Palo Alto University

What a night. 💙

Fifty years ago, a few students whose program was closing gathered in Phyllis Sherlock's living room, snacks on the table, debates running late, and built the school that would become Palo Alto University.

On Thursday, June 11th, some of those very founders walked into our 50th Anniversary Gala and looked out at what they had started.

And what a celebration it was, dinner under the open sky at the Mountain Winery, dance performances filling the deck, and table after table of founders, alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends gathered together. The evening carried us through PAU's past, present, and future, and at every turn the people themselves told the story.

We also celebrated Provost Christie Chung's national leadership award and a new scholarship for AANHPI mental health, and President Farouk Dey reminded us that the best of PAU is still ahead.

If you were with us that night, tag us in your photos and share a moment that stayed with you in a comment below.

On Thursday, June 11th, 2026, our community gathered to formally install Farouk Dey as the fourth President of Palo Alto University.

It was a ceremony full of tradition: an academic procession, the presidential medallion passed to new hands, and the founders of the university honored in the room. The celebration was a fusion of academic tradition, community, culture, and music.

In his address, President Dey launched the vision that will guide PAU into its next 50 years: a future shaped by human understanding. "We are surrounded by information," he told the room, "and we are starved for understanding." He closed by returning to a train passing his childhood home in Algeria, and his father's words, "get on it", inviting all of us aboard to shape the future of human understanding.

TERGA carried that thread through the celebration, filling the hall with Algerian melodies that echoed the homeland at the heart of President Dey's story.

To everyone who joined us for the ceremony, and to everyone who carries this university forward each day, thank you. Here's to the next 50!

VIRTUAL INFO SESSION: PsyD & PhD in Clinical Psychology at PAU Considering a doctoral degree in clinical psychology?

Join PAU for a free live info session covering both the PsyD and PhD in Clinical Psychology programs — so you can see which path aligns with your goals.

🗓 Date: Thursday, June 18, 2026
🕠 Time: 5:15 PM - 6:00 PM PDT
💻 Format: Virtual / Online

What you'll learn:
✔ Discover PAU’s doctoral programs — PhD and PsyD pathways
✔ Admissions requirements & process

This is your chance to ask real questions and connect with our admissions team

➡️ Register here → https://hubs.li/Q04lskn30
Tag someone who's been thinking about grad school in psychology

Celebration Week may be coming to a close, but the spirit of PAU is just getting started. To celebrate an unforgettable Celebration Week and 50 years of impact, we're giving away a special edition hoodie to one lucky member of our community. 💙💛

To enter:
⭐ Share a PAU Celebration Week memory, photo, or highlight someone who inspired you this week.
⭐ Tag us and use hashtag

Winner announced 6/30/26!
Designed by our own Dana Pettaway!

Social work is one of the most impactful professions of our time — and the right graduate program can shape everything. We're inviting prospective students to join us for a live virtual info session for PAU's Master of Social Work program.

📅 June 17, 2026 | 5:30–6:15 PM PDT

Hear directly from Program Director Dr. Rose Wong about the MSW curriculum, the admissions experience, and where a PAU degree can take your career. Whether you're exploring options or ready to apply — this session is for you.

Register: https://hubs.li/Q04lmyFS0

Commencement is more than a ceremony. It is a reflection of the journeys, growth, and purpose that have brought each graduate to this moment.

As you take your next steps, we are inspired by the impact you will make in your professions, your communities, and the lives you touch along the way.

Congratulations to PAU's Class of 2026!

As we reflect on an incredible 50th Anniversary Celebration Week, we are filled with gratitude for the sponsors whose generosity helped make these moments possible. This week has been filled with moments of connection, reflection, service, and celebration—bringing together students, alumni, faculty, staff, partners, and friends who have shaped PAU's journey over the past five decades.

Your support helped create opportunities for our community to gather, reconnect, and celebrate our shared commitment to advancing human understanding and making a positive impact in the world.

Thank you for being part of this special week and for helping us honor not only where we've been, but the relationships and shared purpose that will carry us forward.

We are grateful to celebrate this milestone with you.

Among the many memorable moments of PAU's 50th Anniversary Celebration Week was the opportunity to give back alongside our community partners, LifeMoves and Love For Our Elders.

From serving a community meal to writing heartfelt letters of encouragement for older adults experiencing loneliness, the PAU community came together in service, connection, and compassion. These experiences were a powerful reminder that the heart of the PAU experience has always been about strengthening communities, fostering belonging, and caring for others.

We are deeply grateful to LifeMoves for welcoming us and for the incredible work they do every day to support our neighbors experiencing housing insecurity. We are equally thankful to Love For Our Elders for creating meaningful opportunities to spread kindness and connection across generations. Together, these partnerships reflect a shared belief that stronger communities are built through dignity, empathy, and human connection.

As we celebrate 50 years of impact, we're reminded that some of the most meaningful moments happen when we come together to serve, support, and uplift one another. 💙

Special thanks to , , and for helping make this day so meaningful.