Q and A with the President
What do you think makes Pacific a distinctive institution for undergraduates?
Let me tell you what our students say it is: the quality of our faculty and their commitment to teaching and student learning. We pay a lot of attention to the quality of the student/faculty interaction. Additionally, I think you would also be hard pressed to find a university of our size with the mix of programs present at Pacific. And, finally, we successfully link professional education with a distinctive general education program that teaches our students to be critical thinkers and prepares them for life.
What are some of the distinctions of our graduate and professional programs?
Our Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco, Pacific McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento and Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Stockton are recognized as top-ranked programs in their respective fields. The Dentistry and Pharmacy Schools are committed to excellence in providing student-centered education, research, and patient care. The Law School offers internships opportunities in California's capital city and access to faculty and staff dedicated to their success. All three professional schools offer accelerated programs and help students develop leadership skills and a strong commitment to their professions and to society.
What do you look for when hiring faculty members?
We look for individuals whose ideas about teaching at a University reinforce our missions of a student-centered learning environment. Our faculty are passionate about teaching. They are willing to spend the time in and out of the classroom to ensure that their students understand the material. They want to see students grow and succeed in class, in college, in their careers and in life.
How do you reach out to students?
The students know that I am open to their ideas. Students have come to our home and my office, but the most common way for students to reach out to me is by e-mail. I can't always help them directly, but I think the most important thing I can do is to listen and refer them to someone who can help them. My wife, Karen, and I also taught a seminar on leadership and we plan to offer the seminar again in the future.
Tell us about that leadership seminar.
I taught the course with Karen because we think it signals how important the development of future leaders is to Pacific. Part of the mission of Pacific is to prepare students for responsible leadership in their careers and communities. It's not just leadership. It's responsible leadership in every aspect of life.
What is the one thing that you hope all students at University of the Pacific have in common?
I hope we are teaching students that as long as they are willing to continue to learn throughout their lives, that the possibilities for them are endless. And I hope this is reinforced with every experience they have here.
Any final thoughts?
I just want to say that I am thrilled to be President of a proud institution with a fascinating history and an exciting future. We continuously balance the traditional values of a liberal arts education with the innovations required to keep up with changes in society. I want to invite all prospective students and their families to come see for themselves the treasure that is the University of the Pacific.