data driven. I like to explain to other people the decisionmaking process through the lens of data. As provost, you’re always going to have difficult decisions that not everyone is going to agree with, and I accept that. What I want people to understand is, “how did I get there?”

The other thing is how much I value undergraduate research.

It’s not just for science; it can be in all fields, and it must be for all students. There are students who might not be as successful in the classroom who, once they do an independent research project, that’s the thing that helps them say, “Oh, I get it now.” Research is a really important tool for student success and retention.

There have been a lot of changes in the workplace between the pandemic, the launch of ChatGPT and other factors. How can Pacific ensure its students are fully prepared? The most important thing we can do is teach students how to assimilate new information. If we teach them exactly what they need to

know today, they won’t be ready for the workforce, because their information will be outdated.

Whether it’s science, health care or any area, a liberal arts education has the advantage of critical thinking, writing and communication skills. You need to have the deep dive into a specific area so that you have the foundational knowledge, but at the same time, you need that breadth of skills. That’s what prepares them.

What trends are you seeing in higher education and how does Pacific compare?

Pacific is doing a great job of trying to stay on top of the trends, like data analytics and data science. We are also trying to be mindful of employment trends.

What types of programs would both attract students and also prepare them with that strong liberal arts foundation?

I think there are opportunities for more cross-unit collaboration. The deans are all in on thinking about what would that look like to collaborate a bit more, and how can some of the ones that we have already, like music therapy, be enhanced?

Today’s problems, like climate change, are multidisciplinary.

We need to make sure our students see it that way.

GRETCHEN’S FAVORITES: Book: “The Books of Jacob” by Olga Tokarczuk Movie: Greta Gerwig’s version of “Little Women” TV show: “Masterpiece” on PBS Food: Salad – almost any vegetable variety Hobby: Cooking and baking

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NEW LEADERS

New Leaders

Lauren Schoenthaler CHIEF GENERAL COUNSEL

Schoenthaler, a highly regarded higher education legal strategist, joined Pacific in October as chief general counsel.

Schoenthaler came to Pacific from Stanford University where she served as senior university counsel for more than 20 years. Over the course of her career, she has been the lead in-house attorney in many areas, including risk management and litigation, copyright, compliance, privacy, student affairs and others.

As Pacific’s chief legal strategist, Schoenthaler serves on the president’s cabinet, helping to protect the university while moving the institution on a trajectory fueled by innovation, entrepreneurial thinking and bold external partnerships.

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Before joining Stanford, Schoenthaler served as deputy district attorney for Santa Clara County and was an associate attorney at Pillsbury Winthrop, specializing in antitrust, intellectual property and general litigation.

She is a magna cum laude graduate of UC Law in San Francisco and earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Northwestern University.

LAUREN’S FAVORITES: Book: “The Poisonwood Bible” by Barbara Kingsolver Movie: “The Princess Bride” TV show: “Ted Lasso” Food: Chilaquiles with guacamole Hobby or interest: Hiking and travel

Jose Leon DEAN OF STUDENTS

Leon works with students and families to provide support and guidance at critical moments in their educational journeys.

He oversees four key areas of student life at Pacific: the Care Team, which helps students with personal and educational challenges; Services for Students with Disabilities; Career Services; and the Student Conduct and Community Standards Office.

The wide-ranging services ensure students are supported in all aspects of college life, from academics to career counseling to financial challenges and beyond.

BERIT’S FAVORITES:

Leon joined Pacific in January 2023 after four years at Universi-

Book: “A Walk in the Wood: Meditations on Mindfulness with a Bear Named Pooh” by Joseph and Nancy Parent

ty of Nevada, Reno. He previously worked at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and UCLA.

Movie: “Gone in 60 Seconds”

A first-generation college student, Leon grew up in a small farming com-

TV show: “NCIS”

munity in Santa Paula, California.

Food: Salmon

Leon has a master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Hobby or interest: Gardening

Berit Gundersen ’84

and a bachelor’s degree in history

DEAN, THOMAS J. LONG SCHOOL OF PHARMACY

from UCLA.

Gundersen, a well-respected professor, mentor and executive leader at the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy, is now leading the school where she was once a student.

The 1984 graduate was named dean in May. She has served the university for the past 36 years as a faculty member, program director, university vice provost and interim dean of the pharmacy school.

Under Gundersen’s leadership, the school launched an immersive, three-week pharmacy licensure preparation program in 2023 to better prepare students for state and national exams. Rx for Success is the first program of its kind in California.

JOSE’S FAVORITES: Book: “Native Son” by Richard Wright Movie: “The Milagro Beanfield War” TV show: “Finding Your Roots” on PBS Food: Pozole Rojo (stew made with hominy and pork) Hobby or interest: Gardening

Prior to serving as interim dean, Gundersen held various roles in the provost’s office from 2007 to 2018, including assistant provost and vice provost. During this time, she played a key role in the founding of the School of Health Sciences.

Gundersen joined Pacific as an assistant clinical professor in 1986 and earned full professorship in 2005.

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NEW LEADERS

A Family Tradition For Mary-Elizabeth Eberhardt ’76, philanthropy and service are family traditions. Eberhardt, the new chair of the Board of Regents, is the fifth in her family to volunteer as a regent, joining her grandfather, parents and uncle who previously served.

She and her late father, Robert M. Eberhardt, are the only father-daughter pair to serve as chairs of the Board of Regents in the university’s history.

“Philanthropy is something we’ve all been raised with from the time we were little,” Eberhardt said. “My grandfather used to always tell us, ‘what you give to the community and to people, you will always get back tenfold.’”

Eberhardt joined the board, which oversees the university’s finances, mission and strategic

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goals, in 2017. She took over as chair when Norm Allen ’88, ’94 completed his term on June 30.

“Mary-Elizabeth brings such a vast network and understanding of Stockton, the Central Valley and its community,” Allen said. “And her family has such a long legacy of supporting Pacific. I love the fact that she’ll be chair of the board when we celebrate our 100th year on the Stockton Campus. Her family has been such an important part of supporting Pacific for the time that we’ve been in Stockton.”

As Eberhardt puts it, her family “bleeds orange and black.” Four generations have attended Pacific and the Eberhardts have been part of the university’s leadership since 1953. The Eberhardt School of Business was renamed in the

Family tradition of serving as regents R.L. Eberhardt 1953–1963 Robert M. Eberhardt

1963–1994

Mimi Eberhardt

1995–1997

Douglass M. Eberhardt

2000–2009 and 2010–2013 Mary-Elizabeth Eberhardt

2017–Current

The regents are an amazing group of people with expertise in any number of areas. Whether they have a passion for Pacific, knew somebody who went to the university or just have a love for higher education, we want to make sure that we provide our students with the best possible student experience we can.

That’s what being a regent is all about.

MARY-ELIZABETH EBERHARDT Chair, Board of Regents

family’s honor in 1995, and the aquatics center was named for the late Douglass M. Eberhardt ’59 in 2021.

She majored in physical education at Pacific and was a high school coach and teacher until returning to Pacific as the first marketing and fundraising coordinator for the newly started women’s athletics program.

After successfully launching the program, she switched careers. As the oldest Eberhardt grandchild, she felt drawn to follow her father and uncle into banking. Both were top executives at Bank of Stockton where her grandfather, the sixth president of the bank, had also worked. She has been at the bank for nearly 40 years and serves as vice president/director of consumer banking.

Outside of work, she serves on the boards of the San Joaquin Partnership (a nonprofit economic development corporation), the Children’s Museum of San Joaquin County and the San Joaquin County Historical Society.

Eberhardt began her new role as chair July 1.

“The regents are an amazing group of people with expertise in any number of areas,” Eberhardt said. “Whether they have a passion for Pacific, knew somebody who went to the university or just have a love for higher education, we want to make sure that we provide our students with the best possible student experience we can. That’s what being a regent is all about.”

Expertise and passion trademarks of new regents TONY CHAN ’77, a former regent who

served from 2005 to 2014, is the owner of numerous independent pharmacies in Southern California.

Chan was awarded the Order of Pacific in 2021—the university’s highest honor— and received the Alumni Association’s Medallion of Excellence Award in 2023.

He and his wife, former Regent Virginia Chan ’77, chaired the “Leading with Purpose” campaign, which raised a historic $317 million.

Chan is a graduate of the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy. More than 10 members of his family attended Pacific.

CINDY FOSTER After spending nearly 40

years as a nurse, Foster devotes her time to serving the community.

She is on the boards of the San Joaquin Community Foundation, which supports marginalized communities, Reinvent Stockton, the Stockton Police Foundation and the Foster Family Foundation.

Foster created an endowed scholarship for Pacific’s Community Involvement Program students and support staff to provide outreach and mentoring for local middle and high school students.

She has a master’s degree in nursing from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

TAFA JEFFERSON ‘97, a former Pacific Tiger

football player who went on to play in the NFL for the Chicago Bears, is the CEO of Amada Senior Care. The company provides in-home care and assisted living options for seniors.

He also is a founding member of the American Board of Home Care, a nonprofit dedicated to educating the senior community and establishing standards in senior home care.

Jefferson has generously given his time and resources to support the Pacific Football Legacy Project. He was honored with the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award of Honor in 2022, which recognizes alumni who participated in athletics at Pacific and achieved distinction in their professional lives. He graduated from the Eberhardt School of Business in 1997.

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STELLAR LEADERS

NORMAN ALLEN:

Longtime leader, lifetime Pacifican After nine years on the Board of Regents, the last three as chair, Norman Allen ’88, ’94 completed his term June 30—fulfilling a legacy of leadership at Pacific that began more than three decades ago.

Allen is the only person in the university’s 172year history to serve as student body president, Pacific Alumni Association president and chair of the Board of Regents.

“Pacific absolutely changed my life, so it’s always seemed natural to me to give back to Pacific any way that I could with my time or with my philanthropy,” Allen said. “I feel amazingly lucky to have worked alongside a couple dozen regents for the last nine years.”

A first-generation student from the Bay Area, Allen earned his bachelor’s degree from Pacific in 1988 and a Juris Doctor degree from McGeorge School of Law in 1994. He is currently senior vice president and partner at Woodruff Sawyer, one of the largest insurance brokerage and consulting firms in the United States.

Allen joined the Board of Regents in 2014 and became chair in 2020. He guided the board through the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and led efforts to establish Pacific as a national leader on social justice and diversity, equity and inclusion.

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“Norm is the quiet giant of our board,” Regent Nava Fathi ’95 said. “He is very diplomatic, super kind and yet consistently strong and effective.”

Prior to becoming chair, Allen worked with his fellow regents to reimagine McGeorge School of Law to address the changing demand for legal education. He also led the search for the university’s 26th president, Christopher Callahan.

Scholarships he created to support first-generation, Stockton-area, LGBTQ and Black students have had an immeasurable impact.

Allen was awarded the university’s highest honor, the Order of Pacific, at the spring 2023 commencement. His longtime mentor and friend, the late Judy Chambers ‘58, ‘60, former vice president for student life, presented the award.

“Norm embodies the spirit of service,” Chambers said. “He has provided outstanding leadership to our university in a variety of roles, a journey that began in his freshman year and continues to this day.”

It is one he plans to continue for many years to come.

“I will absolutely, always stay involved with Pacific in one way or another,” he said. “Quite frankly, I just love the place. So somehow, some way, I will always be engaged and involved.”

Retiring regents leave lasting impact CHARLES BEROLZHEIMER, chair and CEO of California Cedar Products Co., was chair of the regents’ Finance and Facilities Committee.

He has supported Pacific’s students through an endowed scholarship for Central Valley student leaders, an innovation fund and more.

Prior to becoming a regent, Berolzheimer served on the Eberhardt School of Business Advisory Board, Athletics Leadership Council, Baseball Advisory Board and the Athletic Campaign Committee.

Berolzheimer and his wife, Ginger, established the Blackwing Foundation, which previously partnered with Pacific’s Brubeck Institute. The foundation supports music and arts in schools.

Berolzheimer’s brother and two sons are Pacific alumni.

VIRGINIA (CHANG) CHAN ‘77, a pharmacist and president of Covina Pharmacy, received the Pacific Alumni Association’s Medallion of Excellence alongside her husband, Tony Chan, in 2023. The “Leading with Purpose” campaign they cochaired was the largest fundraising campaign in the university’s history.

Generous gifts from the Chan family have been used to renovate and expand facilities and create endowed scholarships for pharmacy, physical therapy and speech-language pathology students.

Chan is a graduate of the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy.

JANET Y. SPEARS ‘86, chief executive officer at Metta Fund in San Francisco, has generously supported Pacific’s engineering students. In 2022, she donated to the School of Engineering and Computer Science’s new makerspace being developed on the south Stockton Campus.

She also led the effort to create a scholarship for minority students in the engineering program in 2014.

Before joining the Board of Regents, Spears served on the dean’s council for the engineering school in the early 1990s and was on the alumni board for two years.

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DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

MOVING THE NEEDLE An interfaith calendar to guide course schedules. How to be an anti-racist law school. Evaluating hybrid DEI learning experiences.

Becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution. These topics and more were at the forefront of discussions held during Pacific’s second annual DEI Leadership Retreat organized by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

More than 50 Pacificans, including students, staff, faculty and regents, converged on the Sacramento Campus for the May forum to hear updates from DEI leaders across the university. Their singular purpose: to help Pacific become a national model for diversity, equity and inclusion.

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SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES The school is taking steps to implement an interfaith calendar of religious holidays and cultural observances to better accommodate students who may have commitments during those times.

“It’s a work in progress,” said Madhu Sundarrajan, assistant professor of speech-language pathology and a member of the health school’s DEI committee.

The undertaking requires a delicate balancing act of reconciling semester and trimester schedules with the multitude of holidays that follow the lunar calendar.

Sundarrajan admits it will be challenging, “but genuine attempts are so appreciated. For example, if next Monday is Yom Kippur, we encourage faculty not to have a test or a big exam on that day.”

The effort resonated with Cynia Manning ’24, a political science major and ASuop vice president who attended the retreat. Manning and ASuop President Izzi Gomez ’24 are pursuing a similar endeavor on the Stockton Campus.

“Hearing that the School of Health Sciences has been working on creating a calendar really solidified the initiative for Izzi and me,” said Manning. “Having that calendar provides extra validation to students that we do see you, and we are working to make sure those accommodations are being met inside and outside of the classroom.” The duo plans to draft a policy and present it to the Academic Council for adoption during their term.

96

%

MCGEORGE SCHOOL OF LAW Over the past few years, McGeorge School of Law has made significant progress in the school’s goal of becoming an anti-racist law school. “Law and higher education have the power to change racial injustice or to perpetuate it,” said Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz.

“It’s particularly important that a law school actively seeks to eliminate all racist facets of the law and higher education and create a learning atmosphere that lifts students up to perform according to their potential.”

McGeorge has made comprehensive changes to its curriculum, implementing new training programs as part of its orientation and introducing courses on policing, critical race theory, voting rights and more. New scholarships and funds have been created to support students through law school and while they study for the bar exam. The school has also taken steps to hire and support diverse faculty and staff.

The results are striking. In 2023, the school admitted its most diverse incoming

700 PACIFICANS ENROLLED IN THE ANTI-RACISM CHALLENGE

ULTIMATE BAR PASS RATE IN 2020 FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR

class for a second consecutive year, of which 54% are underrepresented minorities and nearly 40% are first-generation college students. Bar pass rates tell a similar story. In 2020, students of color had an ultimate bar pass rate (the passage rate by all graduates who sit for the bar within two years of graduation) of 96%, surpassing white students who had an ultimate bar pass rate of 92%.

ANTI-RACISM CHALLENGE In February, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion launched the Anti-Racism Challenge, the first university-wide DEI teaching and learning endeavor to successfully integrate live and hybrid technologies into a three-city model. The nine-week course was designed by students, faculty and staff with the goal of building awareness around social injustice and systemic racial inequality.

It also became a student research project.

Professor of Communication Qingwen Dong and a team of students conducted focus groups with participants after the challenge.

“Inclusion was one of the words that we constantly heard as a concept that really stuck,” said Rhea Geagea ’23, a graduate student who helped moderate the focus groups. “One of the things people were adamant about after they did the anti-racism challenge, was that when they see racism or discrimination happening, they would speak up.”

Participants also noted that the program motivated them to build a stronger Pacific community. As of this fall, more than 700 Pacificans have enrolled in the challenge.

BECOMING A HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTION Pacific is making great progress toward becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution. The federal designation unlocks special funding for universities with an undergraduate student population that is at least 25% Hispanic. The designation is also an affirmation of Pacific’s commitment to ensure equitable access and academic achievement for Hispanic students in higher education.

Pacific surpassed the threshold in 2022 with 25.4% of undergraduate students identifying as Hispanic. The results are due in part to new enrollment efforts focused on reaching underrepresented students.

“In addition to increasing outreach, we’re offering special programming and events specifically geared towards underserved student populations and making it known that we have a lot of support for students who are Hispanic and want to come to Pacific,” said Mario Fuentez, director of enrollment access and inclusion.

One of those events is “Noche de Bienvenida” (Night of Welcome), a gathering for first-

25.4

%

OF PACIFIC STUDENTS IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC year and transfer students hosted by Regent and Pacific alumna Leticia Robles ’89 at her home in Stockton. The event gives students the opportunity to connect with each other, learn about resources and alleviate apprehensions about college life. “We bring in guest speakers to talk with students and their families to make sure they understand that, while this might be a new experience for them, they’re going to be embraced,” said Fuentez.

The university plans to apply for the Hispanic-Serving Institution designation this spring.

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DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

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LOVE TAKES CENTER STAGE In a vibrant display of solidarity, a contingent of more than 70 Pacific students, staff, faculty and friends marched in Pride events in San Francisco and Sacramento during June. This marked the inaugural year the university participated in the Sacramento Pride March and its second year in the San Francisco Pride Parade, reaffirming Pacific’s commitment to fostering an inclusive campus community that embraces and celebrates all voices.

“It was a day where love truly took center stage, and I was honored to be part of such an inspiring celebration. I take immense pride in attending a university that places a premium on the well-being and affirmation of the community I hold closest to my heart,” said Dustin Schrock ‘25.

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DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

From left to right: Ismael (Izzi) Gomez ’23, ’24, Mary Lomax-Ghirarduzzi ‘89 and Leticia Robles ‘89

PACIFIC LEADERS HONORED AS DEI CHAMPIONS LETICIA ROBLES Leticia Robles ’89, a Pacific regent and founder and president of Pacific Homecare Services, received the prestigious ATHENA Award from the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce in recognition of her tremendous impact on women and the community.

“I am honored and humbled to receive this award, and to know that my work is making a difference,” Robles said. “Years ago, others invested in my future and it prompted me to ask myself, what impact was I going to have on people? What footprint did I want to leave behind? I have been blessed with so many opportunities to encourage others—women, students—to realize their full potential.”

The ATHENA Award is presented annually to an individual who has achieved excel-

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lence in their profession, is a leader in their community and who serves as a mentor, role model and advocate for women.

“I cannot think of a more deserving ATHENA Award winner than Leticia Robles,” said President Christopher Callahan. “Regent Robles cares passionately about our community, has succeeded at the highest levels in the creation and growth of Pacific Homecare and has served as a role model, adviser and mentor to so many Pacific students. I’ve seen firsthand how she has changed the trajectory of the lives of students she has engaged.”

Robles attended Pacific as a first-generation student, earning her bachelor’s degree in business administration. The company she founded, Pacific Homecare Services, provides in-home care for seniors and developmentally disabled patients.

Of her staff, 95% are female, including 60% of her management team. Many are younger Latina women who look to her as a mentor and role model.

Robles has served on Pacific’s Board of Regents since 2020. She and her husband, Jorge Robles ’90, fund an endowed scholarship for students in the Community Involvement Program, which supports first-generation college students from Stockton. They also host welcome celebrations for incoming Latinx students and their families.

For the last two years, the Robleses have provided scholarships for Latinx participants in the Pacific Summer High School Institute.

In addition to supporting Pacific, Leticia Robles serves on the boards of the Children’s Home of Stockton and Sutter Health Valley Area and is active in her church.

“Leticia does so much for Stockton and is dedicated to our youth. I can’t think of a better person to receive this honor.”

Mary-Elizabeth Eberhardt ’76 Board of Regents Chair

“Leticia does so much for Stockton and is dedicated to our youth. I can’t think of a better person to receive this honor. ” said Board of Regents Chair Mary-Elizabeth Eberhardt ’76.

MARY LOMAX-GHIRARDUZZI Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Mary Lomax-Ghirarduzzi ’89 received the 2023 Individual Leadership Award from the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education.

The award recognizes her outstanding contributions to research, administration, practice and advocacy toward the advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion. Lomax-Ghirarduzzi was one of only five people nationwide honored at the association’s annual conference in Baltimore.

“Her decades of outstanding service, scholarship and community building have benefited generations of students, particularly those from historically underrepresented communities,” said Paulette Granberry Russell, president of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education.

“It is clear she embodies the [association’s] mission to transform higher education so that inclusive excellence can thrive.”

After earning her bachelor’s degree in communications from Pacific, Lomax-Ghirarduzzi began her career at California State University San Marcos, where she coordinated programming for marginalized students. The experience ignited her passion for DEI work.

