President Eibeck announces The Tomorrow Project and other new partnerships
On Nov. 12, 2011 University of the Pacific President Pamela A. Eibeck held a presentation called "Celebrate Our Shared Future" to announce new initiatives that were inspired by feedback from the Beyond Our Gates community forums.
"Since day one, President Eibeck has shown a commitment to ensuring Pacific continues to strengthen its partnerships with the Stockton community," said Bob Benedetti, director of The Jacoby Center for Public Service and Civic Leadership. "Eibeck recognizes the potential impact a strong, engaging relationship can have in addressing some of the most important issues facing our region today."
The announcement featured several new and enhanced programs the University will pursue together with community leadership. Eibeck pledged that the University would work with the community to enhance K-12 College Readiness through The Tomorrow Project, an intensive multi-year sustained engagement with our region's youth. She also announced that she would personally keep the Beyond Our Gates dialogue going by continuing to convene the community on important issues. Pacific also pledged to improve communication, keep the community in mind as it made business decisions, and not to forget the many great ideas voiced at the forums.
At the Nov. 12 event, Eibeck also unveiled a new University impact report by the Business Forecasting Center at the Eberhardt School of Business, detailing economic and other impacts of the University in all three cities where it has campuses (Stockton, Sacramento and San Francisco). Finally, she highlighted some of the existing programs that serve the community and the faculty members and students who run those programs, such as health clinics, reading mentor programs, arts events, business services, environmental studies, and college access programs for underprivileged students.
Pacific held six Beyond Our Gates community forums from January to May 2010, featuring comments by leaders in healthcare, education, the economy, diversity, energy and the environment, and arts and culture. After the forums, steering committees made recommendations for new ways Pacific can partner with community organizations to address each area. Over the summer, the recommendations were reviewed and consolidated into the recommendations that Eibeck discussed on Nov. 12.
Since becoming president on July 1, 2009, Eibeck has made community engagement one of her top priorities. The Beyond Our Gates series was part of a number of interactive events designed to encourage feedback and ideas from members of both the campus and Stockton communities.