President's Message

As I hope most Pacific alumni and friends are aware, I notified the University's Board of Regents in April 2008 of my intention to retire from the Presidency effective June 30, 2009. In looking back on my over thirteen years spent to date advancing Pacific, I am proud of many accomplishments. These include a dramatic strengthening of our academic programs on all three campuses, growth in size and selectivity of the student body, over $180 million in facilities development, invigorated student life and recreation programs, and an engaged Board that is supporting Pacific's progress toward greater national visibility and distinctiveness.

In August, two magnificent facilities were completed on the Stockton campus - the Biological Sciences Center and DeRosa University Center. These two buildings have strengthened the environment for teaching and research in the sciences and the sense of community at the campus.

We have made great progress developing a leadership program incorporating social and emotional intelligence. This initiative integrates the efforts of both our academic and student life programs, and is a key part of an undergraduate student's first-year experience at Pacific as well as an emerging theme within our professional programs.

With the guidance of Daniel Goleman, a nationally known expert and author in the field of emotional intelligence, Pacific is building a program that will equip our graduates with the ability to utilize social and emotional competencies to work effectively with others in career, service and personal endeavors. This year's incoming freshmen participated in a self-assessment of these competencies and will be able to participate in co-curricular programs to strengthen their abilities in specific areas.

This fall, Pacific launched the Powell Scholars, the University's premier ADD FOR TRAINING academic scholarship program based on leadership development. The program is named for benefactors Robert and Jeannette Powell, whose $100 million estate gift will greatly support access to Pacific through funding of scholarships. The development of social and emotional competencies is also a key element of the leadership program for the nearly 50 Powell Scholars.

As these examples from the past year show, Pacific continues to build on its goal of being the West's most distinctive, student-centered national university.

President Donald V. DeRosa