Non-Profit of the Month: University of the Pacific

01 August 2010

The University of the Pacific provides a student-centered learning experience integrating liberal arts with professional education for approximately 6,700 students. Established in 1851, the University prides itself on preparing individuals for lasting achievement and responsible leadership in their careers and communities.

A private University, Pacific offers an extensive selection of undergraduate, graduate and professional programs on three campuses in Stockton, San Francisco, and Sacramento. With nine schools and colleges and more than 80 majors and programs of study, including continuing education programs, the University of the Pacific has that rare combination of small-University friendliness and programs found at much larger universities. The nine colleges include:

• College of the Pacific, Stockton, CA
• School of International Studies, Stockton, CA
• School of Engineering and Computer Science, Stockton, CA
• Conservatory of Music, Stockton, CA
• Eberhardt School of Business, Stockton, CA
• Benerd School of Education, Stockton, CA
• Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Stockton, CA
• Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA
• McGeorge School Of Law, Sacramento, CA

For nearly 160 years, Pacific has been responsible for many notable achievements:

• 1851: Pacific became California's first chartered institution of higher education.
• 1858: Pacific opened the first medical school on the West Coast.
• 1871: Pacific opened its doors to women, becoming the first independent co-educational campus in California.
• 1878: The Conservatory of Music was established at Pacific, making it the first of its kind west of the Mississippi River.
• 1947: The University goes on the air with KCVN, the first non-commercial, educational radio station in California.
• Pacific was the first University to introduce the "Cluster College" concept in the West, modeled after Oxford and Cambridge in England.
• Pacific is the first to establish a Spanish-speaking Inter-American College.
• Pacific is the first four-year private institution in the Central Valley of California.
• 1963: Elbert Covell College was the first bilingual-bicultural college in the country with all classes taught in Spanish.
• 1967: Callison College was established to focus on non-western studies which included a year of study abroad in Asia.
• 1986: Pacific was the first to establish a School of International Studies in California.
• 1991: University of the Pacific became the first to offer a "Four Year Guarantee" for undergraduates.
• 1997: University of the Pacific was the first to match the Cal Grant, dollar for dollar.

The University of the Pacific is funded through student fees and tuition as well as through generous donations from alumni, parents, employees, students and friends. One such source of donations are charitable trusts which provide scholarship support, fund lecture series, provide operating dollars for specific departments and programs, and fund endowments.

A Charitable Trust allows donors to make a significant contribution to the University without sacrificing current income. A gift of $50,000 or more to the University is required to establish this particular type of gift structure. Pacific invests the gifted funds with the help of Smart Investor and the agreed upon investment income from the trust is distributed to the donor or a designee for the length of the trust agreement. Income from the trust can be provided for a finite term such as 20 years, or throughout the duration of a donor or heir’s life. At the end of the trust time period, the remaining principal benefits the University in whichever way the donor has designated.

Many donors find this an attractive opportunity to make a substantial gift to the University in the future without having to sacrifice income today. Smart Investor helps Pacific manage the assets within the trust as well as provides a second look at calculations for the different ways a trust can be established to mutually benefit the donor and the University.

Anyone strongly thinking about making a charitable trust gift to the University of the Pacific should contact Cathy Dodson, Director of Planned Giving at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 209-946-2501. She will help design illustrations of possible gift structures to create a proposal for you in an effort to match your financial objectives and your charitable goals. There are dozens of options for making a charitable donation today or twenty years from now. You don’t have to make an immediate donation in order to still make an impact on students for decades to come.

For more information visit www.pacificpg.org.