University of Portland welcomed the Class of 2017 as freshmen moved into the dorms on Thursday, August 22. It is among the largest, most diverse, and academically gifted classes in school history. More than 100 incoming students arrived on campus earlier this week to volunteer in the local community as part of the University’s annual Service Plunge.“The University of Portland’s reputation continues to get stronger and stronger,” said dean of admissions Jason McDonald. “More applicants have allowed us to be more selective, and we’ve seen our academic profile and geographical diversity increase.”At approximately 830 students, the new freshmen class is among the largest in University history. The University’s total overall registered full-time undergraduate students is 100 more than last year at this time.Continuing a trend over the past decade, the University saw a marked increase in the number of students applying for admission with more than 9,500 completed applications, a new school record and a 10 percent increase over the previous record, set last year.The UP Class of 2017 is also highly academically accomplished, with an approximate average SAT score of 1187 and average high school GPA of 3.6.The Class of 2017 is diverse in geography – 52 percent of the class hails from outside Oregon and Washington and 10 percent from beyond the western United States – and in ethnicity, with 39 percent of the class identifying as minority.The students will be on campus all weekend preparing for the 2013-14 academic year to commence Monday, August 26 with the start of fall semester. Official enrollment figures will be confirmed two weeks into the academic year.University of Portland today
The incoming class will immediately experience the University’s commitment to providing a campus conducive to success. In addition to taking advantage of small class settings (13:1 student-faculty ratio) and award-winning faculty, they will be the first to enjoy a completely renovated Clark Library (completed in August 2013) as well as six new or renovated campus buildings: a state-of-the-art engineering hall (Shiley Hall, dedicated in 2009), two new dormitories (Fields and Schoenfeldt Halls, dedicated in 2009), a remodeled and vastly expanded dining facility (Bauccio Commons, dedicated in 2010), a renovated science building (Romanaggi Hall, dedicated in 2010), and an expanded and renovated multipurpose athletic facility (Chiles Center, dedicated in 2012).
The University’s commitment to providing an excellent educational experience has not stopped there. In 2010 the University announced the RISE Campaign, seeking to raise $175 million over the next several years. It would result in one of the largest development campaigns ever for a Pacific Northwest private college or university. As of August 2013, the University has raised more than $162 million as part of the campaign.
In addition to campus improvements, the campaign also focuses on scholarships, endowed chairs and professorships, the establishment of a fund to provide for the study of moral formation and applied ethics, faculty research opportunities, campus ministry and much, much more. For a list of Rise Campaign priorities please visit rise.up.edu.
The University of Portland’s commitment to its mission of teaching and learning, faith and formation, and service and leadership has been successfully proved through its graduates – the University has ranked first nationally among peer institutions for the number of alumni earning Fulbright scholarships for three consecutive years (Chronicle of Higher Education) and has for three consecutive years ranked in the top three nationally among peer institutions for community service (Washington Monthly).
For two consecutive years, Bloomberg Businessweek has named University of Portland the top school in Oregon for “return on investment.” In a state-by-state ranking of schools providing graduates with the most return for the price of their education, University of Portland came out on top among all colleges and universities in Oregon.
For the 18th consecutive year, the University earned a Top-10 ranking by U.S. News & World Report in its annual lists of best colleges. In 2011, Washington Monthly ranked the University of Portland fifth nationally among 551 master’s universities based on its “contribution to the public good.” PARADE Magazine also recently recognized the University, rating it an “A-List” college for its programs in “health sciences” (nursing) and in “business and accounting.” For both categories, only 25 schools nationally were recognized.
U.S. News & World Report also ranked the University in the top ten in the “Great Schools, Great Prices” for the West Region, a listing of schools that offer the best value as determined by a formula that relates a school’s academic quality to the net cost of attendance for a student receiving the average level of financial aid.
University of Portland is Oregon’s only comprehensive university with schools of business, education, engineering, nursing, a College of Arts and Sciences and a graduate school. The University offers a rich resource for the community through educational opportunities, research, experts, in addition to a host of community offerings such as athletic events, cultural events, speakers and lectures.
UP students and alumni are resources for research, internships, and full-time employment. More than half of University of Portland’s 31,000 alumni reside in the Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area. To learn more about why University students and alumni make excellent employees, visit Career Services at www.up.edu/career.