Homecoming without a football game. That was the conundrum facing the alumni relations team at University of the Pacific some 20 years ago when word came that the football program would be discontinued.  

Kelli Page, Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations at the university, was director at the time, and she had an idea. It was a complete pivot.  

That idea—the Taste of Pacific—has become the signature alumni event of the year at the California, U.S., university.

“We needed to start a new tradition that wasn’t associated with football,” recalls Page.

“California is known for its vineyards and wine production, and I knew we had several alumni vintners.”