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, and he introduced us to all the different career options that were out there for health professionals. He was so excited that we were interested in going into the health profession.”
Once she earned her bachelor’s degree, Schweitzer stayed at CSUF to pursue a master’s degree in immunology but left for UC San Francisco after being accepted into the university’s School of Pharmacy. After earning her doctorate in pharmacy, she completed her residency in ambulatory care/administration at UC Irvine Medical Center, eventually working as an outpatient pharmacy supervisor.
Her next career steps took Schweitzer to the Black Hills of South Dakota, where she worked for Indian Health Service, the federal health program for American Indians and Alaska Natives within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She spent time at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and then relocated to Northern Arizona, where she worked in Tuba City and on the Gila River Indian Reservation, helping to ensure access to public health services.
“I love helping people, and so it was an adventure being able to go and work on the Indian reservations and help there,” Schweitzer said.
After advancing to national positions within IHS, she headed to Washington D.C. to work with the Department of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies on regulatory and policy matters. While there, Schweitzer was appointed assistant surgeon general and 10th chief pharmacist officer, the first female to hold this position, serving under former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, and current U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy.
During her term, which ran from 2014 – 2018, Schweitzer provided leadership and oversight to more than 1,300 Public Health Service pharmacy officers across the country and focused on emergency response initiatives that included Ebola, H1N1 and the opioid crisis. The role was a 24/7 commitment, but she loved every minute.
“I worked with absolutely amazing people,” Schweitzer said. “I felt like I was really fortunate to be around a lot of people that were very committed.”
Although currently retired, Schweitzer is still active in the health care space, serving on advisory boards to help with strategic planning on several public health initiatives, splitting her time between Washington, D.C.; South Dakota and Arizona. She is also a member of CSUF’s Philanthropic Foundation Board of Governors and enjoys sharing her story with the next generation of Titans.
Her years at CSUF set the stage for a career path that captured both her interest in science and her heart for others while instilling a love for learning that remains with her to this day.
“When I was there (at CSUF), I learned to love learning,” Schweitzer said. “I had this great attitude, and I acquired it from the professors because they loved their subjects so much. I’ve kept that attitude my whole career, and I’m grateful that I had those experiences at Cal State Fullerton where people really, genuinely wanted to help me learn.”
Schweitzer and her family will join the other five 2024 Vision and Visionaries honorees at an awards dinner on Feb. 24 where their accomplishments will be celebrated. She is grateful for the recognition and credits those who have provided unwavering support throughout her career.
“This is not about me, it’s about the team, the people that have been around me,” Schweitzer said. “I’ve had amazing people to work with. This is not something I did. None of us can do anything without our wonderful support systems.”