“I remember talking to a group of students, and I knew at that moment something was changing inside them. I thought, ‘This is really making a difference.’ And I knew that I had to figure out how to continue to do this work,” Lomax-Ghirarduzzi said.

As Pacific’s inaugural vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, she leads initiatives across the university’s three campuses with a shared equity leadership model, which is a collaborative approach woven into the fabric of the university.

“My job isn’t to make the institution more diverse, or more equitable or more inclusive.

My job is to help individuals find their place in that work and encourage them to do this themselves,” she said.

Lomax-Ghirarduzzi worked with the Board of Regents shortly after arriving at Pacific to identify strategic DEI priorities for the university. Recently, she spearheaded the Anti-Racism Challenge, which was the first university-wide course designed to increase understanding of equity and inclusion.

She also launched an annual DEI Leadership Retreat that brings together students, faculty and staff to reflect, learn and grow.

She is sought out by other organizations for her expertise and recently contributed to

panel discussions hosted by The National Council of Jewish Women and the Association of American Law Schools.

“Mary has vigorously led the charge to make Pacific a national model in diversity, equity and inclusion,” President Christopher Callahan said. “Her commitment to this important work ensures that everyone has a voice at Pacific. We are proud to see that work being recognized nationally.”

“Mary has vigorously led the charge to make Pacific a national model in diversity, equity and inclusion.”

President Christopher Callahan

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CHARTING A NEW FUTURE

CHARTING A NEW FUTURE

With advances to technology and a changing population, health care is evolving—and University of the Pacific is poised to be at its leading edge.

A $45 million expansion of the Sacramento Campus is bringing an innovative dental, medical and behavioral health clinic to the community—the first of its kind in the nation—and dramatically expanding the international dental studies, physician assistant and nursing programs.

Two buildings purchased near campus are being fully renovated and filled with state-of-the-art equipment. The carefully constructed spaces will help Pacific meet the demand for highly trained health care providers prepared to operate in the collaborative environment of modern health care while treating some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.

Fueled by an unwavering passion to educate, a bold drive to innovate and a commitment to serve, Pacific is charting a new future in health care education.

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Located in the heart of historic Oak Park, the two buildings purchased for the expansion are just blocks from the main campus, which houses Benerd College, McGeorge School of Law and the School of Health Sciences.

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CHARTING A NEW FUTURE

1858

Pacific forms California’s first medical school, which is now the Stanford University School of Medicine.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons building in San Francisco

The Dugoni School of Dentistry under construction in San Francisco

1962 The Department of Speech-Language Pathology, the first program in what is now the School of Health Sciences, is founded on the Stockton Campus.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons, which opened in 1896, joins University of the Pacific.

Now the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, it is the only American dental school to operate as an accelerated three-year program.

1955

2004

1936

The Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy opens on the Stockton Campus, launching the first three-year accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy program in the nation.

In 2023, it developed the first-of-its kind program to prepare recent graduates for the state and national pharmacy licensure exams.

The dental school is renamed the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in honor of the school’s highly respected dean who held the role for 28 years.

2014

The Dugoni School moves into its current home, a modern, high-tech building on Fifth Street in San Francisco.

The first three candidates for the Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Pacific take the pharmacy oath from Dean Ivan Rowland

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2020

The School of Health Sciences opens, housing 10 health care education programs.

Though primarily based in Sacramento, it is the only school with programs on all three campuses.

2024

The School of Health Sciences expands into a new building and the Pacific Health Care Collaborative is set to open, marking another watershed moment in the university’s health care history with an innovative model that could change the way health care is taught and delivered across the country.

Nursing student, Malina Carrillo ‘24

YEARS OF HEALTH CARE EDUCATION From forming California’s first medical school in 1858 to the upcoming launch of the Pacific Health Care Collaborative, University of the Pacific has continually expanded its role as a leader in health care education.

Through three schools spread across Pacific’s campuses—the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and the School of Health Sciences—Pacific is educating future health care providers in 11 fields: athletic training, audiology, clinical nutrition, dentistry, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, speech-language pathology and social work.

While technology and treatments have changed, the mission across Pacific’s health care programs remains the same— provide exceptional, personalized learning and educate leaders who have a deep commitment to service.

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CHARTING A NEW FUTURE

HOW IT WILL WORK: A CLINIC THAT PUTS PATIENTS FIRST Ten years ago, Nader Nadershahi ’94 had an ambitious vision—reimagine how patients receive care by combining dental and medical services under one roof while educating future practitioners.

The Dugoni School dean and vice provost of the San Francisco Campus is now seeing that vision come to life in the form of the Pacific Health Care Collaborative.

“We are excited for Pacific to lead the reshaping of health care education while improving patient outcomes, lowering health care costs, improving the experience for patients and providers and reducing inequities in access to quality health care,” Nadershahi said.

The clinic will be housed in a 30,000square-foot building on 3rd Avenue in Sacramento, which is being renovated to create a state-of-the art facility. Work began in May 2023 and is expected to be complete in summer 2024.

Once open, it will provide affordable care to underserved communities while training future health care providers in an interprofessional environment. University of the Pacific is the first in the country to offer the unique approach.

The collaboration is led by the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. Dental services in the clinic will be provided

by students in the International Dental Studies program, which prepares internationally trained dentists to practice in the United States.

Currently located on the San Francisco Campus, the program will double with the addition of the new Sacramento-based cohort. The two-year program has space for 30 students each year for a total of 60.

The School of Health Sciences and Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy also will assist, with services provided by students training to become physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, occupational therapists, nutritionists, social workers and other health care providers.

“Bringing all of those students from so many disciplines together, it is such a rich environment,” said School of Health Sciences Dean Nicoleta Bugnariu. “It’s a place to put in practice what they learn in school.”

The university will partner with a Federally Qualified Health Center to include physicians who can provide medical services with medical students and residents also working and learning in the clinic.

The collaborative and innovative approach provides a bridge between dental and medical services, which have historically operated independently.

The project was made possible with a lead gift of $4 million from Stephen and Pamela Thorne. Stephen Thorne is the founder and CEO of Pacific Dental Services and his father and two brothers are alumni of the Dugoni School.

Generous grants from the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation and a gift from long-time Dugoni supporter and Sacramento-area dentist Ken Fat also are supporting the project.

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? To learn more about supporting the Pacific Health Care Collaborative, please contact Craig Yarborough ‘77, ‘80, cyarborough@pacific.edu or 415.929.6430.

Right: Dugoni School Dean Nader Nadershahi ‘94 in the Pacific Health Care Collaborative construction zone.

“If someone comes in for a dental cleaning, and we see that they are pre-diabetic or have hypertension, we can immediately connect them with another clinical provider who can help,” Nadershahi said. “In a traditional setting, when you refer the patient to another health care provider and the patient leaves, sometimes they cannot access that care or may not make the appointment, which means that chronic disease continues and can have an impact on their life.”

Designed for collaboration and comprehensive care The building has been carefully designed from the ground up to maximize interaction between clinicians while providing comprehensive medical and dental care.

On one side of the building, a central conference room is surrounded by 10 medical exam rooms, 30 dental operatories and four dedicated rooms for people with intellectual, developmental and acquired disabilities. On the other side, there are classrooms, a simulation clinic, professional services lab and a two-operating-room ambulatory surgery center.

“The ambulatory surgery center (outpatient surgery) is not purely for dental services. We can provide any ambulatory surgery, whether it be eye surgery, dental surgery or OBGYN,” said David Lam, chair and Dr. T. Galt and Lee DeHaven Atwood Endowed Professor in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. “The goal for the health care collaborative is to provide all the services a patient would need under one roof.”

State-of-the-art equipment will enhance collaboration, including electronic health records with a patient’s entire medical history, both dental and medical—something not currently available in most settings.

With a product called IQvitals, a patient’s vitals are automatically sent to their medical record, while another device can be used to weigh patients without needing to step on a scale, hugely beneficial for patients who cannot stand or need a walker.

3D printing, advanced imaging, scanning and milling equipment and artificial intelligence technology that can detect things like dental decay also will be utilized.

“We’re trying to give students a broad experience of traditional but also where the future of health care is going,” said Des Gallagher, associate dean for Clinical Affairs. “And it’s not only in the equipment they use but, particularly with this clinic, through collaborative care.”

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CHARTING A NEW FUTURE

EXPANDING IN-DEMAND PROGRAMS

One thing that makes our program different from many of the physician assistant programs, especially regionally, is the amount of technical and procedural skills we teach.

Tracey DelNero

The School of Health Sciences is expanding its footprint in Sacramento to meet the growing needs of two highly sought out programs: Master of Physician Assistant Studies and Entry Level Master of Science in Nursing.

With the physician assistant program projected to double in size over the next three years—from 45 students per cohort to 90—students and faculty are relocating into a newly renovated two-story building on 3rd Avenue, a move that also frees up much needed space for the nursing program.

When designing the new 22,500-square-foot facility for the physician assistant program, Department Chair and Program Director Tracey DelNero focused on two key concepts—state-of-theart equipment and student-centered spaces.

When students and faculty move into their new home in January 2024, they’ll find both.

“We put a lot of time into designing a modern, technologically advanced, student-centered educational space,” DelNero said.

The first floor has a student lounge and two education spaces—a dual procedure lab/lecture space and a simulation wing consisting of a hospital-based simulation center and live actor simulation rooms.

The second floor includes the administrative suite where all faculty and staff will be located, a 98-seat classroom, small group learning rooms, and social/study areas for students.

Students were asked for input throughout the design process.

“She [DelNero] really wanted a student’s opinion on something that

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Department Chair and Program Director

another student will use,” said first-year Christopher York ’25. “It was really nice to be able to provide feedback and feel heard.”

Cutting-edge equipment The additional space allows for new equipment that will dramatically elevate students’ learning, including two Anatomage Tables—6-footlong touch screens that allow students to see and interact with a cadaver for virtual dissections.

There also will be six high-fidelity manikins for students to use in their studies. Currently, the program only has two.

“One thing that makes our program different from many of the physician assistant programs, especially regionally, is the amount of technical and procedural skills we teach,” DelNero said. “While we teach the fundamentals of family and internal medicine, we teach the procedures required for surgical and emergency medicine as well.

“That is a huge benefit of having these new educational spaces.

We’ve been able to purchase more advanced trainers to teach students advanced surgical and trauma skills.”

An environment built for learning Study and lounge areas were intentionally thought out to enhance the learning environment for students.

In addition to dedicated spaces inside the building, students will have space to study in an enclosed patio and outdoor-seating area.

These spaces are crucial for student success. Demands of the fast-paced program often mean students spend 55-70 hours a week in the building between lectures, labs and study time.

“Having more areas for students to study is going to be great because a lot of the work that we do is very collaborative,” York said.

In addition to the new building, a classroom was renovated to provide the Sacramento Campus with an additional 100-student flatfloored classroom, allowing for more team-based and case-based interactive learning activities, which are fundamental to health care curricula and student growth.

Above: Physician Assistant Department Chair and Program Director Tracey DelNero, outside the expansive new 22,500-square foot facility opening in January 2024

? To learn more about the physician assistant expansion project and other ways to support the School of Health Sciences, contact Lana Watts, lwatts@pacific.edu or 916.325.4656.

Meeting the growing demand One of the School of Health Science’s newest programs, the Entry Level Master of Science in Nursing program, has seen tremendous demand since launching in 2022. In less than two years, the program has grown from its first cohort of 40 students to four enrolled cohorts, for a total of 160 students by January 2024.

To meet its growing needs, the program will expand into the space previously occupied by the physician assistant program on the second floor of the Chan Family Health Education Building, while also maintaining its current space on the second floor of the library.

The move doubles the program’s lab space, enhancing learning opportunities for students.

“It will increase the number of hi-fidelity manikins that we have,” said Nursing Chair and Program Director Ann Stoltz. “We will also have one dedicated room for labor and delivery, which will be great.

Right now, we have to move everything out of the room to use it for maternity simulations.”

The extra manikins also mean more open lab time for students to practice their skills, which Stoltz calls a “critical piece” of their education.

Along with more lab space, there will be a larger classroom, room for all faculty offices in one location and student study areas. The nursing program expects to expand into the space sometime in early 2024.

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GOING THE EXTRA MILE

Going the

extra

mile

Miracle Mile, the iconic shopping district near campus, was brimming with energy at the start of the school year as thousands of students, families and community members turned out for Tiger Prowlin’ the Mile, a welcome back celebration now in its second year.

The festive event, which included DJs, vendors and a giant Ferris wheel, is part of a renewed effort to strengthen Pacific’s partnership with the Miracle Mile.

And there’s a lot more to come.

The city of Stockton has received $23 million in state funds to revitalize the shopping area, and First Lady Jean Callahan will help to determine how the funding is used. She was voted co-chair of a community-based ad-hoc committee alongside Miracle Mile business owner Kevin Dougherty.

“This is a game-changing opportunity to transform our historic Miracle Mile into a destination for all Pacific students, faculty and staff as well as the entire region,” Callahan said. “We look forward to working with the state and city to quickly turn this dream into a reality.”

Funding for the improvement project was secured by State Rep. Carlos Villapudua, a native Stocktonian who grew up riding his bicycle on the Miracle Mile. Villapudua initially helped obtain $20 million for the project in October 2022, and then secured an additional $3.1 million that was announced in October 2023. He continues to meet with the ad-hoc committee leading the redesign efforts.

“It is our first step and it’s exciting, but we also know we have a lot of work ahead of us,” Villapudua said. “I am very pleased with the selection of committee members and am ecstatic with the two leaders. I truly think we can make the Mile the centerpiece of Stockton.”

The Miracle Mile is a short walk from campus, providing a convenient and eclectic spot for students, faculty and staff to shop and dine. There are more than 150 businesses in the shopping district, which runs along Pacific Avenue from Alpine to Harding Way and on Harding Way from El Dorado Street to Lincoln Street.

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Students can also ride a newly launched 20-passenger shuttle bus from Burns Tower to the Miracle Mile every Thursday and Friday evening.

The shuttle also takes students to other popular shopping destinations in Stockton.

The university’s relationship with the Miracle Mile dates back decades. Callahan has worked diligently to rekindle close ties since

becoming a member of the Miracle Mile Improvement District board.

The first lady was the driving force behind adding the Tiger Prowlin’ the Mile event to Week of Welcome, working closely with Pacific’s Division of Student Life. She also has helped reestablish 10% discounts for Pacificans at many restaurants and businesses, and developed pamphlets promoting Mile events.

“This is a game-changing opportunity to transform our historic Miracle Mile into a destination for all Pacific students, faculty and staff as well as the entire region.”

FIRST LADY JEAN CALLAHAN

Above: Pacific students soar above Miracle Mile at 2023’s Tiger Prowlin’ the Mile event.

Right: Homecoming Parade on Pacific Avenue in Stockton circa the 1970s.

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ARTHUR A. DUGONI SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY

Retired Dugoni faculty member still thrives on supporting student leaders

W

hen Eddie K. Hayashida retired from the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in 2017, Dean Nader Nadershahi lauded him as “the heart and soul of our humanistic culture for so many years,” saying that he “touched the lives of thousands of graduates.”

Five years later, he remains a fixture at the dental school, assisting in admissions interviews and providing material support to current dental students.

Hayashida joined the Dugoni faculty fulltime in 1981. A Bay Area native, he attended dental school at UCLA and worked in private practice in Glendale before returning north.

As he was laying the groundwork for an independent practice in the East Bay, friends asked him to volunteer his time to teach a class for first-year dental students at Pacific.

Soon, he decided to embrace the vocation of dental education.

In the early 1990s, Hayashida became the faculty advisor to the Associated Student Body, serving as a liaison between Dugoni’s many student groups and the dean’s office.

“We encouraged students to become engaged in extracurricular activities that would enhance their educational experiences,” he said. “I helped enable the students to gain experience in leadership and encouraged them.”

Hayashida invested an extraordinary amount of time and energy into supporting his students, mentoring thousands and writing hundreds of letters of recommendation for graduate programs.

In 2003, after more than two decades of nurturing dental students’ leadership po-

tential, Hayashida decided to establish an endowed scholarship.

“As faculty advisor, I realized how much time and how much dedication the students who became leaders spent in trying to help different projects, their fellow students or professional organizations,” he said. “It was a natural thing to create an endowment that was focused on student leadership.”

Hayashida created his endowment by donating appreciated shares of stock to the school. Over the years he has continued adding to the fund, as have graduates, friends and family members who have made gifts in Hayashida’s honor. The first scholarship from the endowment’s funds was awarded in 2017.

The scholarship acknowledges that students “really helped the school through their activities and leadership,” says Hayashida.

Nineteen student leaders have been the recipients of the Dr. Eddie Hayashida Endowed Scholarship since its inception.

Anthoula Vlachos ‘21 received the scholarship during the fall of her final year of dental school. Elected vice president of her class during her first year, she also held leadership positions in the American Student Dental Association and received its National Rising Leader Award in 2019.

Vlachos used her scholarship to pay for her dental licensing exams and related fees. “It was really nice to put the funds toward that, because that was one less thing that I would have to take a loan out for,” she said.

Dental school is an expensive undertaking; the American Dental Education Association found that the average dental edu-

cation debt for graduating dental students in the United States in 2022 was $293,900.

“A scholarship is dual-purpose. It’s financial help, but it’s also a confidence booster,” Vlachos said. Scholarships can provide valuable additions to new dentists’ otherwise sparse resumes and can provide a starting point for interviews for employment or leadership positions in professional organizations.

Scholarships like Hayashida’s underline and validate the skills students gained through their experiences in student government leadership. “To understand how an organization works, or how team building works, or communication or conflict resolution—all those skills help you make a better dentist and a better leader outside of dentistry,” said Vlachos.

Nadershahi says that he dreams that one day, through the generosity of individuals like Hayashida, the Dugoni School will build an endowment large enough to support the growth of every student and resident.

The dental school’s ethos is encapsulated in the phrase “Living a life worth living,” Hayashida says. “That embraces the idea that it’s not all about you. It’s about doing other things for other people, other organizations. I had one of the best careers at the school and it helped me personally and professionally.

This is a way to give back to the school.” ? To learn more about supporting the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, contact Craig Yarborough '77, '80, cyarborough@pacific.edu or 415.929.6430.

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BENERD COLLEGE

Benerd bolsters California mental health care education

T

he outlook for mental health care in California is concerning, particularly in the San Joaquin Valley.

The region sits at the confluence of a growing shortage of mental health care professionals and increasing demand for mental health services. In 2018, a report by Healthforce Center at UCSF found the San Joaquin Valley has one of the lowest per capita ratios of behavioral health professionals to population in the state.

The alarming gap mobilized Benerd College to launch a new mental health care-focused degree: a doctorate of psychology in counseling psychology (PsyD).

“The PsyD program allows us to train desperately needed clinical psychologists,” said Patricia Campbell, dean of Benerd College. “Mental health remains an area of critical need not just in San Joaquin County, but across the country. This program will graduate professionals who begin to address this need.”

Benerd, long known for its robust counseling and school psychology programs, currently offers an EdS degree that is tailored to students who plan to work in a K-12 setting.

This spring the school received a $5.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to cover tuition for graduate students who will provide counseling services to high-need schools in the area. But in recent years, a trend began to emerge.

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“We started seeing interest from students who want to get their doctorate so they could become licensed psychologists,” says Justin Low, associate professor and program lead. “When you’re talking about establishing a career outside of the K-12 environment, the EdS isn’t as recognizable.

And so, for students who were interested in going into private practice or going to work for a hospital or community clinic, we wanted to provide the degree that they really need, which is the PsyD.” The new program offers several advantages. Courses are taught in a flexible, hybrid format that reduces the number of days students are required to be on campus.

And unlike the EdS, the PsyD is eligible for accreditation by the American Psychological Association—a designation that adds professional heft.

The degree’s clinical emphasis is especially appealing to graduate students such as Ruth Quintanilla, who plans to work outside the field of school psychology after graduation. “Personally, I am hoping to provide therapy to college students and adult populations,” said Quintanilla. “There are so many special populations in need in the mental health realm and the PsyD opens up opportunities for doctoral students to have that special emphasis.”

Classes are offered year-round, allowing students to take full course loads during

the summer and finish the degree at an accelerated pace. The degree is also open to students with bachelor’s degrees who wish to matriculate into a doctoral program, bypassing the conventional master’s degree route, and enter the field as soon as possible.

The latter point is crucial. California’s mental health landscape faces another looming challenge: the graying of its current workforce. In California, 37% of psychologists are over the age of 60. By 2028, it’s projected the state will have 28% fewer psychologists and mental health practitioners than needed.

“There’s so much demand right now,” said Low. “In the 13 years I’ve been here, I’ve never known a student who wanted a job who didn’t have one lined up after graduating from our programs. The demand has been there all along and it seems to be growing.”

If enthusiasm is a gauge for success (the program launched in August with a full cohort of 16 students) Benerd students stand poised to meet the challenges ahead.

“We’re very hopeful and ready to help out,” said Quintanilla. ? To support programs in Benerd College, contact Molly Byrne at mbyrne1@pacific.edu or 209.946.2780.

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COLLEGE OF THE PACIFIC

Pacific’s poets in the world

”I

will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,” reads the opening line from “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by William Butler Yeats—widely considered one of the greatest English-language poets to ever live.

