Dear Pacificans, 

Welcome back — and to our newest Tigers, welcome for the very first time — to a new academic year at University of the Pacific. Whether you are returning to familiar classrooms or newly stepping onto our Stockton, Sacramento or San Francisco Campus, I want you to know: you belong here. 

This year, I invite our entire community to ground our shared work in a theme that emerged from this spring's 5th Annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Retreat, our largest gathering yet: Bridging Together. Bridging asks us to build relationships across our differences while remaining firmly committed to equity — to meet one another with curiosity instead of certainty, and with care instead of caution. It does not replace the work we have already done together; it builds on it. Anti-racism, belonging and intercultural competence remain companion frameworks, each one strengthening our capacity for equity-minded leadership. And all of it rests on the foundation we call Institutionalizing Love: the conviction that our work together is ultimately about creating the conditions for every person's flourishing. 

I take this personally. I was born, raised and educated in Stockton, one of the most racially and ethnically diverse cities in the nation, in a pluralistic neighborhood that was multicultural, multilingual and multi-religious long before those words became common language. That upbringing taught me early on that our differences are not obstacles to bridge our present or past — they are the very foundation on which we build community and understanding. It is why I believe so deeply in Pacific's mission and in each of you. 

Because here is what I know to be true: the world does not need more professionals who simply have credentials. It needs leaders who carry their full selves — their cultures, their identities, their convictions — into every room they enter, and who lead with compassion, competence and conscience. That is the higher purpose of a Pacific education. Every class you take, every conversation across differences you choose to have, every organization you join is preparing you not just for a career, but for the responsibility of shaping a more equitable, inclusive and just world. 

As we begin this year together, I ask three things of our community: 

Be curious. Approach the perspectives, cultures and experiences around you with genuine interest rather than judgment. Bridging begins with a willingness to ask questions and truly listen to the answers. 

Show care. Check in on one another. Practice the kind of compassion that makes it possible for every Pacifican — student, faculty or staff — to bring their whole self to campus and know they will be met with respect. 

Stay engaged. Show up for the events, courses and conversations that stretch you. Growth and connection rarely happen from the sidelines. 

To our returning Pacificans: thank you for the leadership, courage and care you have already shown in building this community. When you see a new student, faculty or staff member, make sure you introduce yourself to them – share your favorite spots on our three beautiful campuses. To our newest members: you are joining a university that has committed itself to becoming a model for diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education, and your presence and voice are part of what will carry that vision forward.  

This is your time. You can go anywhere from Pacific. You can do anything you imagine. And this year, I hope you will help us Bridge Together across differences, and with purpose, toward a shared future worth building. 

With appreciation,

Mary J. Lomax-Ghirarduzzi, EdD

Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Professor of Communication