Mary-Elizabeth Eberhardt ’76 believes what you give to the community, you get back tenfold. And give, she does—as vice president of California’s oldest bank, a seasoned community leader and chair of University of the Pacific’s Board of Regents. 

Saturday, Eberhardt will receive an honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree, celebrating 50 years of contributions to Pacific, Stockton and San Joaquin County.

“At first I didn’t believe President (Christopher) Callahan when he told me," she said. “This award is so unexpected and so special. I’m honored and humbled to accept it.”

Pacific awards honorary degrees to individuals with a distinguished professional career and a national reputation for exemplary achievement and service. Eberhardt will be recognized as she retires from the Board of Regents, which she joined in 2017 and has chaired since 2023. 

Under her leadership, Pacific achieved record enrollment, unprecedented financial stability and its highest ever national rankings. The board approved 11 new academic degree programs and added multiple athletic programs amid cuts nationwide. 

Pacific became a Hispanic-Serving Institution, completed numerous capital projects across all three campuses and entered a historic multi-year partnership with the San Francisco 49ers—all with Chair Eberhardt at the helm. 

“Mary-Elizabeth’s impact at Pacific is phenomenal,” President Callahan said. “She cares deeply about our students, and her leadership has elevated us to new levels of excellence in ensuring their success. 

“She uplifts others across the university, whether she’s encouraging students, cheering on our athletic teams or leading the board,” the president continued. “Her presence and energy are unsurpassed, and I am truly grateful to work with her.”

Eberhardt is a lifelong Stocktonian and 1976 College of the Pacific graduate. Her family has operated Bank of Stockton, the oldest bank in the state, since 1949. As vice president and director of community banking, Eberhardt oversees the retail division for all 21 branches across nine counties.

For over 40 years she has expanded banking access for underserved communities in the Central Valley, opening doors for low-income families, immigrants and others with limited access to financial services. Her efforts have sustained economic participation among small businesses and mission-driven organizations and have enhanced financial infrastructure in areas lacking traditional support. 

She also launched the bank’s universal banker program, which trains tellers on a range of financial services and emphasizes promoting talent from within. This framework has strengthened employee retention and customer satisfaction across all 21 branches. 

Eberhardt is vice chair of the San Joaquin Partnership, a non-profit economic development organization supporting business attraction, retention and expansion throughout San Joaquin County. She is a founding member of the Children’s Museum of Stockton and a board member for the San Joaquin County Historical Society.

She previously participated on the boards of the Deuel Vocational Institute and San Joaquin Delta College.

“I had great role models in my family who engrained the importance of giving from an early age,” Eberhardt said. “They taught us that when you have time and resources, you give them—not because you have to, but because you want to.”

The Eberhardt family includes four generations of Pacific alumni and supporters. Mary-Elizabeth is the fifth Eberhardt to serve as a regent, and she and her father, the late Robert M. Eberhardt ’51, are the only father-daughter in the university's history to both chair the board. She also has served on advisory boards for Pacific Athletics, the Community Involvement Program and the Eberhardt School of Business. 

The business school was renamed for her family in 1995, and she upholds their legacy by supporting the Eberhardt Student Investment Fund, a family gift allowing students to manage a real stock portfolio, currently approaching nearly $5 million. 

She has endowed three scholarships and, with her family and Bank of Stockton, has funded two faculty chairs and supported numerous campus building projects.

“Mary-Elizabeth embodies the values that define Pacific: integrity, commitment and a deep belief in the power of education to transform lives. She backs up that belief with her philanthropy,” said Scott Biedermann ’05, ’20, vice president for development and alumni relations. “Throughout her journey from student to regent, she has consistently championed opportunity, mentorship and long-term institutional excellence.”

Eberhardt also is a role model for other female leaders. She mentors fellow regents, advises business students and encourages student-athletes through First Lady Jean Callahan’s #WomenSupportingWomen program.

“Mary-Elizabeth leads by example. She gets out and talks with people, asking questions and engaging in substantive conversations, demonstrating how a leader can be both bold and a listener who takes input,” said Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Gretchen Edwalds-Gilbert. “She inspires through her active engagement with others and her true interest in making the world, including Pacific, a better place.”

“I’m proud to be part of Pacific, and I look forward to seeing its growth continue,” Eberhardt said. “I’m leaving the university in good hands. The board members are strong leaders whose wide-ranging expertise has moved us forward in many ways. Together with the president, deans, faculty and staff, we’ve done amazing work to prepare Pacific for the future.”

In January, Eberhardt received the Pacific Alumni Association’s Medallion of Excellence, recognizing outstanding achievement by alumni who are faculty, staff or regents.

She will receive her honorary degree May 9 on historic Knowles Lawn during the All-University Commencement.