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Pacific Gives raises record-shattering $2 million for students
Pacific called, and thousands of Tigers answered in powerful ways.
Pacific Gives, the university’s annual day of giving, raised a record-shattering $2 million from more than 4,000 donors. For a fourth consecutive year, the 24-hour fundraiser broke records for both donors and donations.
Gifts came from alumni, faculty, staff and students, along with their families and friends in nearly every U.S. state and more than a dozen countries.
"It’s very inspiring to see how many people support my education and will take action to support Pacific." - Emma Garber, student
"Pacific Gives proves every year how strong, dedicated and generous this community is, and how far we’ll go to support students and each other," said Scott Biedermann ’05, ’20, vice president for development and alumni relations. “I’m deeply grateful to everyone who contributed and am overwhelmed and inspired by what we accomplished together.”
The day’s success included 100% participation from the Board of Regents, the President’s Cabinet, the deans and the Pacific Alumni Association Board.
Three hundred Pacific Gives Ambassadors also played a significant role, taking social media by storm and sending impassioned emails and texts inviting their networks to give.
Head men’s soccer coach Adam Reeves personally recruited 121 donors for his program. Bolstered by his efforts, men’s soccer had the second-highest donor count among all athletic teams and the most of any men’s program.
The team will use donations to purchase cutting-edge upgrades to their training technology and to enhance nutritional resources for players.
“I’m very grateful for the donors who contributed to our program and ultimately, to our student-athletes. This was truly a collective effort among staff, players and alumni,” Reeves said.
“My ultimate goal is to provide our players with the resources to be successful in the classroom and on the field. This achievement will help us get there.”
University of the Pacific students Salvador Reyes '25 and Elisabeth Garner '25, both scholarship recipients, share the power of philanthropy at the Pacific Gives kick-off luncheon.
The day’s top ambassador was Kuy Ky ’92, a Stockton-based dentist and Pacific Alumni Association board member. Ky is past president of the Rotary Club of Stockton and volunteers with local mobile dental clinics. He is also the proud father of two current Pacific students.
A graduate of the Community Involvement Program, Ky invited his networks to support an endowed scholarship for current CIP Scholars. He sent texts inviting donations from his dental community and past Rotary Club mentees, among others.
Read more: Top Pacific Gives ambassador a champion for CIP
He described the response from 199 donors as a “rambunctious snowball effect.”
“Since I’m new [on the alumni board], and since CIP has meant so much to me from my youth, I really wanted to accomplish something,” Ky said. “It really touches my heart that my community made it happen.”
With Ky’s help, CIP raised nearly $30,000 from more than 400 donors.
Students’ efforts also drove the day’s success. Emma Garber ’25 championed fundraising for The Pacifican student newspaper—of which she is editor-in-chief—and for Pacific Forensics. She and other forensics club members sent texts and emails from the air while flying home from a national speech and debate competition.
“I love talking to alumni of the Pacific Forensics program,” Garber said. “They always have such fun stories about their time on the team, and they are invested in hearing our stories of success.”
The Paul Winters Tournament Endowment raised $5,100 for forensics from more than 160 donors, including a generous matching gift from alumni Jon Schamber ’74, Pamela Gibbs ’92 and Scott H. Park ’83, ’86.
The Pacifican received gifts from 62 donors who unlocked $5,000 in challenge funds. The Pacifican has been the university’s student news publication since 1908, and Pacific Gives gifts will help modernize its digital platforms and pay its student staff.
“Pacific Gives shows that even giving one dollar matters. It’s very inspiring to see how many people support my education and will take action to support Pacific. I’m most proud that Pacific Forensics and The Pacifican met their challenge goals,” Garber said.
On the ground, President Christopher Callahan, First Lady Jean Callahan and the President’s Cabinet matched $15,000 in gifts from Pacific faculty and staff. Their challenge was met by more than 600 employees across all three campuses.
Pacific Gives returns in April 2025. To support students year-round, visit Pacific.edu/MakeAGift.
