Julie (Caballero) Somawang ’79, ’81 loves helping patients build strength and confidence. The veteran speech-language pathologist credits University of the Pacific with molding her into a competent and understanding clinician.

To support future care providers, Somawang and her husband Mark made a $5.5 million planned gift to Pacific’s School of Health Sciences. Their bequest will create an endowed scholarship for first-generation, underrepresented students studying speech-language pathology and other health disciplines.

A Hispanic, first-generation college graduate herself, Somawang resonates with those following in her footsteps.

“You never forget where you came from, and I know there are many other students in the same situation I was,” she said. “It feels good to be able to pay forward the support I received and to know it will help other deserving students.” 

Established in 2020, the School of Health Sciences is the newest of Pacific’s nine schools and colleges. The Somawangs’ bequest is the largest charitable gift in its history and one of only two planned gifts it has yet received.

Scott Biedermann ’05, ’20, Pacific’s vice president for development and alumni relations, appreciates that Julie and Mark recognize the importance of supporting health care education for the long term.

“Pacific is doing remarkable work equipping our students to address today’s health care crisis. But our communities will always need skilled practitioners, and there will always be students who need support to answer that call,” Biedermann said. “Julie and Mark’s extraordinary gift will manifest in a stronger, more diverse health workforce for generations to come.”

Julie Somawang, a Los Angeles native, was raised by Cuban and Guatemalan immigrant parents who instilled in her a strong work ethic and encouraged her to pursue a college degree. Her interest in a health career was sparked through volunteer work, and with guidance from her high school counselor, she chose to pursue speech-language pathology.

She thrived at Pacific, and with the help of scholarships, graduated debt-free. 

“I received one scholarship from a donor who specifically wanted to support someone of Hispanic heritage from Los Angeles,” she explained. “That’s why our gift is for first-generation, underrepresented students, because that’s how I benefited.”

Somawang began her career in educational settings. She worked as a speech therapist for a Head Start program in Stockton, for schools serving migrant farmworker children in Ripon and Escalon, and later, for the Rio Linda School District in Sacramento and the Hawaii Department of Education.

Mark Somawang, a Central Valley native, graduated from Sacramento State University and built a career in sales. He currently is global manager for the military division of Kellogg. His work and the couple’s passion for travel have taken them to more than 60 countries.

Today they live in Seattle. Julie is a practicing speech pathologist at Swedish Hospital, where she serves adult patients impacted by strokes, head and neck cancers, swallowing issues and voice disorders.

“Pacific taught me how to interact with people and be compassionate. Every day is different because every person is different, and helping people brings a lot of internal satisfaction,” she said.

Established in 1936, speech-language pathology is the oldest program in the School of Health Sciences. Its students have provided no-cost services to children and adults with communication disorders for more than 30 years.

"We are honored that Julie and Mark chose to make a gift that will help anchor our future,” said Nicoleta Bugnariu, the school’s founding dean. “Their generosity will one day have a transformative impact in students' lives and a ripple effect in the communities they care for.

"This gift is a profound expression of their love for Pacific, their passion for education, and their belief in our students' potential to mitigate health care disparities, address unmet needs and, in many cases, to save lives."

For Julie Somawang, the couple’s gift is a way to support the school’s future while honoring her unique journey.

“I feel so proud and grateful to be a graduate of Pacific. It’s wonderful that the university has expanded to train workers in so many areas of the medical profession. And knowing we’ll be able to play a part in helping all those students, that’s been so rewarding.”

To learn more about making a planned gift to University of the Pacific, contact Molly Byrne, senior associate vice president for development, at 209.946.2780 or mbyrne1@pacific.edu.