The pastoral poem about a tiny island near Sligo, Ireland, has turned the coastal town into a pilgrimage site for poets. Sligo, affectionately called “Yeats Country,” is also home to the Yeats International Summer School where students in College of the Pacific’s Department of English have the opportunity to study the illustrious Irish poet every summer.

“It’s a profound adventure,” says Josslyn Howard ’20, who attended the summer school in 2018. “You’re surrounded by castles and archeological sites and music.

Those cultural influences had a huge impact on my writing at the time. Yeats creates this world through his poetry that really brings the entire country to life.”

The 10-day study abroad program is made possible by the Seamus Heaney Fellowship established by Stockton accountant Ned Leiba and his partner Carol Sims. The fellowship covers airfare, tuition and living expenses and provides students with a stipend while they are abroad. Leiba named the fellowship in honor of the contemporary Irish poet and 1995 Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney.

Heaney was a visiting lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley from 1970 to 1971 when he taught Leiba’s freshman English course. Leiba recalls walking into his Literature 1B class to find a disheveled, tweed-coated Heaney reciting poetry in a

thick Irish brogue. The encounter was magic, he says. It was Heaney who introduced Leiba to the works of Yeats and ignited his love for Irish poetry. “I was very fortunate to walk into that class with Seamus Heaney…He was really exceptional.”

The impact was so profound that when Leiba established the Heaney fellowship in 2017, he did so jointly at Pacific and UC Berkeley, sending students from both universities every year. In 2022, the Stockton nonprofit publishing company Tuleburg Press partnered with Leiba to award fellowships to aspiring writers from the Stockton community. Collectively the cohort call themselves the “Sligo Scholars.”

During the program, students are immersed in the literary culture of Sligo. They attend readings, poetry workshops and lectures led by Yeats scholars and go on day trips to key locations associated with the poet’s life and works.

“Early on in our fellowship, we did take a boat trip to the Isle of Innisfree, which is a very central motif and image and place in Yeats’ work,” said Angel Zhong ’23 who attended the school in 2022. “Just knowing that we were literally traversing the space of the poem that’s written about this place…it was a very inspiring experience.”

The school attracts scholars from across the globe, giving students the opportunity to build fellowship with an international arts and academic community.

“I could see right away that this was going to be a game changer for our students, many of whom are first-generation college students who may never have had the op-

portunity to do something like this,” said English professor Camille Norton. “This opportunity to go to Ireland and to study with students from all over the world completely expands their experience of the power of language and how the love of language creates international communities.”

The scholars also form deep friendships with each other and have cultivated a rich alumni network. Each year, Leiba picks two outgoing scholars to serve as program coordinators who organize travel accommodations and serve as mentors for the incoming cohort.

They also produce and distribute a biannual newsletter that includes updates and original poetry written by former scholars.

“The whole experience is very family-like,” said Howard, who served as a Sligo Scholars coordinator for three years. “It feels like you are meeting people that you’ve known your whole life, and that you’re going to know for the rest of your life. I’ve made lifelong friends through the program.”

For Leiba, the program stands as a clarion call for the importance of the humanities.

“If you want to have strong analytical ability, you have to expose yourself to literature,” said Leiba. “You have to have the humanities to know what can be of beauty and what can be of treasure. To be in a place where Yeats walked and [James] Joyce danced…

It’s great art, and we have to support things that are beautiful.” ? To support the Seamus Heaney Fellowship, contact Molly Byrne at mbyrne1@pacific.edu or 209.946.2780.

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CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC

Conservatory of Music at the forefront of mariachi movement

L

uis “Tito” Talamantes ’24 is an accomplished musician and a trailblazer in mariachi music, having performed at the White House and the Kennedy Center, and he has recorded with some of the biggest names in mariachi around the world.

The Stockton native recalls listening to mariachi music with his family while growing up. And when his mother was in and out of the hospital with health complications, he found refuge in practicing his trumpet.

After several years working as a professional musician, teaching music was something he felt called to do, particularly at the collegiate level.

That opportunity came in 2019 when Talamantes partnered with conservatory faculty and the dean to launch Mariachi Ocelotlán—the conservatory’s first mariachi ensemble.

“Mariachi reaches kids that you wouldn’t typically reach,” said Talamantes, who is in his second year of the master’s program in music education at Pacific. “It has the power of transcending and taking listeners on an emotional roller coaster. Maybe it’s joy. Maybe it’s melancholy. Maybe it’s the closest thing they have to their home and they can’t go back home.” It’s not uncommon for students to share their family’s immigrant stories during class.

Mariachi originated in Jalisco during the mid-1800s as a result of blending indigenous and European musical influences and has since become an unmistakable symbol of Mexican culture.

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A typical group consists of two trumpets, up to six violins, a Spanish guitar, a vihuela and a guitarrón.

Talamantes believes adding mariachi to school music curricula gives the traditional Mexican folk music equal standing alongside the western classical genres commonly taught in American music schools.

It’s a movement that is taking hold nationwide, especially in regions with large Hispanic populations. In 2011, mariachi was recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO and mariachi programs are increasingly being offered in public schools and colleges across the country. Stockton Unified School District, where Talamantes also works as a music teacher, plans to launch six more programs in the next two years.

At Pacific, the Hispanic student population is steadily growing and the university is on course to become a Hispanic-Serving Institution. The U.S. Department of Education designation— which requires at least 25 percent of students identify as Hispanic or Latino—enables universities to apply for funding to expand educational resources and opportunities for students. The addition of programs such as Mariachi Ocelotlán underscores the university’s commitment to cultivating an inclusive environment that nurtures success and cultural expression.

“Tito and our students in Mariachi Ocelotlán are helping make the study of music in America’s schools more

inclusive,” said Peter Witte, dean of Pacific’s Conservatory of Music. “For too long American school music marginalized entire cultures, repertoires and skills to celebrate those of a very specific few. As Pacific celebrates all the cultures that make the Central Valley, California and America so musically vibrant, Tito helps show us a path forward.”

The ensemble’s impact extends beyond the university. In March 2023, during Pacific’s spring break, San Francisco Unified School District invited Mariachi Ocelotlán to offer a weeklong mariachi clinic. Talamantes and 10 Pacific students worked with music teachers and their classes on pedagogy and technique, culminating in the Ninth Annual ¡Viva el Mariachi! Concert at Mission High School.

“Getting exposure to other mariachi programs in California helped put things into perspective for us as students and educators in terms of how we want to expand and improve mariachi education going forward,” said Ellie Aquino, a violin performance major and recent conservatory graduate.

“It’s extremely important that students see themselves, their families and their cultures reflected in their education.”

That’s exactly what Talamantes is trying to accomplish. This past May, he launched the Scholastic Stockton Mariachi Festival, the first event of its kind in Stockton. The festival featured performances by 10 mariachi ensembles, including Mariachi Ocelotlán, and drew a crowd of nearly 1,000 spectators. The goal is to grow the festival into an annual conference, using proceeds to bring professional groups from Los Angeles and Mexico, and give students the opportunity to work with world-class musicians.

For Talamantes, it all comes back to opening doors for more students through music.

“At the end of the day, my job as a music educator is to advocate for the art and be an agent for social change. Mariachi creates a special connection that attracts students who might otherwise not be interested in music…

When I see my students out there performing, I know they’ve found their identity and they feel empowered.” ? To support Mariachi Ocelotlán and other programs at the Conservatory, contact Yvette Khan at ykhan@pacific.edu or 209.932.2978

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ESPORTS noun Short for electronic sports, Esports are a type of competition using video games where there is a clear winner, unlike traditional video games which have randomness built in. All Esports are video games, but not all video games are Esports.

EBERHARDT SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Putting control(lers) into students’ hands

R

oom 108 inside Weber Hall, home of the Eberhardt School of Business, is not your typical classroom.

The room is filled with stateof-the-art Legion gaming laptops and headsets, vintage arcade games, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch consoles, a high-definition 4K projector and sleek black and orange gaming chairs, of course.

In “The Business of Esports,” a newly launched class in the business school, gaming is part of the curriculum.

“The intent was to meet the students where they are, but then teach them foundations in business, leadership, communication, teamwork, collaboration and strategy,” said Interim Dean Lewis Gale.

Pacific is among the first universities in the region to offer a for-credit Esports business course, positioning students to

seize emerging business opportunities, become leaders in the field, and help shape the future of the rapidly growing industry, worth an estimated $5-6 billion globally.

There is big money in competitive gaming. A 16-year-old who won the 2019 Fortnite World Cup won $3 million—$1 million more than Tiger Woods won the same year at the Masters Tournament.

The opportunities go beyond those holding the controllers; there is a need for marketing, event planning, content creation, game design and more, as well as traditional jobs such as finance.

Pacific launched a pilot program of the Esports class in spring 2023 to see if there was interest. The answer from students—a resounding yes. The class organized its own tournaments, learned about business models and received hands-on experience with popular games.

“You’re doing business, but then video games are something you enjoy, so putting those two together was amazing,” said Hector Aguiniga ’23, ’24, a graduate student who took the class his senior year. “The course provided deep insights into the intricate ecosystem of competitive gaming.”

The lessons learned can also be carried into other fields.

“In the gaming world, there’s a lot of communication,” Aguiniga said. “We had to collaborate to create Esports events and also communicate with each other to play a better game.”

A similar course offered during the Pacific Summer High School Institute, a two-week pre-college program, was one of the most popular. The 2023 session focused on virtual reality, a technology with applications in Esports and beyond.

“Whether it’s virtual or augmented reality, that will be the workplace of the future for many

employers,” Gale said. “They’re not coming up with this because they think it’s a game. They are intentionally designing new ways humans will use advanced technology to interact and work.

“The more our students can narrow that gap between the skills they learn on their own playing games and the skills they need to be successful in business, then we will add great value to their experience when they are here at Pacific and in the Eberhardt School,” Gale added.

The Business of Esports class is open to students in any major. The Eberhardt School is in the beginning stages of working with other schools to evaluate the possibility of offering an interdisciplinary Esports major. ? To support the Eberhardt School of Business, contact Molly Byrne at mbyrne1@pacific.edu or 209.946.2780.

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MCGEORGE SCHOOL OF LAW

McGeorge School of Law graduates earn highest bar pass rate in California

G

raduates from University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law earned the highest bar pass rate for first-time test-takers among American Bar Association-accredited law schools in California on the February 2023 bar exam.

This is the third consecutive year McGeorge graduates earned the highest or second-highest pass rate distinction on the February exam.

McGeorge School of Law and Loyola Law School tied for the best bar pass rate in the state, with 59% of test-takers passing the exam on their first try. By comparison, only 49% of those from accredited California schools and 32.5% of all test-takers passed.

McGeorge graduates also maintained the law school’s pristine 100% bar exam pass rate for first-time test-takers from the school’s Accelerated Honors Program.

“I sincerely congratulate all of the McGeorge graduates who sat for the February bar exam and passed it. Every single one of them inspired me this winter with their dedication, determination and overall positive attitudes,” said Lindsay Harrington, the director of bar support and assistant professor of law.

McGeorge has the only honors accelerated JD program in the country,

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allowing students to obtain their law licenses six months early and begin practicing ahead of their counterparts in traditional three-year, full-time programs. Program graduates save a semester of expenses and are very competitive and successful job applicants.

Program alumnus and valedictorian Tom Salazar ’22 said the Accelerated Honors Program provided him with the necessary tools to succeed on the California Bar Exam.

“An externship I did as part of the honors program gave me a first look at how real lawyering works, and the small size of the cohort studying for the exam made bar prep more manageable,” Salazar said. “I am forever grateful for these opportunities.”

Founded in 2018, the honors program was designed by Professor Emeritus Dorothy Landsberg and then-Associate Dean Michael Colatrella. Students in the honors program enroll in regular courses and electives in addition to a special one-unit seminar course taught by Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz periodically.

After their first year, students take a heavier course load than traditional JD students, consisting of 17 units per semester. Additionally, students complete a 10-week honors extern-

ship during the summer. McGeorge covers the cost of tuition for summer externship courses, saving students thousands of dollars while they gain experience in placements such as Trial and Appellate Judges’ chambers, the California Attorney General’s Office, the Fair Political Practice Commission and other nonprofit and governmental agencies.

McGeorge’s bar exam success comes on the heels of other accolades.

In May, McGeorge was ranked No. 9 in the nation for its trial advocacy program by U.S. News & World Report.

The law school also received national recognition for Legal Writing (No. 32), Alternative Dispute Resolution (No. 34), the part-time law program (No. 37) and International Law (No. 38).

Recently, preLaw Magazine recognized the academic strengths of McGeorge School of Law in public policy and government law. McGeorge was also ranked as the No. 14 most diverse law school in the country. ? To learn more about how you can support McGeorge students, visit Pacific.edu/Law/Giving or contact Casandra Fernandez, cfernandez@pacific.edu, 916.739.7214.

100%

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SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE

Developing the whole person around the technical degree

J

ust before the Fall 2023 semester, eight engineering and computer science faculty members spent 45 hours together developing syllabi, schedules and learning outcomes for a potential first-year course sequence at the School of Engineering and Computer Science.

The course sequence is one of several projects conceptualized by the school’s strategic working group on curriculum—one of seven established to implement the school’s recently redesigned vision statement.

The groups have the full participation of the school’s faculty and staff. Taken as a whole, their initiatives constitute a bold effort to increase support for SOECS students across their college experience.

The introductory course sequence under consideration reimagines both the existing Dean’s Seminar, which introduces first-year students to the profession and practice of engineering and computer science, and firstyear classes that introduce students to their chosen disciplines.

New students “don’t necessarily see that engineering is actually an interdisciplinary endeavor,” says David Mueller, assistant dean for graduate programs and the curriculum working group’s chair.

Taking place across two semesters rather than one, the new course would provide students with more opportunities for interprofessional collaboration. And it would be offered in smaller sections, encouraging students from across the engineering and computer science disciplines to get to know each other better.

Complementing these efforts, the school is also testing a cohort approach, where a group of students within the same discipline has classes together each day of the week.

“They see each other every day and they can form study groups and relationships and

commiserate,” says Shelly Gulati, assistant dean for interdisciplinary programs, teaching excellence and inclusion.

These innovations in curriculum and course scheduling aim to facilitate community and increase students’ sense of belonging, helping them to develop meaningful relationships with their peers and professors.

This further bolsters student success efforts launched last year with the creation of the Student Support Center, which provides peer tutoring, readily available support staff and around-the-clock student access.

As the Dean’s Seminar does currently, the new course would integrate with the school’s advising structure for first-year students, which was developed by Gulati in 2021.

Engineering and computer science students meet with their academic advisors six times throughout their first year and talk about more than choosing classes.

“It’s a different type of conversation than just strictly academic.” says Gulati. For faculty, this means being open to students’ questions about their paths to their careers and the joys and challenges of academia and industry, as well as asking students challenging, probing questions.

The goal of these conversations is “diving deeper into things that they might not know they could talk to their advisor about,” says Mueller, including questions like “What kind of clubs are you getting involved in? Have you met anybody in your dorms or your extracurricular activities? How did you really do in this math class that you’re taking? Tell me about your last exam.”

Students’ answers to these questions enable faculty to help them by providing advice and encouragement and connecting them with Student Support Center staff and others who can help them find practical solutions.

Academic advising also allows faculty mem-

bers to become mentors and examples of success. “Then the students see it as a possibility—that they could do that,” Gulati says.

The student experience working group she co-chairs is also looking for ways to increase students’ interactions with faculty members outside of the classroom and advising sessions.

“It’s good for all of us. It’s good for the faculty to see students outside of class in a totally different setting,” says Gulati. For students, “there’s a significant benefit to see faculty outside of their offices, to see that they’re whole persons, and that they’re invested.”

For Dean Elizabeth Orwin, “developing the whole person around the technical degree” is a key goal of the SOECS education.

This focus on people, already a characteristic element of the SOECS experience, is sharpened in the initiatives that Mueller, Gulati and their colleagues are working on; tentative course outcomes for the planned first-year course include developing a “dynamic understanding of individual strengths and weaknesses” and a “reflective mindset.”

And these things can’t be merely taught; they have to be modeled, encouraged and embodied.

“The non-technical leadership and teamwork, community engagement, working in diverse workplaces, communication skills—all these things are necessary to be good engineers and computer scientists,” says Orwin. ? To learn more about how you can support School of Engineering and Computer Science students, contact Dan Mackeben at dmackeben@pacific.edu or 209.946.2643.

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OUR SCHOOLS

SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES

Building a Pacific pipeline

A

s a medical social worker, Faith Allison ’22 often sees people at the worst moments of their lives. But the emotional demands of the job are eased when she sees her impact.

“What warms my heart is seeing patients who have come into the hospital experiencing fear and anxiety, and by the time you leave their room, you can tell they feel a sense of calmness because they recognize that you’re there to help,” Allison said.

She began working at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton shortly after graduating from the Master of Social Work program.

As an Abbott Scholar, 50% of her tuition was covered in exchange for her commitment to work in Stockton.

It’s a prime example of how the School of Health Sciences is bolstering the health care work force in California through a blend of industry partnerships, scholarships and grants—a winning formula that is drawing more students to Pacific while addressing the demand for health care professionals.

The Abbott Fund, the foundation arm of health care giant Abbott, offers scholarships to students in three school programs—nursing, clinical nutrition and social work—with a focus on diabetes education and management to combat the high rate of diabetes and pre-diabetes in Stockton. More than 40 students have received the scholarships.

Social work students have additional scholarship opportunities thanks to a recent gift from HealthForce Partners Northern San Joaquin Valley. The nonprofit donated $100,000 to address the shortage of behavioral health care workers in San Joaquin County.

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“There’s a tremendous shortage of mental health providers. It affects young children, seniors and everyone in between,” said School of Health Sciences Dean Nicoleta Bugnariu. “This gives us the ability to attract students from our community who can then return to deliver the mental health care that is much needed.”

Scholarships of $10,000 will be awarded to five students annually for the next two years. HealthForce Partners has also committed to providing paid internships to social work students. Pacific is a founding member of the nonprofit, which was created five years ago to address workforce shortages in health care.

To make a clinical nutrition degree accessible to more students, philanthropists Jessica Coleman ’99 and Gregory Coleman have established the program’s first endowed scholarship.

“I am hoping this will act as a pipeline to provide more registered dietitians in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties,” she said. “Our community is lacking the resources to help parents and children understand the health impacts of their exercise and dietary choices.”

The scholarship supports Pacific students from the Central Valley who intend to complete their clinical rotations in the area, as well as conduct research at the Children’s Garden, which was created by the Colemans in 2020. The garden, located behind Valley Children’s Pelandale Specialty Care Center in Modesto, teaches children how to grow food and prepare healthy meals.

The School of Health Sciences also supports students through its own scholarship.

The Dean’s Transformational Resilience

Scholarship annually awards $2,000 scholarships to one student from each of the school’s nine clinical programs leading to a professional license.

“This scholarship impacts me significantly,” said Tuan (Eddie) Hoang ’24, a nursing student. “There are many reasons I choose nursing as a career, but they all revolve around my desire to make a difference.”

Major grants awarded to the School of Health Sciences this year are also making a tremendous impact. The school received a $6 million grant from the state of California to expand the social work program (see related story on page 26). In part, the funding covers $10,000 stipends for students and the creation of a new behavioral health care specialization.

Over the past three years, the physician assistant program has received Song-Brown grants, which cover things such as clinical rotation placements. The grants are part of a state program to increase primary care access in health professional shortage areas.

Pacific is also boosting student support and recruitment among underrepresented students with a $2.5 million grant from the state’s Health Professions Pathway Program.

“Our alumni are making a tremendous impact on people in the community, and that will only continue to grow with the new resources and support we are providing to students,” Bugnariu said. ? To learn more about supporting the School of Health Sciences, contact Lana Watts, lwatts@pacific.edu or 916.325.4656.

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OUR SCHOOLS

THE SCHOOL HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN

$1,000,000 TO SUPPORT ITS DIABETES CARE CLINICS

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THOMAS J. LONG SCHOOL OF PHARMACY

Diabetes care comes full circle

I

n early 2023, a dozen Stocktonians at risk of developing diabetes enrolled in the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy’s new Diabetes Prevention Program.

Some participants, like Barbara Studges, learned about the program while attending one of the school’s Diabetes Care Clinic health fairs. Others saw printed flyers or found the program online.

“I became concerned because of family members suffering from the debilitating consequences of diabetes,” Studges said.

She enrolled in the program after her doctor told her that diabetes might be in her future—a possible fate shared with many Stockton residents.

During 2020, the most recent year for which data is available, 14.1% of Stockton residents were diagnosed with diabetes, compared to 11.1% of Californians. A 2016 study found that 48% of San Joaquin County adults had prediabetes.

In the Diabetes Prevention Program model, developed by the Centers for Disease Control, participants commit to 26 regular meetings through the year for hour-long discussions on different aspects of healthy eating and active living. The program has been found to decrease participants’ chances of developing Type 2 diabetes by nearly 60%.

Nareeta Sharma '18, '21, assistant clinical professor and diabetes care clinics program manager, organized an elective class for students who wanted to serve as program facilitators.

“It’s really incredible to watch how enthusiastic the students are,” she said. Many of the students who took the elective have chosen to continue their involvement with the program after the class ended.

A second cohort of Stockton community members will begin the program in fall 2023.

