For three days, University of the Pacific’s campus was filled with familiar faces, new memories and plenty of Tiger pride as more than 5,100 alumni, students, families and friends gathered for Homecoming and Family Weekend. 

The celebration took on special meaning this year as the university marked its 175th anniversary, honoring the people, traditions and connections that have shaped Pacific across generations.

With everything from live music and reunions to athletic events and family-friendly activities, the weekend offered something special for all attendees. 

“Homecoming is a powerful reminder that what makes Pacific special is the community we share and the connections that last long after graduation,” said Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Scott Biedermann ’05, ’20. 

“From our newest Pacificans who just graduated to our Golden Tigers who have been part of the Pacific family for decades, it was wonderful to bring generations together to celebrate our 175-year legacy, reconnect with old friends and create new memories. No matter when you came to Pacific, you will always be part of the Tiger family.” 

The celebration got started Friday with a craft beer tasting followed by the Orange and Black Ball, where Tommy the Tiger, Pacific’s former mascot, made a surprise guest appearance. The event raised more than $360,000 for the Pacific Athletic Foundation to support student-athletes.

Saturday morning, President Christopher Callahan connected with families of current students, then hosted the annual champagne toast to share campus updates and reflect on 175 years of Pacific innovation and excellence.

“With all of our innovations, and you're going to hear about a lot of them today, what remains true is the core of a Pacific education, and that is the relationship between these amazing, inspiring, tireless faculty members and our hardworking, dedicated, focused students. That has always been the formula of success for Pacific. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow,” he said.

Head of Special Collections Mike Wurtz took attendees on an interactive journey through Pacific’s 175-year legacy on the first-ever live Pacific Conversations, hosted by Biedermann. They discussed rich campus history, viewed vintage photographs and remembered landmark institutional achievements. 

Saturday afternoon brought alumni and friends together for Taste of Pacific, where they celebrated the university’s anniversary while enjoying wine from alumni vintners and a performance by the alumni band. Later that night, attendees gathered under the stars for a live performance by the renowned Brubeck Brothers, sons of legendary jazz musician and Pacific alumnus Dave Brubeck ’42. 

Alumni from Pacific’s former men’s volleyball program enjoyed a special reunion and celebrated the return of the men’s volleyball  this year. 

The next generation of Tigers joined the celebration, with prospective students and family members exploring campus during Fall Open House. 

The events carried into Sunday, beginning with the Faculty Mentor Awards, where Ben Carlston, Dan Croxall ’08, Xiaoling Li and Jeannene Ward-Lonergan were honored for their dedication to students.

To round out the weekend, Pacificans gathered for Touchdowns and Tigers, a tailgate viewing party featuring the 49ers versus the Seattle Seahawks as part of Pacific’s partnership with the San Francisco 49ers. Guests posed for photos with Sourdough Sam and the 49ers spirit squad and heard from Pro Football Hall of Famer and former 49ers defensive tackle Bryant Young, who reflected on his years training at Pacific during the team’s summer training camp from 1998 to 2002.

“I always loved engaging with the community when they got a chance to come out and be a part of our training camp,” said Young. “That was always special to me because it really is just like today, it's all about the fans. It's about the fan engagement and just having them really connect with us and be a part of the whole experience, because without our fan base, it's hard. It's hard to keep moving this game forward. So, I'm always grateful for that.”

During the game, students in Pacific’s sports analytics program put their expertise on display, tracking win probabilities and providing statistical breakdowns in real time.