In the mid-1800s, California was in the dawn of statehood, forging its state identity as new settlers arrived during the Gold Rush. Formal education was in its infancy. California had no college or university.

With a resolve to make education work for the common good, a group of Methodist ministers set out to establish the fledgling state’s first college. On July 10, 1851, University of the Pacific became the first institution of higher learning in California.

Pacific will celebrate its 175th anniversary throughout 2026 with special events, speakers, concerts and more. Much of the celebration will focus on innovation at Pacific—past, present and future.

“In many ways, our tradition is innovation,” said President Christopher Callahan. “We look forward to recognizing our pioneering past and looking ahead to our bright future, continuing our tradition of breaking barriers, embracing innovation and expanding access for all.”

Founded as a small college in Santa Clara, Pacific has grown over the past 175 years into one of the West’s leading independent universities with a long history of educational firsts.

In 1858, the university opened the first medical school on the West Coast, which would later become the Stanford University School of Medicine.

At a time when higher education remained largely inaccessible for women, Pacific opened its doors to men and women alike, becoming the first coeducational university in the West—a “pioneering milestone” that “set Pacific ahead of almost any other school in the country,” wrote former Provost Philip N. Gilbertson in his book, “Pacific on the Rise: The Story of California’s First University.”

After relocating to San Jose, the school expanded its academic offerings, establishing the first Conservatory of Music in the West.

Eager to grow the school, its leaders made its most transformative decision in 1924, to move the university 75 miles east to Stockton. The move expanded the campus from 17 acres into what is now 175 acres and made Pacific the first four-year university in California’s Central Valley.

That year, Pacific’s School of Education, now known as Benerd College, became one of the first in the West to offer a four-year bachelor’s degree in education. In 1947, Pacific launched the first music therapy degree program in the western United States.

Explore an interactive timeline of Pacific’s major milestones over the past 100 years.

Since then, Pacific has grown to include campuses in San Francisco and Sacramento, expanding its impact across Northern California. The Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco, formerly known as the College of Physicians and Surgeons, joined Pacific in 1962. McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento became part of the university in 1966.

In 1969, Pacific launched the Community Involvement Program, known as CIP, a need-based scholarship initiative to increase access for first-generation and minority students from Stockton. Widely recognized as the nation’s first place-based scholarship program at a university, CIP combines financial support with academic tutoring and leadership development.

Since its inception, more than 2,000 students have graduated from the program—including musician Chris Isaak ’80 and NASA astronaut José Hernández ’84—cementing Pacific’s legacy as a pioneer in expanding educational opportunity.

The tradition of growth, innovation and resourcefulness continues today. While many higher education institutions are declining, Pacific is growing. With nearly 7,000 students across its campuses in Stockton, Sacramento and San Francisco, Pacific has achieved its highest enrollment in the school’s history in the last three years.

The university has added 24 academic programs in the last five years at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels and recently expanded Division I sports to 21 teams.

This year, the university achieved its highest national rankings—No. 85 among all national universities ranked by the Wall Street Journal and No. 3 in best value in California, according to U.S. News & World Report.

“For 175 years, Pacific has focused on student success, academic excellence, experiential learning and service to our communities,” the president said. “Those values ground us as we ambitiously plan for the future.”

The milestone year will usher in the completion of new spaces that preserve Pacific’s history and traditions while incorporating modern advances to elevate the student experience.

The newly reconstructed Southwest Hall, a residential building set to open in the fall, will retain the historic architecture of the original century-old structure while providing a 21st century living-learning hub for today’s students.

Pacific also will open a state-of-the-art student-athlete and sports medicine center, ambulatory surgery centers on the Sacramento and San Francisco Campuses, and the Jiu Du Inn, an on-campus boutique hotel. The inn will transform the experience for parents and prospective students visiting campus and will incorporate experiential learning opportunities for hospitality management students at the Eberhardt School of Business.

A highlight of the yearlong 175th festivities will be a special Homecoming and Family Weekend Oct. 9-11, celebrating Pacific’s rich legacy and future as a leader in U.S. higher education.