The school of pharmacy began working to mitigate Stockton’s diabetes epidemic in fall 2021, when it partnered with the Abbott Fund, the philanthropic foundation of global health care company Abbott, to hold its first Diabetes Care Clinic in south Stockton.

Since then, 13 diabetes care clinics have been held in priority neighborhoods identified in a San Joaquin County health needs assessment.

During the clinics, pharmacy students administer tests for glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure, prediabetes screenings and immunizations with licensed pharmacists. Interested patients are given devices, supplies and instructions for monitoring and interpreting their glucose levels and blood pressure.

As patients leave the clinics, pre-pharmacy students administer social determinants of health surveys, which gauge their access to nutritious food, non-emergency medical transportation and other means of health care access. Patients are given direct referrals to social services agencies that can help in the identified areas.

Many pharmacy students, frequently joined by social work and nursing students from Pacific’s School of Health Sciences, have volunteered at the clinics; up to 80 students have participated in a single event.

“As I was providing screening services, I had the opportunity to talk with patients and learn about their backgrounds,” said Brittney Wong ‘24. “I grew more comfortable with direct patient interaction and more confident in being able to effectively communicate with patients, while also remaining empathetic.”

Since the Diabetes Care Clinics launched, the school has received more than $1 million for their support, the vast majority given by the Abbott Fund. Most recently, the school received a $20,000 grant from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation.

Early in 2024, Rajul Patel '01, '06, professor and director of the diabetes care clinics, will bring the school’s efforts to mitigate diabetes in Stockton full circle. Entering into a collaborative practice agreement with a physician will allow the school’s pharmacists to order labs and prescribe, monitor and adjust medications.

“It’s going to be a one-on-one approach, where we’re going to help manage some of the most complicated patients who have poorly controlled diabetes with an aim to improve their clinical outcomes and improve their quality-of-life,” he said.

The role of the pharmacist is “making sure that we’re treating the patient as a whole and not just the diabetes itself,” said Sharma.

“Pharmacists are medication therapy experts and many also have advanced training and practical experience in disease state management. As such, pharmacists are ideally positioned to help improve the care of those with chronic diseases like diabetes,” said Patel.

When this plan comes to fruition, the School of Pharmacy’s work will serve as a fullfledged model of the roles that pharmacists can play in the prevention and management of diabetes. ? To support students at the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy, visit bit.ly/supportpharmacy or contact Susan Webster, swebster@pacific.edu, 209.946.3116.

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SUMMER HIGH SCHOOL INSTITUTE

SCAN FOR MORE INFO For more information, visit: Pacific.edu/PreCollegeSummer

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It opened my eyes that the world is so much bigger than I thought it was.

AYLEEN BUSTOS Ceres High School student

TAKING LEARNING TO NEW After a hugely successful pilot program in 2022, the Pacific Summer High School Institute dramatically expanded for 2023, offering dozens of academic and athletic programs to hundreds of students from California to Hong Kong.

F

or Seth Mann, a high school freshman from Las Vegas, the summer institute wasn’t exactly what he pictured—it was even better.

“It’s definitely gone above my expectations and been really cool,” Mann said while on a break from his Esports class.

“We have been doing gaming and live streaming and we are also learning about the business of Esports.”

Mann was one of 1,600 high schoolers from around the world to attend the two-week pre-college program on the Stockton Campus in June and July. The experience allowed students to explore how their passions could become professions.

“I was thinking I wanted to be a nurse practitioner, but now I’m leaning more towards physician assistant, which I never thought I would do. Same with athletic trainer. I didn’t even know you could do that,” said

Sabina Colangelo, a rising senior from Denver, Colorado, who was in the Health Care Professions program.

The summer institute dramatically expanded in its second year, going from 13 program options to 53.

The university’s library, Public Safety and all nine schools and colleges offered courses, including the McGeorge School of Law and the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. Nine athletic programs were also available for students to hone and develop their skills.

“Students took classes in the same cutting-edge research labs, studios and makerspaces that our college students do.

It’s a unique opportunity that will really set them apart when they apply to colleges,” said Program Director and Professor of Chemistry Balint Sztaray.

Many programs took students outside the classroom, us-

ing the campus as a living laboratory for hands-on experiences.

A lesson on analyzing water samples took students in the Biology of Cities program to the Calaveras River, which runs through campus.

“Our group tested for the phosphate content in the water to see how polluted or not polluted the water is,” explained Enoch Mak, a student from Hong Kong. “We’re always doing experiments and different types of data analysis, and I have been learning a lot.”

Across campus, students in the drone flying class put together an obstacle course to test their newfound skills during one of their classes, deftly maneuvering their drones through hoops and around barriers.

And in Innovation with Purpose, rising senior Paulina Garcia Monroy, who is from Stockton, learned new ways to use Adobe Illustrator and

Photoshop inside the Cube, the university’s innovation and technology center in the William Knox Holt Memorial Library and Learning Center.

“This gave me the opportunity to expand my knowledge in some of the areas I did know and also learn completely new things. It’s been really fun,” Monroy said.

Many of the skills students developed will go far beyond their courses, from critical thinking to public speaking.

“For some of the kids who have never done any public speaking before, finding out they can stand up, talk and persuade is really eye-opening and empowering,” said McGeorge School of Law Professor Cary Bricker, who taught the Be a Trial Lawyer in Court program.

The Pacific Summer High School Institute will be offered June 2–13 and June 18–28 in 2024.

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A TASTE OF COLLEGE LIFE Summer Aid Four regional school districts and the city of Stockton invested nearly $5 million to send hundreds of students to the summer institute.

Lodi, Stockton, Ceres and Lincoln Unified School Districts fully covered tuition for their participating high schoolers, which included all programming, food, housing and activities.

“It was a good opportunity to come and get a look at what college is like,” said Ceres High School student Ayleen Bustos. “It opened my eyes that the world is so much bigger than I thought it was.”

The City of Stockton funded scholarships for underprivileged students who reside in the city, regardless of which school they attend.

Several donors, led by Regent Leticia Robles ’89, also provided scholarships to 26 students from Stockton, Lodi, Sacramento and Tracy. ? To support the Pacific Summer High School Institute, contact Scott Biedermann ’05, ‘20, vice president for development and alumni relations, at 209.946.2166 or sbiedermann@pacific.edu.

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From hanging off the rock wall to hanging out with friends, high schoolers experienced what it’s like to live on a college campus during the summer institute.

Students lived in the same residence halls as Pacific’s students and enjoyed meals in The Marketplace inside the Don and Karen DeRosa University Center.

For many, it was their first time away from home, whether that was a few miles down the road—or about 7,000.

“I was nervous because it’s a new environment, but it’s been really fun,” said Enoch Mak, a student from Hong Kong.

After academic programming wrapped each day, students were free to explore the grounds, cooling off in the Chris Kjeldsen Pool, playing games on the DeRosa Lawn or watching movies at the Janet Leigh Theater.

“I really wanted a taste of college life before I actually went to college,” said Sabina Colangelo, a student from Denver, Colorado. “I’ve met some great people doing all the activities.”

Roasting s’mores, playing in laser tag tournaments, paint and sips and dodgeball were just a few of the many options. “I went rock climbing every day it was open and went swimming. My friends and I also played ping pong and did almost every activity in the ball room,” said Emma Ward, a student from Lodi High School.

It’s an experience Vice President for Student Life Maria Blandizzi hopes will stick with them.

“Students took the confidence that came from newfound independence into exploring new interests and engaging in different activities, which we hope motivated them to think about all the opportunities and possibilities that come with college life,” Blandizzi said.

FROM

Student Life led

328

activities

CAMP

Student Life staff filled

2,093 shifts

Bon Appétit served more than

59,000 meals

TO

In just two weeks, Katie Daniels saw a difference in her daughter Madyson.

“This is what we want for her, to learn how to wash her own clothes, learn how to do her own things, be her own person and be responsible for her actions,” Daniels said.

“She definitely has come out the other end more independent.”

For many high schoolers, choosing where to attend college is a monumental decision.

The Pacific Summer High School Institute is making that choice a little easier. More than 30 high schoolers who attended the inaugural

COLLEGE

institute in 2022 went on to apply to Pacific in 2023 after getting a chance to experience college life on the picturesque Stockton Campus.

First-year student Kirby Gray ’27 was on the fence about where he wanted to attend college until he took part in Media X, which combines arts and technology in an innovative program.

“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to do something media-related,” Gray said. “It was fun. It was reassuring for me to learn more about the course.”

First-year student Patrick Bartholomy ’27, a Stockton native, was already familiar with the university but was also unsure where he wanted to go after graduating high school.

He took part in the Innovating with Purpose camp, which introduces students to cutting-edge technologies, such as 3D printing and virtual reality. “I enjoyed it. I got to learn more and met some great people there,” he said.

Bartholomy is now majoring in computer engineering and minoring in computer science at Pacific.

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PEOPLE OF PACIFIC

PEOPLE OF PACIFIC Call them proud, personable, persuasive, passionate, playful.

Whether student, faculty, staff, alumni, donor, regent, supporter, emeriti, advocate or any combination thereof, Pacific’s people are its foundational strength—the secret sauce that has sustained the state’s first university for more than 170 years. Here are a few of the many accomplished leaders.

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Sia Mohsenzadegan Sia Mohsenzadegan has been a constant presence on the Stockton Campus for more than two decades.

The beloved resident district manager for Bon Appétit, the university’s food service provider, was recognized with the 2023 Podesto Award for excellence in student life service and mentorship during the annual Staff Years of Service celebration in May. “Most people don’t know if Sia works for Pacific or Bon Appétit,” said Maria Blandizzi, vice president for student life. “He works to provide a level of service that is central to our Pacific mission—support the whole student so they can maximize the Pacific educational experience. Sia does it through food.”

Mohsenzadegan combined caring, consistent, every-day service with his trademark special touches—culturally sensitive meals, hundreds of annual catering jobs for special university events and, quite simply, a smile and warm words for all with whom he interacts.

“I have worked for the company for 33 years, but this is the longest I have been anywhere. This is where I belong,” he said. “My company has said at times ‘San Francisco needs you or Santa Clara needs you,’ but I’ve said, ‘Don’t transfer me. I am at home at Pacific.’”

Pacific President Callahan is very appreciative of Mohsenzadegan. “I genuinely believe we couldn’t be all that we are without Sia’s presence on our campus for the past 21 years,” Christopher Callahan said. “He is the truest of Pacific Tigers.”

Mohsenzadegan will retire in spring 2024 following Commencement.

Ken Albala A casual perusal of nutritional theory books at the New York Academy of Medicine during his graduate studies at Columbia University ignited an insatiable passion for food history in Ken Albala.

The Pacific history professor, food scholar and faculty free spirit has since published or edited more than 27 books and dozens of articles on food and culinary curiosities. His most recent book, “The Great Gelatin Revival: Savory Aspics, Jiggly Shots, and Outrageous Desserts,” explores the history of the wiggly delight’s rise to prominence and its influence on the American zeitgeist.

“The breadth of his interests and publications is matched only by the precision and depth of the scholarly inquiry that undergirds his work,” said Lee Skinner, dean of College of the Pacific.

Often sought by national and regional media for his expert—and comical—commentary on food trends or issues, Albala has endeared himself in the hearts and minds of his students. This year he was presented with the Distinguished Faculty Award, Pacific’s highest faculty honor recognizing exemplary accomplishments in teaching, research and service.

“He is an exceptionally talented, interesting, thoughtful and approachable faculty member,” said history major Lorenzo Spaccarelli ’24.

“You can tell how passionate he is about food and cooking and other history topics.”

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PEOPLE OF PACIFIC

Bill Herrin Professor Bill Herrin (left) made a lasting impact during his remarkable 37-year career at Pacific, excelling as an inspiring educator, distinguished scholar and respected leader in the Department of Economics. In May he was awarded the Order of Pacific, Pacific’s highest honor, for his extraordinary contributions.

His pedagogical prowess and scholarly achievements have garnered significant recognition. He received a Fulbright Award twice (1994 and 1999) to teach economics at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, and study the country’s economic development.

Over the years, seven Pacific students have joined him on research trips to the country.

Allan Hardcastle '77, '79 As a first-generation college student, Allan Hardcastle ’77, ’79 (right) has never forgotten the impact Pacific had on him. That experience is what now drives him to serve as president of the Pacific Alumni Association Board of Directors, volunteer in the admission office to recruit incoming students, and serve as a judge for McGeorge School of Law’s Trial Advocacy Course.

“I give my time to Pacific out of a sense of gratitude for the university taking a chance on a skinny kid from the Central Valley,” Hardcastle explained.

“Pacific gave me the opportunity to go to college. I can never repay that. I want future students to have the same opportunities and experiences I received.”

Hardcastle received his undergraduate degree from the College of the Pacific in 1977 and his JD from McGeorge in 1979.

Following law school, Hardcastle joined the Army Judge Advocate General Corps and served as a criminal trial counsel and defense counsel at Fort Benning in Georgia.

He later joined the law firm Geary, Shea, O’Donnell, Grattan & Mitchell as an associate attorney before establishing Babin, Seeger and Hardcastle with two colleagues in 1986.

In 1997, Hardcastle was appointed to be a judge of the Superior Court of Sonoma County where he served until his retirement in 2020.

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As a leader, he has guided the university in several capacities, serving as the director of the School of International Studies for nine years and chair of the Department of Economics. Herrin was selected to give the inspiring “last lecture” at the Interfaith Baccalaureate Service in 2022.

“His thoughtful approach to his work, his amazing intellect, and his care for students have made a deep impact on me,” said Lee Skinner, dean of College of the Pacific.

“I know I speak for everyone at the College when I say that we are all so grateful for Bill’s collegiality, kindness, and unwavering dedication to his intellectual ideals.”

Jaida Nyby ‘23 Jaida Nyby ’23 has played a pivotal role in turning around Pacific’s women’s soccer program—but her collegiate success almost didn’t happen.

In 2020, Nyby was playing soccer at Concordia University in Oregon when she learned the school was closing.

A connection to Pacific’s then head coach Ed Moore, whom she met during his time at Boise State, led her to the Tigers.

Nyby began her first season playing for Pacific as captain in 2021.

Since then, the team has nearly quadrupled its wins compared to the previous three seasons.

While she has faced some challenges during her time at Pacific, starting with her first season being delayed by COVID, Nyby says she wouldn’t change anything about her path here.

“Bad days come and go, but if you look at it with a different mindset, there’s something to be grateful for every day,” she said. “Looking back at every trial, it’s all led me to where I am now.”

The fifth-year senior is in her final semester, completing her bachelor’s degree in health and exercise science. After graduating, she plans to pursue soccer professionally and enroll in nursing school.

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PEOPLE OF PACIFIC

Valerie D. James Valerie D. James is helping McGeorge School of Law increase its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion by recruiting and supporting a dynamic cohort of law students each year.

James joined McGeorge in 2021 as senior assistant dean of admissions, financial aid and diversity initiatives Under James’ leadership, the McGeorge admissions team has brought in record-setting cohorts of law students. For the second year in a row, a majority of the incoming class

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of law students identify as racially or ethnically diverse. In fact, 54.4% percent of students in the Class of 2026 are from marginalized populations, surpassing even last year’s cohort, which had a record-setting 51% of students from marginalized populations.

The fall 2023 incoming class set a record for the law school’s highest enrollment of students who identify as LGBTQ+. This year, 27% of first-year JD students identify as LGBTQ+.

To James, it is important to ensure everyone—including members of underserved com-

munities—has access to legal services and to a legal education.

“In all things, I want to ensure every student has an educational experience that is engaging and transformative, so they are prepared to make an impact in their community,” James said.

James is a respected leader in higher education administration. She serves as co-adviser to McGeorge’s Black Law Students Association and oversees the Sacramento Campus’ Center for Inclusion and Diversity.

John Mayberry Associate Professor of Mathematics John Mayberry has worked closely with James Graham, head coach of Pacific’s men’s water polo, for more than a decade.

With a goal of increasing wins for the Tigers, they have collaborated on sports analytics projects including analyses of defensive tactics and referee bias.

“John has the gift to be able to apply mathematical concepts to the information on

the sport that we gather,” Graham said. “I have no doubt that his input has contributed to our teams’ success over the past decade.”

They were introduced by a student who played for Graham and was in one of Mayberry’s classes.

“You would never see something like this at a larger school. James and I probably never would have met each other,” Mayberry said.

He currently serves as chair of the Academic Council, Pacific’s faculty governance structure, whose members include representatives of the university’s schools and colleges as well as its emeriti faculty and undergraduate and graduate student bodies.

“I have been able to meet people in other units around the university and in administration and form good relationships with them,” he said.

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PEOPLE OF PACIFIC

Ederlina Co Ederlina Co (right), professor of law at McGeorge School of Law, is a strong advocate and nationally recognized scholar in reproductive rights and justice. She gives lectures to students, faculty and the legal community about abortion rights and is often called on by the media to share her expertise.

Her research and scholarly work are focused on issues that arise in the areas of reproductive rights and justice.

In recognition of her work in educating the community and fellow lawyers, Co was presented with the 2022 Community Service Award from Women Lawyers of Sacramento, a bar association dedicated to the advancement of women in the legal profession. Co also received Pacific’s annual Women of Distinction Award in 2022.

At McGeorge, Co teaches courses on Global Lawyering Skills I and II, the Prisoner Civil Rights Mediation Clinic and Reproductive Rights and Justice.

Hila Futorian '25 Hila Futorian (left) has been playing water polo since she was nine years old. Born in Israel, she began considering collegiate water polo in the United States after her two years of service in the Israel Defense Forces.

When Pacific reached out to her, “I just took the best decision for me, not only water-polo-wise but also academic-wise,” she said. During her first two years at Pacific, the mechanical engineering major maintained a 3.94 GPA. “We are proud of how she has grown as an athlete and a leader for this program,” Director of Water Polo James Graham said. “Hila is an incredibly driven individual who competes to the best of her ability every second she is in the pool.”

She was selected as an honorable mention for this year’s All-America Team by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches in addition to being named to the All-Golden Coast Conference first team and College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team this spring.

Futorian is also a member of the Israeli national women’s water polo team, which she joined at the age of fourteen.

The team placed seventh in the 2023 FINA Women’s Water Polo World Cup in Long Beach and 10th in the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Japan this summer.

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Shawn Kerns '10 Shawn Kerns ’10, chair of the Staff Advisory Council, has experienced Pacific from student, faculty and staff perspectives.

His career at Pacific began in 2005 when he arrived as an undergraduate. After exploring math and civil engineering majors, he completed a bachelor’s degree in computer science and was on Pacific swimming and diving teams. Shortly after graduation, Kerns joined Pacific Technology as a systems administrator.

Joining—and now leading—the Staff Advisory Council has given Kerns what he calls a “30,000-foot view of the university.”

“I’m sort of stewarding and helping about 1,000 people at the university to feel like they’re appreciated, that they’re valued and that they have trajectories of their own,” Kerns said. “We should always be learning; we should always be retooling ourselves and not be afraid to take on more.”

He has taken his own advice. Currently an Information Security Analyst 2, Kerns is also an adjunct professor in the School of Engineering and Computer Science where he teaches C++ programming.

“I absolutely love teaching,” he said. “I get to see 20 or 30 folks in a class go from ‘what is this?’ to full proficiency at the end, and that’s an amazing thing. It gives me goosebumps to think about it.”

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PEOPLE OF PACIFIC Brittany Trotter In 2017, Assistant Professor of Practice Brittany Trotter noticed something on the Billboard charts that was music to her ears—eight of the Top 10 hip-hop songs contained flute samples.

The melodic sounds can be heard in former chart toppers such as Drake’s “Portland,” Future’s “Mask Off” and “Get Right Witcha” by Migos.

“I was ecstatic,” said Trotter, director of the Conservatory of Music woodwinds program. “Hip-hop surpassed rock and roll as the most popular musical genre in the United States in 2017. Now all my flute students are saying, ‘I really want to get into the flute and play this part I hear from this song.’”

Trotter went on to study the trend over the next three years and shares those lessons with students in her History of Hip-Hop class.

“We talk extensively about hip-hop’s traits of taking samples from classical music and putting a modern take on it.

I not only highlight the flute but also the violin. Back in the early 2000s, there was a hip-hop violinist (Miri Ben-Ari) who was the person to have in your music videos.”

She gave lectures on the topic at Pacific during Black History Month and at the 2023 National Flute Association Convention this summer in celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.

Her students are also finding the connection to popular songs a useful tool when trying to understand musical concepts.

“When they can hear it in everyday music, it makes it much more understandable, and they realize that all types of music are intertwined with.” she said.

“Music has no boundaries, especially between genres.”

Daniel Bender

Varsha Geethika Mangalampally '23 Last year, Varsha Geethika Mangalampally ’23 (right) walked into a University of the Pacific career fair, introduced herself to a PepsiCo hiring manager, and the rest is history.

“I was able to show him what I was capable of,” she said. “During our meeting, he provided me with encouragement to apply and I ultimately decided to take the leap.” Before the academic year came to a close, PepsiCo had extended her a job offer.

An international student who received her undergraduate degree in microbiology, genetics and chemistry from Aurora Degree College in Hyderabad, India, Mangalampally studied business analytics in the Eberhardt School of Business.

