Four years ago, my husband and I dropped our daughter off at University of Portland to begin her first year of college. That weekend the campus was so beautiful, the people so friendly, and the orientation activities so fun that–as parents and alumni of The Bluff–we wished we could stay. But it wasn’t that way for everyone. As the weekend drew to a close, we saw many first-year students, including our own daughter, clustered with their parents, sharing their fears and trepidations about starting this new chapter of their lives.
Tom and Tami dropping Mary off for her first day at UP
Our own parents had just dropped us off at our dorm and didn’t set foot on the campus again until graduation. However, UP in the 21st century is quite different! The hall directors meet with parents that first weekend, share their cell phone numbers, and invite families to come speak privately with them about any concerns. The Shepherd Center sends out monthly letters, which are always insightful and incredibly accurate, so that parents can understand the likely fears and feelings being experienced by their first-year students.
We had been worried after that initial parting at Orientation. We were anxious to offer advice to our daughter to make those first few weeks successful, but we discovered that she found her own way through the maze of academic, social, and dorm life. As fond as our own memories of campus were, she didn’t need to relive them. Our experiences as Pilots 40 years earlier belonged to us, and she had her own ideas about how to spend her time and make friends. We learned to trust and support the decisions she made.
Two years passed, and it was time for Junior Parents and Families Weekend. Students confidently escorted their parents around campus, introducing their friends and professors. We reconnected with the service and spiritual elements of the Pilot campus, and rediscovered why UP is a special place that shapes students in both subtle and dramatic ways.
Tami and Mary at Junior Parents & Families Weekend
Here we are four years later. Mary will be walking across the stage of the Chiles Center (a building that didn’t even exist when we roamed the campus in the 70’s), earning a degree far more difficult than our own. And while many aspects of UP have changed, the most important things remain the same. Life on The Bluff means making lifelong friends, receiving a quality education, exploring personal passions, and developing a commitment to serve the world around us.
Tom and Tami at a Seattle Chapter service event
Fortunately, our association with UP doesn’t have to end with Mary’s degree. As active members of the Seattle Chapter of the University of Portland, we can continue to gather with current and former students and parents to celebrate those aspects of UP that bind us forever. Once a Pilot, always a Pilot.
~Tom ’79 and Tami ’81 Martin
Tom is an active member of our Seattle Chapter leadership team, and Tami proudly serves the UP community through her role on the National Alumni Board. Just like Tom and Tami, you too can connect and stay involved with the Pilot community, even after your student crosses the stage at Commencement. You can learn more here, or email parents@up.edu to reach the Office of Alumni & Parent Relations.