Mission and Values
University of the Pacific’s mission is to provide a superior, student-centered learning experience integrating liberal arts and professional education and preparing individuals for lasting achievement and responsible leadership in their careers and communities.
Core Values
Pacific’s mission is realized through the following Core Values. They are behind everything we do and cannot be compromised.
They are stated to be inclusive of the entire University community from undergraduate to graduate and professional students, from staff to faculty, from alumni to friends.
Passion for teaching and learning — We share enthusiasm for discovery; our active pursuit of scholarship, creative expression and new perspectives enlivens learning. Meaningful and measurable learning remains preeminent to teaching.
Learner focus — Our environment is inspired by the needs of the learner as we create rigorous experiences that respond to individuals’ strengths and interests. We ensure that students are at the center of our work; everything we do focuses on developing their full potential.
Relationship-based learning — We foster meaningful relationships through close interaction among learners and teachers to create powerful learning.
Whole person education — We are concerned with all aspects of growth and development, seek the integration of curricular, co-curricular and post-curricular activities and take pride in our accomplishments.
Responsible leadership — We develop leaders who effect positive change. Through diverse learning experiences, we cultivate the knowledge and skills to become ethical leaders in career and community and to understand the economic, social and environmental impacts of our efforts.
Community engagement — We have a deep consciousness of the world around us, and as a part of a multitude of communities, join together with them to serve and to learn. These partnerships create a synergy which raises the achievements of both the communities and the University.
Aspirations
Pacific, where innovation is tradition… While never wavering from our traditions and core values, we know that Aspirations help us articulate our vision for the future. These aspirations will guide students, staff, faculty and alumni as we strive for excellence.
We aspire to broaden our culture of innovation, exploration and creativity. Complex problems often require multidisciplinary approaches to solutions, and collaborative learning will bring together our teacher/scholars and students from different disciplines to find meaningful answers. We will support our teacher/scholar community so our vibrant scholars, researchers and artists continue to bring distinction to themselves and the University. We will more fully integrate liberal and professional learning and will balance skills, knowledge, integrity, ethics, vocation and avocation in the curricula and learning experiences. We will be increasingly service-centered. The creation of a user-friendly environment with transparent and efficient services, systems and technologies will give learners increased time to focus on the pursuit of knowledge as well as academic and social development. We aspire to be more fully engaged with the changing world and will broaden and strengthen connections to Pacific. We will advance sustainability through learning, practice and collaboration with local communities by considering our environmental, social and economic impact. Because practice invigorates learning, students will apply their knowledge through an enhanced and more diverse set of experiential learning opportunities. We will reinforce learning as a lifelong process and will augment professional learning opportunities and nurture partnerships with alumni. We will pursue diversity to transform and enliven our community, curricula, programs and policies. We aspire to prepare leaders who understand, affirm and utilize their global orientation to fulfill our obligation to intercultural understanding in our interdependent world.