The Investiture of President Christopher Callahan, 26th President of University of the Pacific, takes place October 20, 3-4:30 p.m. on Knoles Lawn on the Stockton Campus with a reception to follow. Students, faculty and staff are invited to attend.
Inauguration Week Events
October 17–22, 2021
A special event to kick off inauguration week will be hosted at the Sacramento campus October 17.
Pacific students are invited to celebrate with the president on October 18, 6-7 p.m. at a food truck tailgate. The festivities continue as the Pacific Men’s Water Polo team takes on Princeton at 7 p.m. at the Chris Kjeldsen Pool.
The Board of Regents will meet in-person on October 21-22 on the Stockton campus.
A special celebratory event to conclude inauguration week will be hosted at the San Francisco campus on October 22.
Student research will be on display during the week in the William Knox Holt Memorial Library and Learning Center on the Stockton Campus, on the second floor in the Center for Teaching and Learning.
Receptions with alumni, community and government leaders and university donors and supporters will be held throughout the week.
Symposia
President Christopher Callahan designed a series of symposia on topics that are most important to him, Pacific and higher education. The conversations feature leading Pacific faculty, students and invited guests. All are open to the community.
The Master Teacher
Monday, Oct. 18, 10-11 a.m. | Alex & Jeri Vereschagin Alumni House Board Room
The power of the Pacific education is exemplary professors who are truly “master teachers” and their ability to connect with students, forming bonds that often last a lifetime. The following is a conversation with some of our very best.
Derek Isetti, Associate Professor and Chair, Speech-Language Pathology | Sacha Joseph-Matthews, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Associate Professor of Marketing | Sharmila King, Professor of Economics | Courtney Lehmann, Tully Knoles Professor of the Humanities
Moderated by Associate Professor of English Jeffrey Hole
The College Student Experience in the 2020s
Monday, Oct. 18, 11:30-12:30 p.m. | Lair, DeRosa University Center
Today’s college students are often portrayed in the media as fragile, overly sensitive young adults coddled by parents and the academy. We find a very different generation of college students, one that is strong, creative, adaptable and resilient. Vice President for Student Life Maria Blandizzi will lead a conversation with students and recent alumni Christian Cardona, Class of ’19 BS, ’21 MA; Rene Jesse (RJ) Bagus, Music Industry Studies, Class of ’21; Tierra Smithson, Political Science, Class of ’22; and Samantha Reed, Sociology, Class of ’22.
At the conclusion of the conversation, we will offer a 15-minute overview of the social media spaces our students live in. Following the large group conversation, brief small group sessions will be offered to dive into Instagram, TikTok, and/or Reddit. Bring your mobile device and have the apps on your phone.
Lunch will be provided following the session.
Public Service through Experiential Education
Monday, Oct. 18, 4-5 p.m. | Alex & Jeri Vereschagin Alumni House Board Room
A hallmark of a Pacific education is experiential learning giving students the opportunity to apply their learning in settings that benefit our communities.
Veronica Bandy, Clinical Professor | Melissa C. Brown, Clinical Professor of Law, Director, Legal Clinics, Director, Elder & Health Law Clinic | Elisa M. Chavez, Professor, Diagnostic Sciences, Director, Pacific Center for Equity in Oral Health Care | Dari Sylvester Tran, Professor, Political Science, Program Manager, California Healthy Futures Civic Action Fellowship
Moderated by Vice President for University Development and Alumni Relations Scott Biedermann
Reception to follow.
Diversity and American Higher Education
Tuesday, Oct. 19, 10-11 a.m. | Alex & Jeri Vereschagin Alumni House Board Room
In his fall 2021 State of the University address, President Christopher Callahan boldly shared our 10-year goal, “Pacific will become the best student-centric, comprehensive university in the U.S.” To realize this charge, this session will focus on how Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) drives policy, innovation and student success within American higher education and how Pacific will reach its goal through DEI efforts.
Led by Inaugural Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Mary J. Wardell-Ghirarduzzi
In conversation with: Qingwen Dong, Professor and Director of Graduate Programs, Department of Communication, Co-Chair of University Committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | Tracy L. Simmons, Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions, Strategic Diversity Initiatives and Financial Aid, McGeorge School of Law | Christian Cardona, Class of ’19 B.S., ’21 M.A., Assistant Director of Undergraduate and Graduate Enrollment, Eberhardt School of Business | Gavin Henderson, Graphic Design, Class of ’21, Community Involvement Scholar, CIP Chase Mentor at Madison Elementary School
The Future of Intercollegiate Athletics:
A Conversation with West Coast Conference Commissioner Gloria Nevarez
Tuesday, Oct. 19, 4-5 p.m. | Alex & Jeri Vereschagin Alumni House Board Room
Intercollegiate athletics is often called the “front porch” to a university. But today’s NCAA is a complex landscape with challenges on the legal, financial, social and cultural fronts. Student-athletes Elijah Birdsong from baseball and Jenae Packard from soccer will interview Gloria Nevarez, the commissioner of the West Coast Conference, about what she sees as the challenges and opportunities in college sports.
