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‘Lasting relationships at the core of Pacific’ for 175 years and beyond
Exactly 175 years after University of the Pacific became California's first university, Pacificans gathered on historic Knoles Lawn July 10 to celebrate the university’s continued commitment to student success, hands-on learning and connection.
“There's so much to our history, but at the core is the same mission that we've had for 175 years, and that hopefully we will have for the next 175 years, and that is development of students in hundreds of different fields and disciplines across our three campus to create leaders for our communities, for our state, for our nation and for our globe,” Pacific President Christopher Callahan said.
The celebration opened with the carillon bells of Burns Tower playing "Happy Birthday," before Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Mary Lomax-Ghirarduzzi led the crowd in singing the song. The event culminated in the ceremonial cutting of a giant birthday cake adorned with 175 candles.
“I continue to marvel every day at the relationships that our faculty and our students build together that go beyond the classroom and often last long after graduation. That is so powerful. That to me is the magic formula of Pacific. It always has been. It always will be. Lots of things will change, but that will remain our core, our purpose, our reason for being.”
Similar celebrations were also held Friday on Pacific’s Sacramento and San Francisco campuses.
Pacific will continue to celebrate its 175th anniversary throughout 2026 with special events, speakers, concerts and more, including special programming during Homecoming and Family Weekend Oct. 9-11. Much of the celebration will focus on innovation at Pacific—past, present and future.
In just the last five years, the university has added 24 academic programs at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels and recently expanded Division I sports to 21 teams. Pacific also announced major plans to open a School of Medicine to address the severe physician shortage across the Central Valley.
Pacific’s tradition of growth, innovation and resourcefulness remains evident. As higher education institutions throughout the nation are declining, Pacific continues to grow. 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.
Learn more about Pacific’s legacy of innovation through the past, present and future.
