Back to Pacifc: Ready, Set, Roar! to launch this Summer

Pacific plans on hosting a 5-week special event, from July 17 to August 20 called Back to Pacifc: Ready, Set, Roar! to give both new and returning students a chance to explore campus, meet other Pacific community members, take summer classes, and partake in a variety of social events in person. Pacific administrators, faculty, staff, and students created the program after discussing and exchanging many ideas. The purpose of the event is to help students, especially those new to campus, become more familiar with the Pacific experience after having been online for more than a year. 

After interacting with students and collecting information from surveys, Celia Castro, Coordinator for Student Engagement & Transition Programs, notes how students miss the in-person exchanges they usually experience on campus. She hopes that the wide variety of activities being offered are engaging for those who choose to attend. Casto says that Pacific will provide certain events catered towards the first year and second year students so that they can get a good understanding of Pacific’s vibrant experience. Since everyone will not be able to attend in-person, Pacific will have both events on campus and online. 

“There will still be some activities that will remain virtual to not only to provide a layer of safety and precaution, but also to be inclusive and equitable to the diverse needs of students,” Castro says. 

Namorrah Ward, English, ‘24, was able to visit campus before the shutdown but was disappointed that university shifted to remote learning. She was excited when she learned about Back to Pacifc: Ready, Set, Roar! and said that though she may not be able to participate, there are many benefits to the program, especially for incoming first and second year students. 

“[Back to Pacific: Ready, Set, Roar!] gives everyone who attends time to adjust to and explore Pacific. I also imagine that people get to know each other better and get used to being around people again,” says Ward.

Jasmin Arenal, Sociology, ‘21, thinks that the program is instrumental for both newer students who have never been on campus before and returning students because it allows them to have some semblance of a college life routine. She also notes that if students choose to participate in Back to Pacific: Ready, Set, Roar!, they could be more prepared for the rest of college and schooling while gaining more connections and feelings of belonging at Pacific.

“I hope that Pacific students who have only experienced online instruction and interaction are able to establish a foundational relationship to Pacific’s campus and community, and that students get familiar with the resources available to them and genuinely have a holistic transition back to campus,” says Arenal. 

There are a variety of classes that new, returning, and transferring students can take while paying less tuition during Summer Session III being taught by Pacific’s faculty and staff that range from STEM to Humanities to PACs. 

Residential Life and Housing is giving students an opportunity to live in the residential communities because the event is taking place during Summer Session III. Students can reside in their fall housing assignment even if they are not taking summer classes. Pacific also will provide some money to make housing and tuition more affordable.

Events that will occur during the program include different kinds of concerts, games, exercise classes, and conversations between Pacific students, faculty, and staff. 
For more detailed information on Back to Pacific: Ready, Set, Roar!, you can go to https://www.pacific.edu/student-life/summer-roar