Few people know students at Dugoni School of Dentistry better than Daniel Bender (left).

The assistant dean’s dedication to students earned him the university’s Podesto Award for Excellence in Student Life, Mentoring and Counseling and honorary memberships in Tau Kappa Omega and Omicron Kappa Upsilon dental honor fraternities.

“Whether he is counseling an at-risk student, inviting student input on committees or training peer tutors, Dr. Bender clearly shares demanding expectations with the support and resources necessary for students to excel beyond what they may not otherwise have imagined for themselves,” said Nader A. Nadershahi, dean and vice provost.

Bender joined the dental school as registrar in 1994, became the director of Academic Affairs in 2008 and moved into his current role as assistant dean in 2009. Bender also is an adjunct assistant professor.

He was instrumental in developing the Helix Curriculum in 2010. The unique model integrates content across disciplines and years-in-program, emphasizing active learning and critical thinking. He also spearheaded reform of the International Dental Studies program to get students clinical experience earlier in their studies.

Bender received the Order of the Pacific, the university’s highest honor, during the commencement ceremony on May 13, 2023.

At Pacific, Varsha demonstrated an impressive work ethic, working as a summer residential leadership intern, a student ambassador, a resident assistant and a payroll intern.

She graduated in May, receiving a Master of Science degree, and started her new position as a PepsiCo supply chain lead in Modesto the following month.

“I’m excited to use my skills and knowledge to make a positive impact at the company,” Varsha said.

“I know that my journey toward success has been made possible by the resources and opportunities that were available to me, and I’m grateful for all of the support that I received along the way.”

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PEOPLE OF PACIFIC

Ismael (Izzi) Gomez ’23, ‘24 Growing up, Pacific’s campus was a familiar sight to Ismael (Izzi) Gomez ’23, ’24, president of the Associated Students of University of the Pacific, better known as ASuop.

“I heard good things, especially being from the Stockton community and working with other people in the community,” said Gomez, who is a first-generation student. Yet, starting college on Pacific’s Stockton Campus provided some surprises.

“I’ve never been in a setting or a community where you meet so many different people from so many different backgrounds,” he said. “At Pacific, your community is made up of so many different communities. It’s such an amazing thing because that’s another level of education you receive.”

Encountering that diversity propelled Gomez into a succession of leadership positions with the Community Involvement Program’s Student Association, the professional fraternity Delta Sigma Pi and the honor society Beta Alpha Psi. He also co-founded the Eberhardt School of Business Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council.

Meeting so many people and learning what is important to them has given Gomez deep insights into Pacific’s student population, which he has taken into his new role. “We’re here to advocate for students and push for what they want to see done,” he said.

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Elisa Chavez Elisa Chavez (right) has distinguished herself as a champion of equity in oral health and as a beloved mentor to dental students.

The professor of diagnostic sciences and director of the Pacific Center for Equity in Oral Health Care at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry is known for her expertise in geriatric dentistry. She has authored or co-authored over two dozen articles in the areas of education and care for geriatric patients.

Last January, Chavez was instrumental in organizing a symposium to examine the structural disparities in oral health care through the intersection of racism, ageism, ableism, sexism/gender bias and other inequities.

Outside of the classroom, Chavez serves as the adviser for the Hispanic Dental Student Association and the Dugoni School’s Mosaic mentorship program for first-generation college students.

“Dr. Chavez had a profound impact on my first year of dental school,” said dental student Frank Uribe. “She shared a lot of valuable advice and gave me encouragement when I needed it. Her help was extremely valuable and played an instrumental role in my development as a dental student.”

This spring she was recognized with the Outstanding Student Organization Advisor Award for her leadership of dental students of color during the Faith Davies All-University Leadership Awards ceremony.

SCOTT BORAS ’77, ’82 Alumnus Scott Boras is one of the most powerful sports agents in the world, earning the ranking from Forbes Magazine eight times in the past nine years.

So when he returned to the Sacramento Campus in May to deliver the McGeorge School of Law’s 2023 commencement address, students paid attention.

“Every day, Scott Boras demonstrates the value of a McGeorge School of Law education,” said Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz.

Boras is the founder, owner and president of the Boras Corporation, a sports agency in Newport Beach, California. Boras Corporation was the sixth most valuable baseball-only agency in the country in 2022, with 106 clients

and more than $3.8 billion in active playing contracts.

He is the first agent to negotiate $50 million, $100 million, $200 million and $330 million-dollar baseball contracts for players.

As a student, Boras was a team captain and All-American on the baseball team.

Boras pursued his undergraduate studies at Pacific, then went on to earn his Doctor of Pharmacy from Pacific’s Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy in 1977 and his law degree from McGeorge in 1982.

Boras was inducted into University of the Pacific’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995, received Pacific’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2021 and was inducted into the Sacramento Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021.

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Q + A ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

ADAM TSCHUOR Adam Tschuor was named University of the Pacific’s athletic director in August. He joins the university after 11 years at University of Dayton, most of it as the No. 2 person in the Flyers’ athletic department.

Tschuor (pronounced Shore) brings to Pacific a strong background in program building and fundraising. He shares his thoughts about Tiger athletics.

Why is Pacific the right choice for you? I did research over the years about possible destinations I thought would be a good fit for my family. I did not want them to be so large that we would feel uncomfortable or so small that we would miss out on opportunities and resources. University of the Pacific and Stockton had been on my radar. From a 30,000-foot level, I knew Pacific was a place to consider. And the timing is right.

What leadership philosophies do you bring with you from Dayton? We built programs that competed at a high level nationally and we did so with outstanding academics and integrity.

That approach will continue at Pacific.

You have been vocal about emphasizing men’s basketball. Explain why. That is intentional. The NCAA has 89 championships that teams compete to win. With 88 of those championships, it costs more money the further you advance. Men’s basketball is the exception. Playing in March Madness…there is very little else that can have such a seismic impact on your athletic program if you are not a football school.

That does not mean you will not emphasize 16 other men’s and women’s sports. How do you approach those programs? In meeting with coaches, I ask them ‘What are your pain points?

Where are you falling short? What can we do to help you?’ We are close to having many sports with full scholarships. We also are trying to come up with unique ideas and approaches.

Define “student-athlete.” What does it mean to you? To be a student-athlete is unique. I experienced it as a golfer at Creighton University. You are busy from the crack of dawn to the end of the day. But student-athletes eat it up. They embrace the challenges and pursue the opportunities.

How important is winning? Very important. We take our academics, our sense of community and adhering to the rules seriously. Talking to student-athletes, more times than not it comes back to winning. Losing is difficult. It is not fun. If you want to provide a good student-athlete experience, I do not see how you can do it without focusing on winning.

How do you increase attendance at men’s basketball and other sports?

I have asked that my entire career and have been largely successful in figuring it out. You need to be very diligent with data and analytics. We need to seek direction from our fans and community about what they want to see out of the fan experience. Putting butts in seats? The best thing we can do is win. But we cannot control that. We can, though, have an impact on the fan experience, from better concessions to better Wi-Fi, to parking, to the social interaction. There are all kinds of things that can make an impact.

Two issues have changed the landscape of college athletics: Name Image Likeness and the transfer portal. Share your thoughts on both. Name Image Likeness (student-athletes capitalizing financially) is top of mind for college administrators. We need to educate people about what that means. There are two core rules people need to understand. Money cannot be tied to performance, and it must be quid pro quo.

Student-athletes must be doing something to accrue gifts or money.

I do believe student-athletes should be given the opportunity to transfer to places that are a better fit for them. This combined with NIL, however, has morphed into completely unregulated free agency. And it has led to tampering.

Tell us about the Tschuor family.

My wife Sarah, we have been married for 11 years. We grew up together. Her dad is a golf professional who gave me my first lesson at the age of 7. We have two boys, Grayson, 8, and Caden, 1. The girls are in the middle Hadley, 7, and Harper, 5. Hadley has Down Syndrome so looking at services available for her was a big factor in considering athletic director positions.

We liked what we saw in Stockton.

Complete this sentence: Adam Tschuor is successful as athletic director if… Certainly, if we win West Coast Conference titles in multiple sports. We can have the same type of academic success as I got used to at Dayton. President Callahan has an amazing vision for this university, and I want Pacific Athletics to be a part of that, too. We also must do all of this with integrity. If we can check those boxes, it will be a fine tenure for me at Pacific.

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ATHLETICS

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THE POWER OF WATER POLO U The credit goes to Kevin Wilkinson. The former University of the Pacific sports information staff member watched the games and interworking of Tiger water polo and produced a moniker for the men’s and women’s programs to use in press releases and in social media: Water Polo U. Ten years later, the label has stuck.

“I loved the concept immediately because it is what we are,” said men’s Coach and Director of Water Polo James Graham. “We identify as Water Polo U because we are the greatest place to play and experience college water polo in the country. It is also about the experience that athletes, students, alumni and others have when they come to a Pacific game. We are one of a kind.”

Water Polo U is not only about outcomes in the pool, although the Tiger men have twice come within one victory of a national championship (2013 and 2019) and the women also have excelled, regularly advancing into postseason play.

Water Polo U also is about virtual reality training and data analytics, pre-game tailgates with live bands, student-athletes competing for their countries in the Olympics and a new coach for the women’s team, Candice Vorbeck, who brings a love for all that is unique about the sport at Pacific.

PACIFIC: WATER POLO’S PREMIER DESTINATION The Greatest Destination Project is Pacific’s current initiative to strengthen its position as college water polo’s premier home. One key element was the addition of Vorbeck, after Graham had coached both the men’s and women’s teams for the past 11 years. The splitting of duties has opened the door to more active and effective recruiting for both coaches.

“The biggest part of this is culture. It is at the forefront for me in coming to Pacific,” said Vorbeck, who joined the Tigers after an assistant coaching stint at CSU Northridge.

“In my career, as a player and a coach, I

have been looking for something like this that truly fits my passion and beliefs about the sport. After my first talk with James, I knew I had found my people.”

ALL-AMERICAN EXCELLENCE IN THE POOL Pacific has had dozens of All-American players dating back several decades, and the trend is continuing.

Hila Futorian scored 69 goals and had 22 assists last season to help Pacific’s women finish one game from the NCAA Final Four. Reuel D’Souza had 54 goals as the Tiger men made the 2022 Final Four.

D’Souza and Jeremie Cote did not play this fall because of their roles trying to help Canada make the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“When you have All-American-level players who are such strong leaders and teammates, it makes your job as a coach easier,” Vorbeck said.

Graham added, “We make it clear early on that we support our players who have Olympic aspirations.”

TIGERS WEAR MANY OLYMPIC RINGS The 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo solidified Pacific’s stature as Water Polo U. Seven athletes who have played at Pacific represented their countries: Kyra Christmas and Clara Vulpisi (Canada women); Alex Obert and Ben Stevenson (United States men); Balazs Erdelyi, a two-time college player of the year at Pacific (Hungary men); Goran Tomasevic and Luke Pavillard (Australia men).

“If seven athletes in one Olympics doesn’t scream Water Polo U, then I don’t know what does,” Graham said.

FACILITIES THAT ARE SECOND TO NONE The Chris Kjeldsen Pool at the Douglass M. Eberhardt Aquatics Center is one of the finest collegiate aquatics venues in the nation. The facility is equipped with a state-of-the-art scoreboard that shows replays from multiple angles—a water polo rarity. The facility also now has an aerial camera for above-pool shots.

“We have a firm belief both programs will hit another acceleration point.

We are going to win a national championship and it is because of the divide-and-conquer approach we now are taking with the sport.”

JAMES GRAHAM Pacific men’s Coach and Director of Water Polo Photo Left (from left to right): Gil Gvishi ‘25, Communications Annikah Lillie ‘25, Chemistry Mihailo Vukazic ‘25, Graphic Design Dora Alaksza ‘27, Sociology Sierra Cavano ‘25, Sociology Olivér Fodor ‘24, Business Analytics Noemi Alaksza ‘27, Biology Stefan Vavic ‘24, MS Finance

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GAME DAY ATMOSPHERE ROCKS Where do we start? How about with college football style pre-game tailgate parties, often accompanied by live bands or DJs. Then toss in a rowdy student section that rattles the competition and has been the difference between winning and losing some games. Said Graham, “We want our pool to be like a Roman Colosseum.”

HAIL TO THE CHIEF WATER POLO FAN How has President Christopher Callahan helped Pacific water polo? He shows up— to virtually all games. He was a driving force in the formation of Pacific’s primary league, the West Coast Conference, adding water polo. He helps recruit players.

“We get presidential support you just do not see elsewhere,” Graham said.

ANALYTICS, VIRTUAL REALITY AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Players on the women’s team last year wore virtual reality masks and coaches downloaded performance data from practices. Graham has collaborated with Associate Professor of Mathematics and Academic Council Chair John Mayberry on water polo research articles published in academic journals. Vorbeck also has a background in sports analytics.

“The decision to focus on data and analytics changed the trajectory of our program,” Graham said. “Innovation does not cost money, but it requires initiative and creative thinking.”

ULTIMATE GOAL: NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Pacific’s coaches are aiming for the top, confident that the program restructuring will benefit both Pacific teams.

Said Vorbeck, “We will set ambitious goals for moving forward in the program and strive to reach them.”

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GOING SOLO

Dedicated coaches for two Tiger sports On the sand and in the water, two Pacific women’s athletics teams are seeking success behind coaches dedicated to one program.

For the past 11 years, Pacific women’s beach volleyball was led by the indoor volleyball Coach Greg Gibbons and women’s water polo was coached by James Graham, who also directed the Tiger men.

No more double duty.

Welcome aboard Sydney Wetterström in beach volleyball and Candice Vorbeck in water polo.

CANDICE VORBECK Pacific will have different coaches in women’s and men’s water polo for the first time since 2013.

Graham also was promoted to director of water polo.

Vorbeck, a former Division I assistant coach, has a background in sports analytics—a long-time passion for Graham.

“I feel I have found the right place for what I love about the sport,” Vorbeck said. “James will give me the room to run my own program, but he also will offer great support.”

Vorbeck spent last season as an assistant coach for Cal State Northridge, helping guide the Matadors to 17 wins, their most in nine years.

She started her college career at Golden West College in Huntington Beach for two years before transferring to University of La Verne, where she earned a degree in biology.

“Candice brings energy and curiosity around how the game can and should be played,” Gra-

ham said. “She brings a lot of experience working with high-level coaches, and we believe she will help us take the next steps within the program.”

Graham said recruiting for only one team will be a “huge benefit,” and that all of the coaches will be able to concentrate on specific potential future Pacific Tigers—in the United States and internationally.

Vorbeck agreed: “It’s exciting to get out there and bring in some exciting new student-athletes.”

SYDNEY WETTERSTRÖM Wetterström comes to Pacific after serving as assistant beach volleyball coach at Southern Mississippi, where she helped guide the Golden Eagles to 18 wins, the most in program history.

“I am extremely excited and honored to be the head beach volleyball coach at Pacific,” Wetterström said. “It is a privilege to work with such dedicated, well-rounded and passionate student-athletes. I am thankful for Pacific’s administration and Greg Gibbons for the opportunity ahead and look forward to building the program.”

She helped lead the program to a Sun Belt Conference championship semifinals berth after wins over Mercer University, University of Louisiana Monroe and College of Charleston.

A former Division I standout in indoor and beach volleyball, Wetterström spent four seasons competing at Michigan from 2016 until 2019 before transferring to Florida State to play one season of beach volleyball in 2020.

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NET ADVANTAGE Pacific successfully courts new pickleballpadel facility Mehdi Khazaeli called the news “mind blowing” and said it put him into a celebratory mood—pickleball and padel were coming to University of the Pacific’s Stockton Campus.

“All of a sudden, I was living the dream,” said Khazaeli, assistant professor of engineering and one of the best professional pickleball players in the state. “I am accustomed to traveling to play pickleball. Now I can do it at the place where I work.”

In August, President Christopher Callahan announced Pacific had joined in a partnership with San Diego-based Taktika Padel to build the first ever pickleball and padel complex on an American college campus.

The cost to Pacific to have this sports facility on campus? Zero. Taktika Padel runs the complex as a business open to the public and has special deals for Pacific students.

The 12 new courts—eight for pickleball, four for padel—join the adjacent Eve Zimmerman Tennis Center to give Pacific arguably one of the most impressive racket-sports facilities in the nation.

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“This unique and powerful partnership will serve the Pacific community by providing two exciting new sports for our students to play while filling a great need in the Central Valley for more pickleball courts and introducing people to the exciting sport of padel,” Callahan said.

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the U.S., nearly doubling in a year from 4.8 million players in 2021 to 8.9 million in 2022.

Padel remains little known in the U.S., with only about 200 courts, mostly at private residences. But the sport, which started in Mexico in the late 1960s and grew in popularity in Spain in the 1980s, is now exploding across Europe, the Middle East and other regions of the world.

The Pacific venue would be the fourth public padel courts in California and the first in Northern California, according to SimplePadel.com.

Ryan Redondo, CEO of Taktika Padel said the Pacific partnership is central to the company’s plan to open 200 publicly acces-

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT PICKLEBALL 1. Players must serve underhand.

The serve and the return of serve must bounce.

2. There is a “non-volley zone” that is nicknamed The Kitchen.

3. The sport is often said to be a mix of tennis, badminton and ping-pong.

4. Only the serving team can score points.

5. According to lore, pickleball was named after Washington Congressman Joel Pritchard’s dog Pickles. Pritchard was one of the pioneers in the sport.

sible padel courts on the West Coast within the next two years.

Khazaeli said pickleball and padel are magnetic to people—athletic or not—because there is a short learning curve to understand the nuances of the sports.

“I need five minutes to teach someone about pickleball. That is all it takes,” said Khazaeli, who coaches the sport on the side.

“After that, it’s just ‘go to the court and enjoy yourselves.’ It can be played by youngsters, middle-aged people and seniors.

“Good hand-eye coordination, quick hands, agility and strategy are the key to success. However, many people play the sports simply for the friendship and activity.

It brings together people in unity, and that is special for a sport.”

His playing partners often are Associate Professor of Computer Science Chadi El Kari and Dean of the William Knox Holt Library and Learning Center Niraj Chaudhary.

“I was active in sports when I came to the United States (from Iran) to study,” Kha-

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT PADEL

1. The court has a 3-foot-high net and is fully enclosed by 16-foot-high glass walls.

2. Padel is almost always played as doubles.

3. The sport was invented in Mexico.

4. There have been many campaigns to make padel an Olympic sport—all unsuccessful to this point.

5. Padel rackets do not have strings.

Above: In August, President Christopher Callahan announced Pacific had joined in a partnership with San Diego-based Taktika Padel to build the first ever pickleball and padel complex on an American college campus.

zaeli said. “They helped me meet people. I think these courts are going to provide the same opportunity for our students. I am excited to see how this grows.”

The unsung hero in this racket-sports development is Pacific women’s tennis Coach Mike Erwin. He floated the idea with Callahan and it became a reality.

“The addition of the padel and pickleball complex is a game-changer for our tennis programs,” Erwin said. “Having access to these fun, exciting and easy-to-learn sports on campus also will have a tremendous impact on Pacific as a whole. Increases in fundraising, student and community engagement and attendance at home contests are all expected outcomes of creating this racket sports eco-system.”

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EVERYTHING IS COMING UP ROSIE TIGER STUDENT-ATHLETE EXCELS ON COURT, IN CLASSROOM

ROSIE SCHWEIZER smiles at comments from fellow students about perceived dangers of living in her native country of Australia.

“My home is back in the Bush. We have snakes and spiders and wombats and lots of kangaroos,” she said. “But if you leave them alone, they leave you alone. I have never been bitten. I am still alive.”

And she is making the most of a college experience at University of the Pacific that has been “extremely positive.”

She said her desire to “cross the globe” to attend college, as many Australian athletes do, has paid off.

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Schweizer, a red-shirt senior, is excelling in the classroom—she has a 3.98 grade-point average—and has developed into a key front-line player for the Tigers’ women’s basketball team.

Schweizer calls herself a “perfectionist.” She recalls the one A-minus she received that left her just shy of achieving GPA perfection.

“Dr. (Jeffrey) Becker! My advisor gave me that grade!

But that was an example of how I have tried to change,” she said. “Everything will not always go your way. It is how you cope and learn from your experiences that is important.”

Schweizer averaged 6.2 points and 3.6 rebounds last season, helping the Tigers to a sixth-place finish in the West Coast Conference. She then shined in the conference tournament, scoring 23 points with nine rebounds as Pacific advanced to the semifinals.

Schweizer admits to “ups and downs” in basketball, but she has been the absolute definition of the student-athlete in the classroom.

She was honored last season by the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association as one of 11 players on its 21st annual Scholar-Athlete Team. Basketball players from

the association’s 98 member institutions are eligible for the annual award.

Schweizer majors in political science and is working on a minor in sustainability. She hopes to eventually study for a master’s degree, possibly in Europe.

“I have studied in Australia and now here in the United States,” she said. “I like to think we are global citizens and there are so many international problems such as climate change, forced migration, refugee crises, conflicts, resource management and more. We have to stop seeing lines when we look at a map.”

TIGERS EXCEL IN CLASSROOM AGAIN

esen

athi

M kon Haa

3.28 Cumulative grade-point average in the spring 2023 semester University of the Pacific student athletes achieved a 3.28 cumulative grade-point average in the spring semester, marking the 14th consecutive semester that they have eclipsed the 3.0 mark.

