Palo Alto University Celebrates 50 Years of Impact at Anniversary Gala
On June 11, 2026, more than five decades of history filled the air at The Mountain Winery in Saratoga, California, as alumni, students, faculty, staff, donors, and community partners gathered for Palo Alto University's inaugural 50th Anniversary Gala. The sold-out evening, part of PAU's 50th Anniversary Celebration Week and held on the heels of the Investiture of President Farouk Dey, was a night to look back on the people and purpose that built the university, and forward to the future it is building next.A
Bold Beginning
Fifty years ago, a small group of students and faculty set out to create what would become the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, laying the foundation for an institution devoted to advancing human understanding. That founding spirit was made vivid when several of the university's founders, Dr. Phyllis Sherlock, Dr. Charles Reed, Dr. Alan Leavens, Dr. Janet Bilker-Redman, and Dr. Ronald Bryson Grant, were recognized before the room.
As the audience rose in applause, the moment closed a 50-year loop, connecting those who built the institution, those who have carried its vision forward, and those who will define its next chapter. Since its founding in 1975, what began as a grassroots effort has grown into a university that prepares psychologists, counselors, social workers, and behavioral health leaders serving communities across California and beyond.
Past, Present, and Future, in Their Own Words
The program was built around PAU's story, with voices from across the community bringing each to life.
Alumni speakers Dr. Yasmine Bensidi-Slimane and Madison Ledda-Simmons opened with reflections on how their PAU education continues to shape their work today, a testament to the university's academic excellence and enduring human connection.
Faculty members Dr. Sita Patel and Dr. Jorge Rosales Lopez spoke to the academic experience at PAU, one built on intellectual curiosity and a commitment to engaging students with complex challenges, both local and global.
The university's clinical impact came through in remarks from Dr. Aviva Wilcox and Dr. Elisabet Revilla, who described how the Clinics at PAU train future clinicians while expanding access to culturally responsive mental health care in the surrounding community.
Staff members Rein Johnson and Chanel Matta-Ortiz spoke to the culture of care that defines the PAU experience, the everyday acts of support that help students feel seen, valued, and ready to thrive.
And representing PAU's future, student speakers Cassidy Vawter and Caela Ndaki shared personal stories that pointed to the next generation of behavioral health professionals, researchers, and advocates, and the challenges they are already preparing to meet.
Performances by Duniya Dance and Drum Company, In Lak'ech Dance Academy, and Nachle SF carried that same energy through the evening, threading celebration and connection between each chapter of the university's story.
A New Scholarship Announced
The evening also honored Provost Dr. Christie Chung, a recent recipient of the 2026 Chang-Lin Tien Leadership in Education Award from the Asian Pacific Fund. Chung marked the occasion by announcing the Chang-Lin Tien Scholarship, a new fund supporting students advancing mental health equity, leadership, research, advocacy, and community engagement within AANHPI communities.
Looking Ahead
In closing remarks, President Farouk Dey spoke about Palo Alto University as an institution built for one of the defining questions of our time: how to understand the human experience amid rapid technological and social change. He reaffirmed PAU's commitment to advancing human understanding, preparing future-ready leaders, and expanding its impact through education, research, and community partnership.
That same spirit carried into the final remarks from Dr. Kristel Nazzal, PAU's Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and University Relations. "What you have witnessed tonight is not just a celebration of the past fifty years," Nazzal said. "It is a declaration of what is possible in the next fifty."
Much has changed since 1975. What hasn't Palo Alto University's commitment to people. The 50th Anniversary Gala celebrated an extraordinary legacy and marked the start of the university's next fifty years, one that the entire PAU community, past, present, and future, will build together.
