Since our founding more than 60 years ago, Pacific Oaks College has been deeply committed to the principles of inclusion, social justice, and the fundamental worth of every human being. These core values are reflected in all that we do—from our school culture to our educational approach to the way our graduates go on to live their lives.
Our belief that every individual has value and infinite potential will be apparent in our uniquely non-hierarchical classroom environment, in which your professors will feel less like superiors who have "all the answers" and more like mentors and friends who are eager to hear and learn from your unique perspective, and support you in discovering and leveraging your unique strengths. It will be evident in our culture-centered educational model through which classroom discussions and assignments will consistently challenge you to look at issues and theories through multicultural lenses.
Our students, graduates, and faculty affectionately call it "the Pacific Oaks way," a transformational way of being that you will take with you at graduation and that will profoundly influence everything you do, both personally and professionally.
Our graduates are educational leaders, administrators, community organizers, and more. They work in many different settings—from schools to universities to government and community organizations—but they share some undeniable similarities. Many even say that they can spot other Pacific Oaks graduates solely by their actions and words—by their unmistakable convictions and commitment to making the world a better, more just place. That's the Pacific Oaks way.