Coupled with a 3.31 GPA from the fall, Pacific student-athletes had an exceptional academic year.

Men’s golf had the highest team GPA in spring semester at 3.67.

In addition to their golf exploits, Haakon Mathiesen ‘24 helped run the Student Investment Fund at the Eberhardt School of Business and Thomas O’Rourke ‘24 won the Pacific Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summit (PIES).

O’Rourke and two colleagues impressed the judges with their winning entry in the PIES competition,

where the challenge was to create something to help people who suffer from illness or disability.

“We innovated a glove that makes it easier for people with arthritis to pick things up without suffering pain,” he said.

Academic achievement for student-athletes is a priority for new Athletic Director Adam Tschuor.

“At Dayton we have shown that it is possible to have nationally prominent athletics programs with integrity while still excelling in the classroom and in the community,” he said. “I know that Pacific can achieve the same and I am energized to engage with our students, coaches, donors, partners, alumni, fans, the city of Stockton, the Central Valley community and beyond to achieve that.”

Other academic accomplishments by Pacific student-athletes include: Men’s tennis recorded the second-best team mark at 3.57, followed closely by women’s basketball at 3.56.

16 17 OUT OF

sports programs had team GPAs of greater than 3.00.

Forty-one student-athletes earned a 4.00 GPA in the spring semester, led by women’s soccer with six.

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GIVING BACK

PACIFIC GIVES GOES

ABOVE AND

BEYOND

Pacific Gives 2023 raised more than $1.8 million from more than 3,500 donors in just 24 hours, shattering its own records through the generosity of passionate alumni, students, faculty, staff, families and friends.

Held this year on April 25-26, the university’s signature annual fundraiser allows donors to make an immediate impact with gifts of any size to the causes closest to their hearts. For a third consecutive year, the day achieved new records for both donors and donations, most notably boasting a more than 20% increase in participation over 2022.

Donors hailed from 45 U.S. states and 12 countries, including Canada, Portugal, Sweden and Australia.

“I was blown away by the incredible generosity of the Pacific community this year,” said Scott Biedermann ’05, ’20, vice president for development and alumni relations. “We asked Tigers to answer the call, and they turned up in record numbers. Now, their support is having a life-changing impact on our students.”

Those students include Dustin Brakebill ’23, who worked multiple jobs last year to support himself and his family.

“I’ve had to help my parents with money; that’s why I work a lot,” Brakebill said. “Getting scholarships has given me security and allowed me to look forward to my future instead of stressing about what’s happening next. It’s changed my life.”

The day’s success started at the top, with 100% participation from the Board of Regents, the President’s Cabinet, the deans and the Pacific Alumni Association Board.

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Motivated by her own experience as a first-generation college student, Regent Leticia Robles ’89 and her husband Jorge Robles ’90 matched more than $30,000 in gifts to fund scholarships for the Pacific Summer High School Institute, a two-week residential program offering a taste of college life.

“Many years ago, someone believed in the importance of investing in the future by making a gift to Pacific—I was the recipient of that investment,” Robles said. “It is now our turn to give back and invest in students who share my story and a similar journey.”

Gifts from the Robleses and others provided 26 scholarships to the institute for students from underserved communities in the Central Valley.

Beyond leveraging its larger matches and challenges, Pacific Gives proves that every gift matters. Of the gifts comprising the $1.8 million total, 83% were less than $100.

Successes spanned the entire Pacific community. Athletics once again rocketed to the top of the participation leaderboard with 1,209 donors—double the participation of any other school or group.

The School of Health Sciences achieved the most participation of any school or college, followed by College of the Pacific and the McGeorge School of Law.

RAISED MORE THAN

$1.8

MILLION IN 2023

In addition, 306 ambassadors—a more than 30% increase from last year—recruited their family and friends to donate. Ambassadors included Dalee Higgins ’24, a cross-country athlete and one of the day’s top fundraisers.

“I don’t look at myself as a fundraising guru by any stretch of the imagination,” Higgins said. “But I am a social person, and I think my extroverted personality combined with the passion I have for my team, program and university is why I was able to establish so much success.”

President Christopher and Jean Callahan and then-Provost Maria Pallavicini matched the first $10,000 in gifts from faculty and staff. Their challenge was met shortly after the day launched.

“Pacific is fortunate to be supported by generous donors all year long, but I am always proud to see the creativity, ingenuity, dedication and spirit that emerge during Pacific Gives,” President Callahan said. “I am thankful that so many stepped up to answer the call.”

SAVE THE DATE! Pacific Gives returns April 23-24, 2024

Supporters can make a gift year-round

Above: Sydnee Navarro ’25 and Dustin Brakebill ’23 speak about how the generosity of donors impacts their Pacific experience.

at Pacific.edu/Give

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BUILDING A VISION Pacific strives to become the best studentcentered comprehensive university in the nation. This includes creating innovative spaces for students to live, work and study.

In 2023, three new facilities took significant steps forward, showcasing the creativity and ingenuity of the Pacific community and the generosity of alumni and friends.

PACIFIC INN: A VISION SOLIDIFIED THE PACIFIC INN WILL BRING ELEGANT BOUTIQUE LODGING TO STOCKTON Each time President Christopher Callahan and First Lady Jean Callahan pass the building next to their Stockton Campus residence, they see far more than a vacant sorority house.

They see the Pacific Inn, boutique lodging that gives alumni, prospective families and distinguished guests an authentic taste of life at University of the Pacific. They hope to realize this vision in 2025.

“At the Pacific Inn, visitors will be welcomed and fully embraced by Pacific, whether they’re families finding a home away from home or alumni coming home again,” the first lady said. “This is an amazing opportunity for learning and community building. It will be a real jewel in the university’s crown.”

The Pacific Inn is a strategic imperative for the Callahans, who see endless possibilities for experiential learning and community engagement. The Inn will occupy the former Delta Delta Delta (also known as TriDelta) sorority house on Stockton’s Central Campus. It will have approximately 20 private rooms and suites, along with a grand parlor, library, dining room, commercial kitchen for catered events and a front patio terrace overlooking the campus.

The Inn will provide elegant accommodations for alumni returning to their alma mater and parents visiting current students. It will be open to the Stockton community, including wedding parties using Morris Chapel. Most importantly, it will allow prospective students and families to experience campus life first hand.

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“At the Pacific Inn, visitors will be welcomed and fully embraced by Pacific, whether they’re families finding a home away from home or alumni coming home again.”

FIRST LADY JEAN CALLAHAN According to Vice President for Enrollment Strategy Chris Ferguson, a big part of Pacific’s overall enrollment strategy involves engaging more students from outside of California. With no easily walkable hotels in the area, he looks forward to hosting overnight visitors on campus.

“How can we help people understand how great Pacific is? There’s no better way than to have them stay here for a day or two, to really immerse themselves,” Ferguson said.

“We’re recruiting families, not just students, and by not having to find a hotel a couple of miles away, families will be able to understand what it’s really like here as well,” he added.

Ferguson also points to the Inn as a lodging option for out-of-town high school counselors looking to better understand and promote Pacific in their home cities.

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Left: Former TriDelta house will be home to the new Pacific Inn. Before Pacific Inn was conceived, the building was a respite for generations of students.

Built in 1926, it housed the Mu Zeta Ro sorority until the early 1940s. It then became Navy barracks for the V-12 program, which sought to produce military officers trained in fields such as engineering, foreign languages and medicine. The program operated on campus for three years.

The building later served as a women’s residence hall. It was occupied in 1947 by Tau Kappa Kappa, which affiliated with TriDelta in the late 1950s and ultimately became known as the Phi Rho chapter of TriDelta. Over the next six decades Phi Rho launched numerous events and fundraisers for underserved children in San Joaquin County. Declining membership necessitated the chapter’s suspension in 2019.

The Pacific Inn will continue serving students, though not as a residence. Students in the Eberhardt School of Business must fulfill an experiential learning requirement through either an approved course or an internship.

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As a fully functioning hotel, the Inn could employ students studying management, marketing, human resources and analytics to support its operations.

Students could help manage the Inn’s finances, develop marketing plans or administer customer satisfaction surveys, explains Interim Dean Lewis Gale.

“This allows the university to have a partnership with our students, where they’re able to make decisions, test them, gather data, analyze it and turn right around and make new decisions about how we want to go forward.

I think it’s terrific,” Gale said.

Gale notes that Pacific is exploring a major in hospitality and tourism, which he hopes will leverage the expertise of alumni in the field while giving students an edge in the job market.

“This kind of experience might change students’ thoughts about what they could eventually consider for employment,” Gale said.

“The kind of work a student could do at the Pacific Inn makes them very eligible to go to

larger cities and locations where the hospitality industry is a major player.”’

Jean Callahan, who is leading the fundraising effort for the Pacific Inn, looks forward to bringing members of the Pacific community together. She envisions a space that truly celebrates the university, from themed rooms to special events. These might include reunions, wine tastings or dinners serenaded by Conservatory of Music students.

“Christopher and I are excited about all the ways Pacific Inn will contribute to an even more student-centric university,” she said.

Added Vice President Ferguson, “It’s an opportunity to tell many different stories about our alumni and current students. Integrating that into one space is pretty powerful.” ? To learn more about supporting the Pacific Inn, contact Scott Biedermann ’05, ‘20, vice president for development and alumni relations, at 209.946.2166 or sbiedermann@pacific.edu.

MANOR HALL: A VISION FINALIZED VETERANS’ HOUSING PROJECT ACHIEVES FUNDING MILESTONE One hundred years after it was built, Manor Hall is preparing to reopen its doors on Pacific’s Stockton Campus.

Home to a Red Cross unit during World War II, the historic building on the east side of Pacific Avenue will soon provide housing for active duty, reserve, military-affiliated and veteran students.

In May, the university received a $2 million grant from San Joaquin County to support the renovation effort. Impressed by Pacific’s outstanding community engagement and eager to bolster existing support for student veterans, the county Board of Supervisors voted unanimously (5-0) to fund the project.

“To provide housing for veterans and help the community while also supporting Pacific, it’s a win-win,” said Supervisor Paul Canepa, whose district includes the university.

Combined with another $2.4 million in gifts from alumni and friends, the county’s grant provided the additional resources required to begin renovations.

Former Army Sgt. Zak Baker ’24 cites housing as one of the biggest obstacles that many veterans—who are often older and more disconnected from their families than traditional students—encounter when transitioning to civilian life.

“Having dedicated housing will be incredibly beneficial to encouraging veterans to attend Pacific,” Baker said.

“This initiative sends the message that Pacific is a friendly place for veterans, and that it takes their concerns about housing and security very seriously.”

President Christopher Callahan concurs. “We are making Pacific an accessible and welcoming home for veterans,” Callahan said. “Manor Hall is an additional way to acknowledge their courage and sacrifice, and we are honored to have the county’s support, and the help of so many alumni and friends, in this important effort.”

Fundraising for Manor Hall began in 2021 with a lead gift from Stanislaus County philanthropists John and June Rogers. Colonel Rogers is a retired Air Force pilot. His daughter, Janet Rogers, serves on Pacific’s Board of Regents, and the family has supported numerous campus projects.

“I’m delighted to see this vision one step closer to being realized,” John Rogers said. “What Pacific is doing for veterans, these are the things I and any other service member would hope to experience in a college education.”

Work on Manor Hall will begin in 2024. ? To learn more about supporting Manor Hall, contact Scott Biedermann ’05, ‘20, vice president for development and alumni relations, at 209.946.2166 or sbiedermann@pacific.edu.

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STUDENT-ATHLETE AND SPORTS MEDICINE CENTER: A VISION ENERGIZED PACIFIC UNVEILS PLANS FOR NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART COMPLEX

University of the Pacific is planning a new state-of-the-art complex featuring a sports medicine training and rehabilitation center that will focus on student-athlete health and wellness while supporting and growing Northern California’s only accredited athletic training degree program.

Board of Regents Chair Mary-Elizabeth Eberhardt ’76 is driving the fundraising effort. The Eberhardt family and Bank of Stockton have provided a generous lead gift to launch the initiative.

“My family and I are passionate about Pacific Athletics and are excited to help provide the missing ingredient for a truly world-class athletics program while supporting, nurturing and growing our outstanding athletic training degree program at Pacific’s fast-growing School of Health Sciences,” Eberhardt said. “We have a prime opportunity to distinguish ourselves from our peers, not just in terms of competitive excellence, but in how we provide holistic support for our athletes.”

The new 15,682-foot center will reside on the site of the South Campus Gym, adjacent to the Alex G. Spanos Center.

The centerpiece will be the stateof-the-art sports medicine training and rehabilitation center for Pacific’s 300plus student-athletes. It also will provide essential real-life clinical experiences for students in the Master of Science in Athletic Training program. Pacific’s athletic training program is the only one accredited in Northern California by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education.

The new complex also will house a nutrition center, a study area, modern film and game-planning rooms, event and student gathering spaces for all student-athletes and significantly upgraded locker rooms for the court sport teams— men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball.

Pacific already boasts an array of high-quality athletic facilities. Both basketball teams and volleyball practice in the Janssen-Lagorio Gymnasium and attached Performance Center—a premier practice and strength and conditioning facility—and compete in the Alex G. Spanos Center, one of the best and largest arenas in the West Coast Conference. Additionally, the Eve Zimmerman Tennis Center and the Douglass M. Eberhardt Aquatics Center are considered the best in the conference, and the Walter Chang Golf and Learning Center and Klein Family Field baseball complex are among the top.

New Athletic Director Adam Tschuor called the student-athlete complex “the missing piece of the puzzle to allow Tiger Athletics to compete at the highest levels,” adding, “I look forward to working with Chair Eberhardt, Vice President Scott Biedermann and President Chris Callahan to make this concept a reality.”

The design, which was guided by input from student-athletes, Tiger coaches, staff and supporters, is expected to dramatically improve the student-athlete experience, enhance recruitment and grow the MS in Athletic Training program.

Christopher Pond, assistant director of athletics for sports medicine and wellness, has been a key driver of the athletic training degree program. Pond said an unusual feature of the academic program is how closely faculty and students work with athletics training staff at the Division I level. Athletic training students treat Pacific student-athletes before, during and after practices and games under the supervision of Pond and his staff.

“One of the unique functions of the partnership between Athletics and the academic program is the clinical environment provided to future health care professionals,” Pond said. “Hundreds of practicing athletic trainers, therapists, educators and even physicians have honed

their techniques and philosophies in this environment. Providing care in real life and real time to actual patients striving to compete at the highest level, with no room for delayed or improper treatment, ensures adherence to best practices and collaborative medicine.”

While providing these critical clinical experiences to athletic training students, the support available to student-athletes also will be greatly enhanced, Pond said.

“To give them space to put their body in the right environment to heal quickly and correctly is huge,” he said.

President Callahan said the new complex fits perfectly with Pacific’s goal of becoming the best student-centered comprehensive university in the nation.

“The new center will greatly enhance the student-athlete experience and make us more competitive in our 17 Division I sports while preparing at the highest level the next generation of health professionals in the growing field of athletic training,” he said.

Eberhardt points to athletics as an integral part of her vision for Pacific. Four generations of her family have partnered with the Tigers. Eberhardt herself has supported the construction of several athletics facilities and has endowed a scholarship for student-athletes in any sport.

“Our athletic programs are among the best, with the potential to become even more outstanding,” Eberhardt said. “I hope that many in the Pacific community will want to take this journey with us.”

Estimated cost for the center is $10 million. Construction will begin once funding has been secured. ? To learn more about supporting the student-athlete and sports medicine center, contact Scott Biedermann ’05, ‘20, vice president for development and alumni relations, at 209.946.2166 or sbiedermann@pacific.edu.

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Robert Oakes' past propels him to invest in Pacific’s future While working at the Association of Independent California Colleges & Universities (AICCU), Robert Oakes ’86, ’90 sought to learn why so many students were not completing four-year degrees.

He discovered the cost of higher education and a lack of cultural or societal support were key drivers. These findings did not surprise him; without the scholarships he received at University of the Pacific, Oakes might not have completed college himself.

One of five children raised by a single mother, Oakes attended Columbia College before transferring to Pacific and completing a bachelor’s degree in business administration. The Sonora native later earned his JD at the McGeorge School of Law.

The Heritage Society recognizes those who have remembered Pacific in their estate plans (includes bequests, charitable remainder trusts, retirement fund assets, and other deferred gifts). These esteemed donors are considered pillars of the Pacific community.

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Today he is the policy director for New California Coalition, a statewide political advocacy organization focused on housing, economic empowerment and infrastructure.

He is also a realtor and real estate investor. As a first-generation college graduate, Oakes credits much of his success to Pacific.

“Pacific immeasurably changed my life for the better, and I want to enable that experience for others,” he said.

Oakes’ personal experience and his findings at the AICCU have stayed with him, resonating so deeply that this year, he updated his estate plans to include a generous bequest for Pacific. After he dies, his estate will fund three endowed scholarships. Two will support business and law students with financial need.

The third scholarship fund, named for Oakes’ late brother Philip Sciaroni, will benefit students in the liberal arts. Sciaroni studied drama at Pacific for several semesters, inspiring Oakes to follow him there. To this day, Oakes deeply values the liberal arts training both he and Philip received.

“The most valuable thing I took away from my Pacific education wasn’t knowing how to work with spreadsheets or do a SWOT analysis,” Oakes said. “It was critical thinking, life skills, and exposure to art, culture and history.”

Oakes is a member of the Heritage Society, along with hundreds of others who have remembered Pacific in their estate plans. Estate gifts, or planned gifts, include commitments in one’s will or trust. They can also take the form of retirement income, stock, real estate, personal property and other deferred gifts.

“Heritage Society donors are pillars of the Pacific community,” said Scott Biedermann ‘05, ‘20, vice president for development and alumni relations. “They look beyond the university’s immediate needs, thinking instead about how to help students

ROBERT OAKES ’86, ’90 Heritage Society Member

who will be here years from now. Their support sustains our future.”

For Robert Oakes, sustaining Pacific’s future means doing his part to help new generations of students overcome the same barriers he did.

“All of us can give something to Pacific and we should,” Oakes said. “I want to support the success of those who come after me.

I hope those students go on to have more enriching, fulfilling lives as a result of their Pacific education, that they are committed to their communities and their families and become contributors to society.” ? To learn more about making an estate gift to University of the Pacific, please contact Molly Byrne, senior associate vice president for development, at 209.946.2780 or mbyrne1@pacific.edu.

Pacific Loyal celebrates sustained generosity and impact Diane (Ditz) Stauffer ’69 appreciated the caring community she experienced as a student at Pacific—so much so that she has remained a donor to the university for 52 years.

“I loved being here, and the people were so good to me,” Stauffer said. “Pacific wants students to finish their education, whether they’re an athlete or a musician or an engineer or a pharmacist. Knowing that I’m helping in some way, it means a lot.”

Stauffer is a member of Pacific Loyal, a dedicated group of alumni and others who donate to the university on a consistent annual basis. Loyal membership begins with a gift in two consecutive fiscal years, and includes special recognition at five, 10, 25 and 50-year giving milestones.

Pacific Loyal currently recognizes more than 2,300 committed individuals, including more than 1,300 alumni. These donors receive special gifts, exclusive communications and recognition at university-wide events.

Scott Biedermann ’05, ’20, vice president for development and alumni relations, em-

DIANE (DITZ) STAUFFER ’69 Pacific Loyal Member

phasizes that Pacific Loyal is not focused on how much people give—rather, it celebrates the life-changing impact created by gifts of all sizes.

“Regardless of the amount, what matters is that people are giving, and are recommitting year after year to help students overcome the financial barriers to reaching their goals,” Biedermann said.

Pacific Loyal members Maria (Cervantes) Aguirre ’93 and Juan Aguirre ’99 recall that, as first-generation students from low-income households, attending Pacific was a dream realized through scholarships. The financial support they received motivates them to give back to students facing similar situations.

“Pacific believed in me and gave me a wonderful opportunity to fulfill my dream,” Maria said. “For me, it’s essential to support future students.”

Added Juan: “I would like other first-generation alumni to understand the importance of giving back to Pacific. I believe that our gifts will make a difference in someone’s life, just as others’ gifts made a difference for us.”

Similarly, Anthony Perino ‘88, a former Tiger golfer, gives every year to express gratitude for his experience.

“I am inspired to give because my time at Pacific was so special,” Perino said. “I learned so many wonderful life lessons both on and off the course.”

Now president of a Bay Area real estate investment company, Perino remains connected with his alma mater and inspired by its students.

“I’ve stayed involved through my ongoing friendship with fellow alumni and the chance to meet some of the current golf team,” he explains. “They have been so impressive, not only with their talent, but as well-rounded individuals.”

Pacific Loyal celebrates donors who give in two or more consecutive fiscal years. Loyal donors receive special recognition throughout the year and are honored when they reach two, five, 10, 25 and 50-year giving milestones. Their consistent annual gifts strengthen the university and enrich the experiences of students and faculty.

President Christopher Callahan praises the dedication of Loyal donors such as Stauffer, the Aguirres and Perino.

