Education doesn’t just happen in the classroom at University of the Pacific. There are opportunities to build real-world experience through project-driven classes, capstone courses and even some chances to travel across the country or world to participate in prestigious industry events.
Each experience gives you a unique chance to learn about your industry and actually interact with it. Some include internships, others give you a chance to network with working processionals. Here are some of the coolest opportunities available to Pacific students:
First Year Experience: Study abroad in Chile
Pacific’s First Year Experience program helps you find your community and try new things, guided by pillars of practical education. One of those pillars is “A Global View,” which encourages you to treat the world as your classroom. So, what better way to put that into practice than a study abroad trip to Chile?
Over winter break, Pacific brings a group of first-year students to several cities in Chile to learn about its culture, history and sciences. It’s a fit for students of any major and a great way to make new friendships as you travel abroad perhaps for the first time.
“This trip has inspired me to study abroad more and go out to another country,” says Erick Ramirez Jimenez ’29. “If it wasn’t for this trip, I don’t know if I would be making that decision. It just really opened my eyes to see a new culture.”
“I found some friends along the way that I definitely see myself having a lifelong friendship with,” says Erik Ventura ’29.
The Grammys
Los Angeles is a global hub for the media industry and one of its biggest awards weekends: The Grammys. Each year, thousands of people attend (and millions more watch online or on TV) to see The Recording Academy recognize the biggest names in music.
Among its attendees are Pacific students, part of an annual music industry studies program trip to Los Angeles in March where they tour museums, meet with industry professionals and see the biggest companies in the business. Each year, a few of the students in that group get to attend the actual Grammys.
“I think [the trip] is going to be something I’m going to remember forever,” says Kaelin Anamizu ‘’24. “It really opened up my eyes, and I think a lot of the seniors on the trip can say the same.”
South by Southwest
Every March, Austin, Texas hosts SXSW, a packed week of film/TV screenings, music showcases, tech competitions and other industry events. It’s a celebration of the latest in technology, media and culture.
It’s also a vital place to make industry connections and learn from working professionals, which is why Pacific’s Department of Art, Media, Performance and Design sends some students to participate. And, thanks to the Barbara and Bob Bejan Experiential Learning Endowment, the department covers food, transportation, lodging and festival passes for everyone.
“Meeting industry professionals, meeting stars, meeting directors, getting advice from them on how to actually navigate the industry is immensely valuable. They eat, sleep and breathe film on a national and international scale,” says Professor Joshua Salyers.
Wall Street
Wall Street needs little introduction. This New York City district is so iconic that it’s shorthand for the whole American financial market. There are few better places for business students to learn about the world of opportunities available to them.
That’s why Pacific’s Eberhardt School of Business sends select students to this financial capital each March. These students, who are all part of Pacific’s Student Investment Fund class, where they learn to manage a real, $5 million portfolio, tour top finance firms, network with Pacific alumni and get a first-hand look at how finance works.
“It was, I think, illuminating for them because they realized it was very similar to what they’re doing now. That got them really excited about how relatable it is to what they’re doing in the classroom,” says finance professor Ben Carlston. “It’s a great opportunity for them to say, ‘OK, I can actually see myself here.’”
The Cannes Film Festival
The most prestigious film festival in the world, the Cannes Film Festival has drawn people from across the world to France for the better part of a century. The 12-day festival celebrates film in all its forms with screenings, press conferences, awards and plenty of networking.
There’s no better place to be for burgeoning media professionals. So, through an internship program with the festival’s American Pavilion in May, Pacific helps media arts and production students work the event. One of those students was Isabella Edwards ’26, who worked as a videographer.
“This was a chance to bring my love for cameras to a large festival setting while collaborating with students who are equally passionate about other aspects of filmmaking, like producing and marketing,” Isabella says. “Being present for those panel discussions also allowed me to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the different entertainment professionals who shape the industry today.”