Inspired by their years at University of the Pacific and the career success that followed, Jim Hibbert ’86 and Donna (Niles) Hibbert ’85 wanted to give something back.

The couple recently made a significant estate commitment to benefit the Community Involvement Program (CIP), a scholarship and retention program for first-generation students from Stockton. Though neither Hibbert was a CIP Scholar, both appreciate the program’s long track record of helping students overcome personal and financial obstacles to succeed in college.

“It really stuck with me, this ability to help students who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to go to Pacific. And it’s such a great opportunity because those students don’t have to go away to school—they can be close to their families, they still have their support systems, and they know the Stockton community,” Jim Hibbert said.

CIP has graduated more than 2,000 scholars since 1969. Along with substantial financial support, participants enjoy tutoring, mentoring, career networking, and a co-curricular experience that emphasizes leadership development and community service. 

Without children of their own to support, the Hibberts embraced CIP as a vehicle to help future generations receive the same opportunities they did. 

“Going to college can be a hard adjustment—it’s a big step—but we love the idea that this program makes it less overwhelming,” Jim Hibbert said.

Both Hibberts’ families expected and encouraged them to pursue higher education. Donna came from a long line of students and teachers. She graduated from the Eberhardt School of Business and enjoyed a career in banking and finance, retiring as a vice president at Bank of America. She later worked as a substitute teacher and currently serves as a volunteer tutor.

“A college degree proves you’re teachable,” she reflected. “I took so much of my learning from Pacific with me and used it, both the academic learning and the lessons about how to work with different kinds of people. I’ve carried that through my banking career, my teaching career and into everything I’m doing now.”

Jim Hibbert, also a business school alumnus, came to Pacific from a rural community where many didn’t see college as an option. His father’s job as a park ranger prompted the family to move 13 times before Jim reached seventh grade. He later became the first in his family to graduate from college.

“In my background there wasn’t a lot of opportunity—students didn’t go on to continuing education,” he said. “I saw what an education did for me, and at the same time, I saw those who didn’t get to [go to college], who I thought could have benefited. I always thought about how I could help with that in some way.”

Jim co-founded his own consulting firm, Noble Street Advisors, which he has chaired since 2011. He credits his Pacific faculty for instilling in him the confidence to succeed in the field.

“They spent time giving me confidence that I was going to be competent and successful,” he said. “I didn’t previously have that confidence, and that kind of support and attention would have been really rare and hard to get at a big state school.”

Four decades later, the Hibberts chose to invest in CIP because of its focus on students from low-income households who demonstrate leadership potential. Philanthropic support allows the program to provide scholarships that, combined with Cal and Pell Grants, can cover up to full tuition at Pacific. 

“CIP is a lifeline for local first-generation students and a catalyst for educational equity,” said Alison Dumas ’95, associate vice president for enrollment strategy and a longtime director of the program.

“The Hibberts’ generosity is transformational. Their investment affirms the importance of our work—it strengthens the program’s future, promises the ability to grow, and fuels our mission to uplift current and future scholars from the Stockton community to pursue higher education and create opportunities for others,” Dumas continued. 

The Hibberts themselves see their commitment to CIP as a partnership, increasing their ability to make an impact.

“Partnering with CIP accomplished far more than we could achieve ourselves. And all the money goes directly toward benefiting these students,” Jim Hibbert said.

To learn about including University of the Pacific in your estate plans, contact Molly Byrne at 209.946.2780 or mbyrne1@pacific.edu.