“From the moment a student is admitted to the day they graduate, donor support touches every aspect of their Pacific experience,” Callahan said. “We are enormously grateful to our Pacific Loyal donors, who choose, again and again, to play a critical part in our students’ success.” ? To learn more, please visit Pacific.edu/Loyal

Pacific Loyal members receive a commemorative pin after five consecutive years of giving.

ALUMNI NEWS

A Message from the

PACIFIC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT More than a century ago, a group of University of the Pacific alumni gathered under a tree on campus to discuss what they could do to advance the goals and mission of the university. With that, the Pacific Alumni Association was born, and this year, we celebrate its 150th anniversary.

Over that time, the association has remained focused on connecting and engaging the Pacific family across the globe.

For the past nine years, I have had the honor of serving alongside a group of diverse, passionate and hard-working members of the Pacific Alumni Association Board of Directors. This year I serve as president.

The board is composed of 30 members who have roots in all three of Pacific’s campuses and represent graduating classes from the 1960s to the present.

All of the directors are volunteers who freely give their time to support the university and help alumni remain engaged with their alma mater. The board is unified in assisting President Christopher Callahan with his 10-year goal of making Pacific the best student-centric comprehensive university in the nation.

Just a couple of years into the 10-year plan, Pacific is making substantial progress toward that goal.

The goal of the alumni association this year is to increase engagement across four areas: volunteerism, experiential learning, philanthropy and communication. Not being close to one of the three campuses does not mean you cannot engage with Pacific.

The Alumni Relations office, under the direction of Kelli (Williams) Page ’87, will continue to bring us the “Pacific Conversations” programs in which Vice President Scott Biedermann ’05, ’20 interviews emeriti faculty, current faculty and staff about various Pacific-related topics.

The West Coast Conference recently entered into an agreement with ESPN+ to provide streaming coverage of athletic events. Now you can follow your favorite Tiger sports on the ESPN streaming service. In addition, road sports events will be broadcast live in The Lair, located inside the Don and Karen DeRosa University Center.

The Alumni Board, working closely with the university, plans to rebuild, revitalize and reestablish regional chapters (clubs) to enable alumni from across the state and the country to get together for educational and social programs.

The Reno-Tahoe Chapter serves as a model for new chapters moving forward. Watch for events happening in your area. And of course, should you wish to form a chapter in your area, contact the Alumni Relations office via pacificalumni@pacific.edu.

Pacific Gives on April 23-24, 2024, will be the major philanthropy project of the alumni board. Last year, 100% of the board contributed and 100% were ambassadors of the effort. We will be at 100% again this year.

Finally, we want to hear from you. If you have an idea for a program, a proposal for a regional or affinity chapter or a suggestion to engage alumni, please contact me through the Alumni Relations office. You are family—come on home.

Go Tigers!

Allan Hardcastle ’77, ’79

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Pacific’s astronaut soars onto the silver screen The inspirational story of NASA astronaut and Pacific graduate José Hernández ’84 has finally reached the big screen.

The Amazon Prime movie, “A Million Miles Away,” depicting his life had been in the works for four years but was delayed by COVID-19 and a switch in networks. The film captures Hernández’s perseverance in his journey from migrant farm worker to college student to astronaut.

Pacific students from the Community Involvement Program and the School of Engineering and Computer Science—both huge parts of Hernández’s Pacific experience— were among those who attended a screening on the Stockton Campus on August 30, 2023.

Pacific sat down with Hernández to hear his thoughts about the movie.

How well did Hollywood capture your life? Hollywood tends to take liberties when it comes to biopics. In my case, they combined characters and shifted timelines. But other than that, they put together a very accurate portrayal of my life.

What was your favorite moment in the movie?

I would have to say it was my wife’s encouragement. She posed a question I had not thought about: “What do they (other astronaut candidates) have that you do not?” That question inspired me. That is why I

became a pilot, scuba diver and learned a third language (fluency in Russian to go with Spanish and English).

University of the Pacific is showcased throughout the movie. Did you have something to do with that happening? Scott Biedermann ’05, ’20, (vice president for development and alumni relations) asked for a few shirts and I gave them to Michael Peña and asked him to wear them. He obliged and they ended up in the movie. I wanted to get Pacific out there.

Michael Peña is a very accomplished actor. How did he do as you? I thought he did a great job. He was my choice from day one to play the role.

But he was going to get the role regardless of my opinion. He was everyone’s choice.

The movie focuses on diversity, opportunity and so much more. What sort of social issues did you see portrayed in the film?

One comes to mind. Through the training scenes, you could see the prevalence of imposter syndrome and the impact it has

on people’s lives. The movie empowers people who just do not think they belong to say, “Hey, even astronauts have difficult issues with which to deal.”

What is next for you?

I will always be known as an astronaut, but that and $4.99 will only get you a coffee at Starbucks. I still must work for a living. I have my own consulting business and my vineyard. I am moving forward with a lot of energy. I feel there is something big that is going to happen. What that is, I do not know. But we are turning the page every day.

? To learn more about the José and Adela Hernández Reaching for the Stars Endowed Scholarship, contact Scott Biedermann ’05, ‘20, vice president for development and alumni relations, at 209.946.2166 or sbiedermann@pacific.edu.

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MetLife investment executive and 1980 graduate to receive honorary doctorate Steven Goulart ’80 is no stranger to awards and accolades, having received many over his career as one of the world’s foremost leaders in finance.

However, when he fielded an unexpected phone call from Pacific President Christopher Callahan this summer, Goulart humbly recalled, “To be honest, I was totally surprised, shocked, speechless and obviously flattered.”

Goulart was chosen to receive an honorary doctoral degree from University of the Pacific, recognizing his transformative impact on the financial industry, the university and thousands of students’ lives. The degree is one of the highest honors the university bestows.

Goulart retired in August as executive vice president and chief investment officer of MetLife, one of the world’s leading financial services companies. He worked at MetLife for more than 17 years, and as executive vice president oversaw nearly $600 billion in total assets under management in more than 40 markets globally.

Goulart led the development and launch, and served as president, of MetLife Investment Management, which was named a Best Place to Work in Money Management in 2021 and 2022. The programs and workplace culture he shaped are now being replicated worldwide. He also served on the board of directors for the MetLife Foundation, which has pledged over $1 billion in support of economic inclusion and financial health for underserved communities.

Prior to MetLife, Goulart held leadership roles at Bear Stearns, Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch. He completed his MBA at Harvard Business School. In 2019, the Pacific Alumni Association recognized him with its Distinguished Professional Service Award.

In recommending him for the honorary degree, President Callahan praised Goulart for sustaining an impactful commitment to Pacific alongside his professional obligations.

“Steve had one of the most demanding finance jobs in the world, and for the past four decades, he has continuously made time

to support his alma mater through board leadership, guest speaking engagements with students, philanthropy and more,” Callahan said. “We are fortunate to have him as a devoted alumnus and friend of Pacific.”

A Stockton native and graduate of Lincoln High School, Goulart came to Pacific on a football scholarship. He played for the Tigers for four years, earning All-American Honorable Mention honors in 1979. He was inducted into the Pacific Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003.

He was also a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and met his future wife, Kristy (Courtland) Goulart ‘79, when she visited an acquaintance at the fraternity house and Steve answered the door. Kristy Goulart earned a behavioral psychology degree and two teaching credentials from Pacific. The couple celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary in September.

Steve Goulart served on Pacific’s Board of Regents from 2001 to 2010. He helped lead the university’s $330 million Investing in Excellence campaign and oversaw the creation of the Eberhardt Student Investment Fund, which allows business students to manage a real investment portfolio.

"Steve is an example of someone whose Pacific education prepared him to make a lasting difference to his profession and to his community," said Board of Regents Chair Mary-Elizabeth Eberhardt ’76. "He is exactly the type of leader we want engaging actively with the university and inspiring our students."

Now based in New Jersey, Goulart enjoys hosting Pacific leaders and Student Investment Fund participants who visit Wall Street annually. He has kept in contact with many students and alumni as a mentor.

“One of the things we can all share is our experiences, giving students some advice along the way. Kristy and I both value the opportunity to do that when it arises,” Goulart said.

The Goularts fund an endowed scholarship at Pacific for participants in the PROMISE Scholars program, which supports foster youth and temporarily homeless students. This decision was personal: the couple are former foster parents, a grandchild was adopted from foster care and Kristy has worked as a court-appointed special advocate for foster youth.

“One becomes successful when they have other adults in their life to help advocate for them,” Kristy Goulart said. “We want to help students become successful adults, instead of continuing in the same trajectory that they grew up in.”

The couple also established the Kristy Goulart Book Buddies Endowment, enabling Benerd College students to facilitate literacy programs for Stockton families, and are generous supporters of Pacific Athletics and the Eberhardt School of Business.

Steve Goulart serves on the boards of the Tri-County Scholarship Fund, providing scholarships for underserved New Jersey children at independent schools, and the Augustine Institute, a Catholic graduate school and educational organization. He credits his faith as a critical driver of his success.

“We have been blessed in many ways and are pleased to be able to share the fruits of those blessings,” he said. “Pacific provided us with the opportunity to get a great education, and more importantly, the place where we met. We always felt strongly that this was an important place in our lives, and we wanted to recognize it.”

Goulart will receive his honorary degree at Commencement on Saturday, May 11, 2024.

“Steve has experienced firsthand how philanthropy changes students’ lives, and that drives him to make a life-changing impact for others,” said Scott Biedermann ‘05, ‘20, Pacific’s vice president for development and alumni relations. “Steve and Kristy are deeply passionate about education, and I‘m grateful that they express that passion consistently through their generosity to our students.”

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HOME COMING 2023

AND FAMILY WEEKEND SAVE THE DATE: HOMECOMING AND FAMILY WEEKEND 2024 | OCTOBER 11-13 116 PACIFIC MAGA ZINE | 2023

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1. Alumni Robert Endow ’08 and Johanna Bakmas ’09 at the Orange & Black Ball, the largest Pacific Athletics fundraiser of the year. | 2. Orange & Black Ball guests Greg Coleman and Jessica Coleman ‘99. | 3. Pacific Alumni Association’s 2023 Faculty Mentor Award recipients: Professor Sharmila King, Professor Emerita Janet Andrews ’80, ’83, Professor Emerita Laurie Lichter-Heath and Professor Emeritus Charles Matuszak. | 4. Cluster College Reunion attendees Danna (Baldwin) Moreno ’74, Christine Fink ’70, Luis Ehrlich ’72, Norma Jean Chinchilla ’65 and William Kenah ’66. | 5. Reign Miller ‘24 pauses to view the annular solar eclipse outside the president’s house. | 6. Vice President Scott Biedermann ’05, ’20 participating in the annual Tiger Dash. | 7. Archania brother Jim Sampson ‘86 performs with his 80’s rock band Broken Toys. | 8. Julian Toro Solis ’08, ’10 and Neel Singh ’12 mingle with students at the Homecoming and Family Weekend Tailgate. | 9. Taste of Pacific celebrates 20 years with close to 700 attendees enjoying wines from 17 alumni-owned wineries.

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Seen at theScene

1. President Callahan greets Pacific students in NYC during the Eberhardt School of Business’ Week on Wall Street. | 2. From left: O’Harrall Sago ’76, ’78; John Paolo Gutierrez ’20, ‘23; Kelli Loritsch ’21 and Micaela Chapa ’20, ‘23 at the McGeorge School of Law’s Double Tiger Mixer on the Sacramento Campus. | 3. From left: Valentina Park (friend of Pacific); Colby Livingston ’09, ’12; Connor Halberg ’11; Joshua Foster ’08 and Kevin Robertson ’10, ’12 connect during a reception at President Callahan’s home in Scottsdale, AZ. | 4. Rosemary (Ash) Tchobanoglous ’57 and George Tchobanoglous ’58 participate in the Golden Tigers’ memorial procession during All-University Commencement in Stockton. | 5. Ben Brooks ‘12 talks with fellow Dugoni School alumni at a joint alumni mixer the Pacific Alumni Association and McGeorge School of Law hosted in Reno. | 6. The 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients. Back, from left: Ted Leland ’70, ’74; Daniel Idzkowski ’12; Leonard Armato ’75; Front, from left: Virginia (Chang) Chan ’77; Regent Tony Chan ’77, Cindy (Bava) Spiro ’76, ’84. | 7. From left: Quat Tran ’96, Jessica Calderoni (friend of Pacific), My Hang Nguyen ’95, Adriane Tran ’21, Regent Nava Fathi ’95, Becky Orson (friend of Pacific) and Edward Orson ’94 at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry’s Legacy Ball in San Francisco. | 8. Faith Olofintuyi ’17 and his wife Natasha Vinson enjoy a McGeorge alumni mixer in Portland. | 9. Alice Hirata and Henry Hirata ’64 celebrate at the 63rd Distinguished Alumni Awards on the Stockton campus.

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Music to My Ears Beth (Miller) ‘52 and Richard West ’52 On February 10, 1951 I moved into South Hall and walked over to the Quonset Hut to check out the Radio Department. There, I met Richard H. West, a preacher’s kid who was celebrating his 21st birthday, not a particularly auspicious occasion. As English-Radio undergraduates, we were very active on campus. On June 1, 1952, we were married by his father, a Methodist minister, and the next week we represented the campus in a national radio society followed by graduation. 64 years and four children and lifelong friends. Pacific was the foundation for the best life. The campus was open to all. The staff, instructors and fellow students were always supportive. I am grateful for the privilege and the experience.

Robert Endow ’08 and Johanna Bakmas ’09 (right) We met in the Pacific Pep Band and were good friends for many years. After graduation, we both stayed in Stockton for work and our friendship blossomed into something more.

He proposed to me in the rose garden and we were married in Morris Chapel the following year. Pacific always has and always will be part of our love story!

Anne Plescia ‘21 and Celeste Carranza ‘21 (below) We met our freshman year in our orientation group behind Faye Spanos Concert Hall. We played in separate sections in the orchestra, walked past one another in Buck Hall and always knew of each other but never ever talked. Celeste was a music therapy major and president of Mariachi Ocelotlán; I was violin performance and president of Kappa Alpha Theta. So we never really had any reason to interact. When COVID wiped out the social barriers between each of our clubs we finally talked through social media out of complete boredom and then realized we had much more in common than we thought.

(Celeste and I are born one day apart with the exact same astrological birth chart minus our rising signs.) We have been together ever since!

Love from Greek Circle Greg ‘68 and Kathy (Shoemaker) Fellers ‘68 (right) We first met while standing on the sidewalk in front of the Anderson YMCA, waiting for the bus to take us to freshman orientation camp.

We pal-ed around at camp and got to know more about each other. Even though we each had a girlfriend and boyfriend, respectively, at other colleges, our relationship grew.

We both joined Greek houses, Delta Upsilon and Kappa Alpha Theta, respectively, and dated to many parties and events. Almost inevitably, it seemed, we were pinned in our junior year and engaged our senior year.

Those Pacific years were magical as our love deepened.

We both worked hard to gain a valuable education, and we each matured as we became involved in more campus organizations, such as IFC and AWS. We were married the summer we graduated and celebrated our 55th year of loving partnership on August 17.

Scott ’87 and LaNor (Miller) Smith ’86, ’87 Scott and LaNor were introduced by two of LaNor’s Alpha Chi Omega sorority sisters. They secretly invited Scott to a Valentine’s Day dress dinner at the sorority house in 1985 and the rest, they say, is history...They found mutual interests, quickly becoming a couple, and they dated through the rest of their time at Pacific. They enjoyed many shared interests including attending sporting events, especially football; Band Frolic; LaNor cheering Scott on as he played intramural rugby; and Scott making himself available to join LaNor at many Alpha Chi Omega activities.

Scott kept with tradition and proposed to LaNor on Valentine’s Day in 1988, and they were married in 1989.

Both Scott and LaNor loved their time at Pacific and treasure all their lifelong Tiger friends. Because of the phenomenal experience the couple had at the university, they have decided to establish the Scott & LaNor Smith Endowed History Scholarship to invest in Pacific’s future students.

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Go Tigers!

ALUMNI NEWS

Near-missed connections

Heading to the Chapel Max ‘09, ‘16 and Candelaria (Cuestas) Vargas ‘10 (above) Candelaria and Max met in a modern languages class called Civilizaciones Latinoamericanas. They hit it off salsa dancing at a campus event called Noche Tropical. It was a salsa dancing competition held at the Bechtel International Center in November 2006. Ever since then, they have been dancing, traveling and spending time making memories.

Their favorite Pacific memory is getting to know each other and traveling through the modern languages programs and SIS study abroad programs. They also were married at Morris Chapel, and continue to create fond memories at Pacific.

Chris ‘74 and Georgette (Haefling) Hunefeld ‘90 Chris was a Pacific alumnus and I was planning to go back to Chicago for school. He asked me, “Why would you go back to Chicago when there are so many great schools in California?” My answer was, “Show me a school that could hold a candle to Northwestern and I’ll think about it.” He brought me to the Pacific campus and not only were the roses in bloom, but so was our love. We were married in Morris Chapel 10 days after my graduation.

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Jacob Gray ’21 and Hannah Alviso ’21 (above) We met move-in day freshman year for a karaoke night in Hannah’s room. We quickly became friends and throughout our freshman year we stayed close. Then our sophomore year we became study buddies for our cross-cultural training class. We would be up until the early hours of the morning at least once a week, and from all that time together we developed feelings.

We started dating October 10, 2018.

During our time at Pacific we became an orientation leader power couple, and studied together in spring 2020. Unfortunately we had to return home early due to COVID, but we were lucky enough to live on campus for our senior year. One of our fondest memories as a couple was the day of Commencement, when we walked across the stage to receive our diplomas and marked our three-year anniversary. Now we are starting a new chapter in our lives where we can focus on our careers and each other.

Domenic Jimenez ‘22 and Josh Kohmann ‘24 (right) Josh and I met back in August 2021. I am a residential assistant (RA) in Calaveras Hall and he is a resident on a different floor.

On the last day of move-ins, I was on call and carrying the oncall phone. At the end of our work day, roughly 4:50 p.m., I was about to give the phone to the next RA on call, but just before I did, this guy walked up to a group of RAs and said he locked himself out of his room. I handled this lock-out as I was still on call, and after we chatted for a bit, I finally unlocked his door and sadly felt like it was goodbye.

To my surprise, Josh showed up to every social that Calaveras Hall threw for the next few days, and we ended up talking together by the end of every event. Finally, I invited him to a small hangout with my fraternity brothers and he showed up.

We talked all night, held each other’s hands, danced together and the rest was history.

Study Buddies Doug Fowler ‘96 and Lori Yarbrough ‘96 (top right) Doug and I met in finance class at the Eberhardt School of Business.

We owe a love that has endured 28 years, 26 years married, to meeting on campus at Pacific. Not many get to say they married their college sweetheart, but four kids, four grandkids and many years of happiness later, we are so grateful.

We both have fond memories of all that we learned and especially what we took away from our college experience. We attended the last football game at Pacific. We were very involved in supporting the Anderson Y Center. We loved Pacific basketball. We took advantage of many leadership and career programs, and we credit our career trajectory to the support we received on campus.

Juan ‘99 and Maria (Cervantes) Aguirre ‘93 It all began when I was an undergraduate sociology student at College of the Pacific and my then boyfriend, Juan Aguirre, was my math tutor. We would often study at the Pacific library.

He accompanied me to numerous events at Pacific as I was active with the Community Involvement Program.

Juan proposed to me my junior year. I graduated in May 1993 with my bachelor of arts degree in sociology, and we were married in August 1993.

Fast forward to 1995, we welcomed our first child, Juan Miguel, and were overjoyed with love, promise and happiness.

Juan was now a transfer student to Pacific and was a junior in the School of Engineering and Computer Science. In 1998, we lovingly welcomed our second child, Julian Librado and were so happy as our young family was complete.

This year in August, Juan and I celebrated 30 years of a beautiful marriage. University of the Pacific has held, and continues to hold, a special place for both of us and our family.

Byron ‘77 and Shula (Allen) Bernstine ‘78, ‘79 (above) September 1973, we were introduced through shared classes, as we were pre-dental and pre-pharmacy students. Dr. Gross’s organic chemistry class study group and lab made us inseparable friends.

Grace Covell meals and fellowship were at the top of campus life.

We began to spend time together outside of classes. Support during Homecoming Queen campaigning, consoling during the stress of the application processes for pharmacy school and dental school, the joy of participating in Band Frolic, as well as sorority and fraternity pledging, sealed our fate. We officially started dating in 1975.

Byron would go on to graduate from the UCLA School of Dentistry and Shula from Pacific’s Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy. To this union we added five children, and the increase is eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

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IN MEMORIAM

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Judy 1936–2023 Chambers Student life pioneer. Educator. Beloved mentor. Civic leader. National higher education influencer. Devoted friend. Judy Chambers ’58, ’60 held countless roles throughout her seven decades at Pacific.

Simply put—she was an icon.

The inaugural vice president for student life, who held the position for 25 years, died July 11 at the age of 87.

“Judy Chambers made all of us better,” said President Christopher Callahan. “She made all of us more caring. She sometimes made us funnier. And she always made us more focused on the success of our students, the success of our friends and the success of our communities,” adding that she was “the grande dame of Pacific.”

Devoted to Pacific Chambers’ storied history with Pacific started when she was a student in 1954 and continued throughout her life.

