University of Portland Museum

In our earliest documents, when the University Catalogue describes the situation and advantages of the young University it hits grace notes that are still found in the words of the Alma Mater (Upon the Bluff, high over the Willamette. . ..)  The basic text from 1902 – alongside course offerings, program sequences, fees and tuition […]

The fashions and rituals of the First Day of School at UP have repeatedly changed through the years since 1901 when Fr. Edward Murphy, our first president, uttered the auspicious and memorable phrase, ‘I guess we should start. Ring the bell.’  (https://sites.up.edu/upbeat/from-our-past-first-first-day-of-school-sept-2-1901/); see James Covert, A Point of Pride: The University of Portland Story: p. […]

Summers in the city of Portland have temperate temperatures and sporadic spats of rain, or not.  Yet regardless of the weather, for over a century June in the City of Portland means the Rose Festival, highlighted by the Grand Floral Parade.  For the 50th anniversary, the 1958 Rose Parade called for the featured floats to […]

Bill Reed, Director of University Events, will retire this summer after years of service to his alma mater. Bill is rooted on the Bluff.  Rooted.  Hooked.  A fixture.  From the simple beginning of coming to UP for college, and then after the usual it-seemed-like-no-time-at-all-flash, graduated in 1972 with a B.A. in Education.  And teach he […]

At the end of the 2017-18 academic year, nine members of the University of Portland faculty will retire after many years of service to this institution and making a difference in the lives of untold numbers of students.  The University gives thanks to our retiring faculty for their dedication and commitment to teaching and learning […]

There is a legend in the Admissions Office about Frs. John and Con Hooyboer, C.S.C., The Dutch Masters, on-the-road and sleeping in the car for two weeks each spring on the West Coast High School recruiting circuit.  Taking a break on one such tour, they attended a Lawrence Welk concert and ran into the Governor […]

Returning to the Bluff as women’s soccer head coach, Michelle French, BA ’00 was a Pilot student-athlete from 1995-1999, a 4-year starter for women’s soccer and First Team All-American senior year.  Post graduation, French picked up a silver medal at the 2000 Olympic games.  She became head coach of the Seattle Sounders Women in 2012.  […]

Each Veterans Day Air Force and Army ROTC cadets from the University of Portland keep a 24-hour vigil at the Praying Hands/Broken Wall Memorial near Christie and Kenna Halls.  The Memorial Circle remembers those from Columbia Preparatory School, Columbia University, and the University of Portland who gave their lives in war-time.  In this post we […]

The president of the Alumni Association reports that a ‘treasure box of papers and relics’ was sealed into the cornerstone and foundation of Howard Hall in 1927.  And in fact during the 2017 demolition of Howard, a time capsule was recovered. Unfortunately, the ‘capsule’ was neither a capsule nor airtight, nor much of a success […]

The dedication of Howard Hall was celebrated on 19 February 1928 with a student assembly, speeches, swim-races, dinner and dancing, basketball and orchestral entertainment: the several and wildly different activities all hosted in Howard Hall to showcase the diversity of design and purpose for the new building.  The cornerstone was laid previously on Homecoming Game […]

First Year students arrive on campus and from day-one leap into classes and studies.   The first day of term is the first day of classes with no padding or delay jumping right into work.  The assignment of desks, classrooms, instructors are locked in over the summer at the same time as enrollment is processed– and […]

A volunteer army of alumni and friends worked together to create the University of Portland’s entry “Becoming” for the 79th Annual Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade.  Volunteers labored around the clock from May 31 until Parade Day June 6 to produce an award winner, the 1987 UP float earning the prized Queen’s Trophy.  So what […]