In honor of their accomplishments in their respective fields and their service and support of the university, Cal State Fullerton is recognizing four Distinguished Alumni and two Honorary Alumni on Feb. 24 as the 2024 CSUF Vision & Visionaries Award recipients. Established in 1994, the biennial awards are the highest honors presented by CSUF to alumni and community supporters. Over the next several weeks, we will profile each of this year’s honorees and highlight their achievements and contributions to their profession and the community.
When Rear Adm. Pamela Schweitzer graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences, she wasn’t exactly sure where her career path would take her.
Schweitzer’s time at CSUF laid the foundation for a nearly 30-year career in federal service that included regional and national positions within Indian Health Service and a four-year term as the assistant surgeon general and 10th chief pharmacist officer of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
Her service to our country, along with her continued commitment to the Titan community, has earned Schweitzer a selection as a 2024 CSUF Vision & Visionaries Distinguished Alumni award winner.
A Placentia native and one of five children, Schweitzer attended Troy High School in Fullerton and applied to CSUF because it was the most affordable college option for her family. She lived at home during her undergraduate years but spent time on campus whenever she could, participating in various clubs and activities.
One of Schweitzer’s most influential professors was the late Miles D. McCarthy, a CSUF founding faculty member and founding chair of the Department of Biological Sciences. McCarthy’s impact fostered a love for her chosen field.
“The light bulb turned on, and I really loved that college was so different than high school,” Schweitzer said. “McCarthy had this health professions group that I participated in,…
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