The only time she spent away from Pacific was at the suggestion of her mentor, then President Robert Burns, who advised her to get experience elsewhere after completing her master’s degree. She spent eight years as a dean at Mt. Union College in Ohio before returning to Pacific in 1968 as Burns’ assistant.

Upon the arrival of new president Stanley McCaffrey, she moved into leadership roles in student life. Chambers was named dean of students in 1973 and became vice president for student life in 1975.

“Judy realized that a Division of Student Life could provide much more than just nutritious food, a place to sleep and wellness facilities,” said Professor Emeritus Gene Pearson, who first met her as a faculty member

in the 1970s. “Student life could also provide life-changing education through career counseling and recreational opportunities and by supporting a diversity of student-led organizations that helped them develop social and leadership skills.”

Among her advances were a peer advisor program for first-year students, a new learning center for skills development, the Services for Students with Disabilities Office and the first multicultural affairs position. She expanded new-student orientation to three days while adding well-attended orientation programs for parents of new students.

After leaving her post as vice president, she continued working for Pacific in the Division of University Advancement, and in retirement, she remained a staple at university events.

In 2008, student offices in the then-new Don and Karen DeRosa University Center were named in her honor.

A national leader NASPA, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, was Chambers’ “home away from home,” according to Regent Greg Boardman, former vice provost for student affairs at Stanford University who started his student life career at Pacific under her mentorship.

Chambers became NASPA’s president in 1986. Under her leadership, the association moved its headquarters from Ohio to Washington, D.C., to better advocate for higher education.

She received three awards from NASPA during her lifetime, including its highest honor, the John L. Blackburn Distin-

guished Pillar Award. “Judy put University of the Pacific on the student affairs map,” Boardman said.

Chambers also was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to serve on the board of directors for Sallie Mae, the first woman and non-university president appointed.

A life-long mentor and advisor She provided tremendous insight and wisdom to those around her, whether about how to handle issues related to student life or what to make for dinner—“reservations,” she was known to quip.

“Judy liked to quote President Burns who said, ‘Everything good that has ever happened in your whole life, Judy, is a result of University of the Pacific.’ I say back to you now Judy, everything that is good that has ever happened in student life is a result of you,” said Vice President for Student Life Maria Blandizzi at a celebration of life service for Chambers on July 29.

The deep relationships she forged with students lasted decades. Her last official act at Pacific was bestowing the Order of Pacific on Norman Allen ’88, ’94, the outgoing chair of the Board of Regents, during the spring 2023 commencement.

Chambers became Allen’s mentor during his time as an undergraduate when he served as president of ASuop.

“She believed in the transformative power of a Pacific education, and she believed in students, and in turn students believed in her,” Allen said.

To those who knew her—and seemingly everyone did—Chambers was a legend in her own time.

The Dr. Judith M. Chambers Endowed Scholarship for CIP Leadership supports first-generation students from Stockton who demonstrate leadership potential. To make an honorary gift to the scholarship, please visit Pacific.edu/Chambers-Fund or contact Scott Biedermann ‘05, ‘20, vice president for development and alumni relations, at 209.946.2166 or sbiedermann@pacific.edu.

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IN MEMORIAM GLEN ALBAUGH, PROFESSOR AND COACH Glen Albaugh, an iconic University of the Pacific figure who was a beloved professor, visionary sports psychologist and Pacific Tiger golf coach, died Feb. 16 in Lodi. He was 91.

Albaugh taught in the Department of Health, Exercise and Sports Science (formerly the Department of Physical Education) for nearly three decades. He coached golf at Pacific from 1971 to 1992, guiding the Tigers to six NCAA Tournaments and producing nine All-Americans.

Albaugh also was a pioneering sports psychologist, consultant and author who worked with hundreds of professional and amateur athletes and coaches, among them Super Bowl-winning coaches Pete Carroll ’73, ’78 and Bill Walsh. Albaugh was Carroll’s professor, academic advisor and lifelong mentor.

“Dr. Glen Albaugh will be missed greatly but not forgotten,” said Carroll, a former Pacific football standout and now head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. “He inspired so many young people through his thoughtful, caring manner of instruction, teaching and coaching.”

Among Albaugh’s many accolades, he was awarded honorary lifetime status in the PGA in 2011 and was inducted into the Golf Writers Hall of Fame in 2013. He co-authored two books on golf, “Winning the Battle Within” and “The Clutch Golfer Formula.”

“It’s truly incredible how he helped so many people with their golf games and shaped them into the persons they are today,” said John Cook, Pacific’s head golf coach. “The Dr. Glen Albaugh Short Game area at our facility honors his dedication to University of the Pacific and especially the Tiger golf program.”

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At Pacific, Albaugh received the university’s highest honor, the Order of Pacific, in 1999. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005, received the Alumni Mentor Award in 2017, and—just a few weeks before his death—was honored by his former student Cindy (Bava) Spiro ’76, ’84, as “The Pacifican Who Changed My Life.” The award is presented by recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Awards.

Board of Regent’s Chair Mary-Elizabeth Eberhardt ’76, also a former student, said Albaugh had a “profound influence” on everyone he taught. When she worked with Spiro to get the women’s athletics programs started at Pacific in the early days of Title IX, Albaugh was one of their biggest supporters.

“Glen had our backs 100%. He was encouraging, helpful and a fabulous mentor in all areas of our life, not just our education,” Eberhardt said. “He was extremely bright, an excellent communicator, funny and just an all-around good guy.”

FRANK BRUCIA, DENTAL SCHOOL GRADUATE The Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry’s longest-serving supporter, mentor and friend, alumnus Frank A. Brucia, died May 12 at the age of 106.

Brucia graduated from the Dugoni School in 1944, when it was known as the College of Physicians and Surgeons. He had a successful private practice in San Francisco and prominent leadership roles with the California Dental Association and San Francisco Dental Society.

He was awarded the Dugoni School Alumni Association’s highest honor—the Medallion of Distinction—in 2000 for his service to the school, community and profession. In

2022, he received the Arthur A. Dugoni Lifetime Achievement Award for extraordinary achievement and commitment.

His generosity to the dental school spanned more than five decades and led to the creation of the Brucia Loyalty Society in recognition of his unwavering support. The society honors donors who mark 10 consecutive years of giving to the Dugoni School, with at least $10,000 in lifetime giving.

“Dr. Frank Brucia, known as Papa Frank, was an icon and inspiration to so many,” said Nader Nadershahi, dean of the Dugoni School. “He shared his time, talent and treasure with the Dugoni School and beyond as a leader in the San Francisco Dental Society and California Dental Association.”

PAUL FAIRBROOK, FOOD SERVICES DIRECTOR Paul Fairbrook, a beloved food services director at Pacific who had a vital role gathering intelligence in World War II, died Oct. 2 at the age of 100.

Fairbrook led food services at Pacific from 1965 to 1985. He received the university’s highest honor, Order of Pacific, when he retired and was named an honorary alumnus in 2016.

After learning of his passing, messages poured in from alumni.

“I’ll always remember the dining halls at Pacific because the food was amazing,” wrote Nora Lee. “And Paul was ever-present, joyous, bigger-than-life and always dreaming up new ways to make dorm food not just palatable, but delicious and creative.”

His secretive work during the war only started to become public in the 1990s. Fairbrook was part of an intelligence unit known as the Ritchie Boys, a

group of mostly German-speaking Jewish immigrants who were specially trained as interrogators.

An Academy Award-nominated documentary called “The Ritchie Boys” was released in 2004, and in 2021 Fairbrook was featured on “60 Minutes” with two other Ritchie Boys.

“There’s nothing that I wanted more than to get some revenge on Hitler who killed my uncles and my aunts and my cousins,” Fairbrook said in the report. “We were delighted to get a chance to do something for the United States.”

Fairbrook was born in Berlin, Germany in 1923 and fled with his family at the age of 10.

He joined the United States Army at 18. “He was very proud of his service,” said his wife of 54 years Peig Fairbrook.

After the war, Fairbrook earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown University and a master’s from Michigan State University. He was dean at the Culinary Institute of America and later led food services at Northern Illinois University and University of the Pacific.

HALVOR HANSEN, COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSOR Halvor Peter Hansen, a professor of communication at University of the Pacific for three decades, died April 24. He was 95.

At the age of 27, he earned a PhD from the University of Wisconsin. He taught at the University of Colorado and Montana State University, and then concluded his career at Pacific from 1959 to 1990, when he retired as professor emeritus. He also served as chair of the Department of Communication.

“My office was across the hall from his and we saw each other on a daily basis,” said Carol Ann Hackley, professor emerita in communication. “I had so much respect for him in the classroom and with his involvement in his church and the community. He was a true gentleman and respected by students and colleagues.”

Hansen and his wife, Colleen, served three missions together for The Church of

Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were called as missionaries to serve in Pakistan.

During that mission they also served in Singapore and Ipoh, Malaysia.

They later served in the Philippines as the area welfare agents. On their last mission, they were church-service missionaries at the Ensign College in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Jon Schamber ’74, ’75 knew Hansen as both his professor and colleague.

“I had three classes with him and then taught alongside him when I returned to Pacific,” said Schamber, a professor and speech and debate coach at Pacific from 1980 to 2014. “Back in the 1970s he did very innovative work in intercultural communications when that field was just starting to grow.

He was an outstanding professor and a very pleasant person.”

DAVE KEEFE, ECONOMICS PROFESSOR Dave Keefe, a professor of economics at University of the Pacific for more than three decades who was instrumental in founding the School of International Studies, died on Dec. 14, 2022 at age 81.

He served on the Pacific faculty for 33 years and is recalled by peers as an innovative and admired professor and an active and effective participant in faculty governance.

Keefe earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and his PhD from University of California, Berkeley. He joined Pacific as a member of the Economics Department, teaching microeconomics and macroeconomics, public economics and international trade and finance.

Keefe promoted interdisciplinary and collaborative education grounded in the liberal arts. Those visions led Keefe and a group of other faculty members to help found the School of International Studies in 1987. Until his retirement in 2011, Keefe held a joint appointment in the Economics Department and School of International Studies.

He received the Pacific Alumni Association’s Faculty Mentor Award in 2008. His work with the Department of Economics and

the School of International Studies had profound and positive impacts on students, according to former Pacific deans.

Upon his retirement, Keefe wrote an op-ed column for The Record in Stockton, stressing the importance of thinking globally.

“The rest of the world has been connecting more to those of us in the Central Valley every day for the past 30 years. In the future, economic decisions in almost every other country will affect our children and grandchildren,” he wrote.

RONALD LIMBAUGH, HISTORY PROFESSOR Ronald Limbaugh, a renaissance man, professor of history and internationally acclaimed expert on the life of famed naturalist John Muir, died Aug. 13 at the age of 85.

His 34 years at Pacific includes time as professor of history, director of the Holt-Atherton Pacific Center for Western Studies and director of the John Muir Center for Regional Studies, where he specialized in the history of the environment, California and mining.

“In the late ’60s, one of John Muir’s granddaughters contacted Ron about the papers of Yosemite icon Muir,” recalled Mike Wurtz, head of university special collections and archives, and associate professor. “Soon, he was backing up his station wagon to the door of the UC Berkeley Library and loading the Muir Papers to come to Pacific.

“With this acquisition, Ron put the Pacific Archives on the map. Later, he started the Muir Center with its symposia, classes and newsletters that made Pacific the home for all things Muir–a legacy that Pacific will celebrate for generations.”

His daughter Sally Limbaugh Buck reflected on Limbaugh’s love for all things outdoors in a passage of the obituary she wrote: “In his lifetime, Ron transformed his yard into a wine producing vineyard, a vegetable garden and a drought tolerant haven for birds and insects.”

Limbaugh grew up in a poor family in New Plymouth, Idaho and received his

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RONALD LIMBAUGH (CONT.)

bachelor’s and master’s degrees and PhD from the University of Idaho.

He then met and married Marilyn Rice and moved to California to be closer to her family. He joined University of the Pacific for a distinguished career teaching history.

Limbaugh is survived by Marilyn, his wife of 60 years, daughter Sally Limbaugh Buck, son-in-law Robb Buck and granddaughter Penryn Buck.

ALISTAIR McCRONE, INTERIM PRESIDENT Alistair McCrone, former interim president of University of the Pacific and a nationally recognized geologist, died August 17 in Lynnwood, Washington at the age of 91.

McCrone was academic vice president at Pacific from 1970 to 1974 and briefly took over as president in 1971 while Robert E. Burns dealt with health issues. McCrone was named president of Humboldt State University in 1974, now known as Cal Poly Humboldt, and held the position until his 2001 retirement.

A passionate geologist, he served as chair of the geology department at New York University for several years prior to Pacific and also taught at other universities. From 196970 he gave 48 half-hour lectures on geology and related topics for the CBS National Network “Sunrise Semester” program.

McCrone earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Saskatchewan in Canada, a master’s degree from the University of Nebraska and a PhD at the University of Kansas.

He is survived by his wife Judith of 65 years, sons Bruce and Craig and their families.

GARY PODESTO, FORMER REGENT Gary Podesto, a two-term Stockton mayor who also served with distinction for eight years on University of the Pacific’s Board of Regents, died June 29 in Bozeman, Montana, where he lived with his wife Janice for the past few years. He was 81.

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Podesto was a regent from 1993 through 2001 and mayor from 1997 to 2005. He tackled the roles the way he did everything in his life, said Pacific President Emeritus Donald DeRosa.

“I remember Gary for his honesty, for always being straightforward and for never pulling any punches,” said DeRosa, Pacific president from 1995 to 2009. “He never talked down about anybody or was negative with them. I appreciated that about him. Gary was a very good regent and I valued his counsel and his leadership.”

Since 1994, Pacific has annually presented the Podesto Family Award for Excellence in Student Life Mentoring and Counseling.

Podesto was a regent when the board decided to suspend football in 1995. That was hard for Podesto, he often noted, due to his background in the sport.

Duane Isetti ’62, ’65, who played football at Pacific and later was a successful university fundraiser, played in the same backfield with Podesto at St. Mary’s High School in Stockton.

“Our association started on the high school football field and continued into our lives of work and service on the council,” Isetti said. “Nobody worked harder for the people of Stockton than Gary.

He could put politics aside and work for all Stocktonians.”

HERBERT R. REINELT JR., PHILOSOPHY PROFESSOR Herbert R. Reinelt Jr., a professor of philosophy for almost four decades at University of the Pacific, died June 26 in Seattle. He was 94.

Reinelt taught at Pacific from 1962 to 1999. He started his teaching career at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1959.

“While he was a person of strong personal faith, he very much was committed to the importance of reason and evidence-based arguments and the compatibility of a religious, spiritual-based life with the critical pursuit of truth and science,” said Professor of Philosophy Lou Matz.

When Reinelt arrived at Pacific, the university was in the process of renewal for the development of small cluster colleges.

He became a leader in the development of a new faculty/administrative structure, his first of many leadership roles throughout his Pacific career.

He received the Outstanding Professor Award and, at retirement, the Order of Pacific, the university’s highest honor granted to outstanding faculty and staff. The Reinelt family also received the Outstanding Family Award from the Pacific Alumni Association in 2017.

A Seattle native who enjoyed hiking and camping, Reinelt earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Washington in 1954 and later three degrees from the Yale Divinity School at Yale University, culminating in his PhD in 1962.

Reinelt was a lifelong donor to many organizations and faith communities. He supported social justice, civil and human rights, democracy, education and the environment.

In 1964, he chaired the San Joaquin County Coalition in Support of Fair Housing, which worked toward the elimination of housing discrimination.

Recently, he co-chaired the Partners in Caring campaign at the retirement community where he lived. Its purposes were to raise money for staff to pursue education and to support residents who had outlived their assets.

He is survived by children, grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

The family asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Dr. Herbert Reinelt Endowed Humanities Scholarship at University of the Pacific. The endowed scholarship fund, established in 2009, offers needbased scholarships to students studying in the humanities, with priority given to philosophy students.

DONALD Y. SHIRACHI, PHARMACY PROFESSOR The life of Professor Emeritus Donald Y. Shirachi ’60 can be characterized by his re-

lentless pursuit of knowledge and steadfast support of pharmacy students. He died April 21 at the age of 90.

Shirachi taught at Pacific for more than two decades. Colleagues fondly remember him as an educator who cared deeply about those aspiring to be pharmacists.

“In addition to his years of teaching, Dr. Shirachi was a steadfast supporter of our students through scholarships,” said Berit Gundersen, dean of the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy. “His impact was so profound, one of his former students established two endowed scholarships in his honor. Although he may be gone, I am comforted to know his legacy will continue.”

Frank Roscoe is the graduate who started the endowed scholarships in 2016.

At age 10, Shirachi and his family, along with many other Japanese-American families, were detained in internment camps during World War II. After the war, his family returned to their home in Watsonville, where he finished high school. After graduating, he served in the United State Navy.

Shirachi earned his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from University of the Pacific in 1960; his master’s in pharmacology from University of California, San Francisco, in 1965; and his Doctor of Philosophy in pharmacology from Purdue University in 1968.

After completing a United States Public Health postdoctoral research fellowship at UC San Francisco, he joined the Pacific faculty in 1971.

He taught at Pacific until 1993. In recognition of his years teaching and mentoring students, Shirachi was awarded the Order of Pacific, the university’s highest honor.

RICHARD TURPIN, ENGINEERING PROFESSOR Richard H. Turpin, a professor of engineering at University of the Pacific who also served one year as dean, died in Stockton August 28 at the age of 84.

Turpin taught engineering for 21 years at Pacific (1984-2005) after working as a professor at University of California, Davis,

and Indiana University—Purdue University at Indianapolis.

“He was a colleague and a friend to all from the day you met him,” said Abel Fernandez, professor of civil engineering. “In all his roles, from professor to department chair to interim dean, there was never a sense of detachment. He remained close to everyone.

He was a special person.”

Turpin earned bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and mathematics at Iowa State University, a master’s in electrical and computer engineering at USC and a PhD in electrical engineering at The Ohio State University.

Turpin was an avid musician, photographer, cyclist and tennis and pickleball player. He also enjoyed traveling.

“He biked to campus almost every day from his home [in west Stockton],” recalled his son Tim Turpin. “He had a couple different bikes and that was part of his routine. He was a very active person in many of his interests.”

Turpin and his first wife Sylvia had three children: Tim, Mark and Rebecca. After Sylvia died, he met Carolyn Lawrence through the Quail Lakes Orchestra and Stockton Concert Band and they married in 2017.

The family will establish an endowed scholarship in Richard H. Turpin’s name to honor his career-long devotion to supporting the learning and development of engineering students. Each year, in perpetuity, an outstanding student at the School of Engineering and Computer Science will receive the scholarship award. Memorial gifts honoring Turpin can be made by contacting Dan Mackeben at dmackeben@pacific.edu or 209.946.2643.

JOHN WILLIAMS, ENGLISH PROFESSOR John Williams, a professor of English with a booming voice who instilled in his students an appreciation for Southern literature, died July 23 at the age of 87.

His 33 years (1965-1998) at University of the Pacific were divided between Ray-

mond College and the English Department in the College of the Pacific. Under both schools, he was an internationally recognized scholar on the works of Mississippi-based author William Faulkner.

“He was an extremely well-educated person and active in interdisciplinary studies,” said former Dean of the College of the Pacific Robert Benedetti. “He was so learned about Faulkner, whose work can be a difficult read for many. John got his students to embrace those studies.”

Williams cherished his work in Raymond College, one of Pacific’s cluster colleges, with its mission of bringing bright students and professors together in an academic community to study, discuss, research, argue and write. He moved into the English Department when Raymond College phased out, a process that started in 1977.

“He was beloved by the Raymond faculty and students. He also was very supportive of me with the Department of English. All the cluster colleges were gone, but John joined me in working on general education reform,” Benedetti said. “He was a very strong leader.”

Williams grew up working on a farm and attending school in a one-room country schoolhouse. Alumna Janet Peterson ’75 lived down the street and they fell in love and married in June 1956. They were married for 67 years.

Williams and his wife participated in many local causes including supporting political candidates and school integration, volunteering with Stockton libraries and serving on the board for St. Mary’s Dining Room, which provides meals, health care and other services to the homeless and impoverished in Stockton.

Retirement was filled with children and grandchildren and their activities. For his sons, he rarely missed a basketball or football game and for his seven grandchildren, he rarely missed a game, school play or a graduation.

Williams is survived by his wife Janet Williams and his three sons and three daughters-in-law, Michael and Margaret, Howard and Monica, and Marvin and Debbie, and seven grandchildren.

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PACIFIC MAGAZINE

APRIL 23–24

130 PACIFIC MAGA ZINE | 2023

Let’s show the world what one day of giving can do.

Join us from wherever you are, as the Pacific community comes together around the clock and around the globe to support students and the programs that shape their future.

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PACIFIC GIVES | APRIL 23–24, 2024 CAN’T WAIT FOR THE BIG EVENT TO HELP OUR STUDENTS? Sign up to be an ambassador at Pacific.edu/PacificGives Give now at Pacific.edu/Give

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HOMECOMING AND FAMILY WEEKEND OCTOBER 11-13, 2024

University of the Pacific is dedicated to responsible stewardship of the environment. In doing so we have chosen to use paper that is Forest Stewardship Council certified (FSC).

Made from a renewable resource, vegetable-based printing inks are produced with vegetable oil, such as soybean or corn oil, as a substitute for petroleum.