Category Archives: Campus Perspective

Once a Pilot, always a Pilot!

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“How did you choose UP?” I think this is a question that nearly every Pilot student has been asked at some point. If I’m being honest, I can’t quite recall what my thought process was as an 18-year-old high school senior, but I do know that by the end of my first year on The Bluff, I could readily respond if someone asked, “Why are you choosing to stay at UP?” Like many first-year students, I had moments of doubt. But by the end of spring semester, as I reflected on my first year away at college, I realized that I had stumbled into a warm, compassionate community, and I had no interest in leaving! I couldn’t wait to return for my sophomore year and to become increasingly involved and invested.

Fast-forward a few years to the spring of 1998. As the remaining days of my senior year dwindled, I felt profound sadness about leaving The Bluff and heading out into the real world. I thought that a chapter of my life was closing, until a wise friend reminded me, “Remember, you don’t come to UP just to be a student. You come to be an alum, too.” Indeed, you do. Little did I know that my post-graduate experience of the University would be equally as rich as my years as an undergraduate.  

So now that final exams and the conferral of degrees are in the rear-view mirror, what’s next for our graduating Pilot families? Here are three easy ways for you and your recent graduate to stay connected with the University of Portland.

1. Connect with your local regional chapter.

Parents, alumni, and friends of UP are invited to stay connected with the UP community by participating in social, service, faith, and educational events available through our regional chapters. Check out our list of chapters to see if there is one in a city near you! Our Pilot communities continue to thrive while maintaining a safe social distance, so be on the lookout for virtual gatherings in the coming months (and future gatherings once it is safe to do so).

2. Sign up for UP Switchboard.

UP Switchboard is an online platform that makes it simple for UP students, alumni, parents, and community members to ask for help or offer support in areas such as career networking, hosting, housing, advice, and events. Learn more about Switchboard and see how you can demonstrate UP’s spirit of generosity by helping other Pilots!

3. Sign up to receive Light from The Bluff

Light from The Bluff is a monthly, faith-based newsletter for University of Portland alumni, parents, and friends. Each edition features a scripture reflection written by a UP community member as well as other faith-focused content. Sign up to receive our next issue!

We will also be communicating with our new graduates on a regular basis throughout May and June to share additional resources and opportunities for alumni. We are grateful for our Pilot families, and we hope that you will stay in touch!

Craig Swinyard Ph.D. ’98 graduated from UP with a degree in mathematics. During his undergraduate days, Craig was actively involved as an RA in Villa Maria Hall during his junior and senior year. Craig returned to The Bluff in 2008 as a faculty member in the mathematics department and continues to teach in addition to his role as Director of Alumni & Parent Relations.

First Generation Spotlight: Gaby’s Story

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At UP, approximately 20 percent of the student population identifies as a first generation (FGEN) college student, and these students have a lot to be proud of! One of our First Generation (FGEN) students, Gaby Hernandez Duran ’21, shares her experience at UP and offers some advice to parents of FGEN students.

What is your major?

Biology Major, Chemistry & Spanish Minors

How have you been involved with the FGEN community at UP?

During my freshman year, I had an FGEN mentor that was absolutely amazing! I was struggling with fitting into the college environment, especially living in the dorms. Additionally, I wasn’t happy in my major and wanted to change, but didn’t know how I would do it. My mentor really encouraged me to pursue what I wanted to do and met with me whenever I needed help. My sophomore year I got more involved and knew I wanted to give someone else the same mentorship my mentor gave me. This year I was an FGEN ambassador for the summer launch for incoming freshmen. I also hope to be more involved in other roles throughout this school year.

What has been beneficial about being involved with the FGEN community at UP?

You get mentorship from so many people who want to help you and understand the barriers you may face in your educational journey. There are a variety of events that address issues that many FGEN students face, such as studying abroad, premedical preparation, financial aid, or how to apply for programs. These events are so informative and encourage you to seek out opportunities that are available at UP.

What has been a challenge of being a FGEN student?

One of the challenges I have faced as an FGEN student has been fitting in socially with the rest of the UP community. UP is a predominantly white school that, for the most part, is also made of upper middle-class students. It’s very intimidating trying to make friends, but I was able to socialize in my Spanish courses, where I met other students who look like me and understand what it’s like to be an FGEN student that does not come from a middle-class home. I think for the most part all students at UP are very kind, but it’s just finding the confidence to step out of your comfort zone that is difficult at times.

During the transition to college, what are a few key things you wish your parents or family would have known in order to better support you?

I wish my parents knew that I’m not trying to ignore them, but that I just have a lot of work I need to do and don’t have much time to reach out. I also wish they knew that when I get frustrated it’s not their fault, but that I just am navigating a path I have never gone through and have bumps that sometimes get the best of me. I feel like in college the work load gets heavier and more difficult as you go through your career, and it creates distance between family and student.

How has your relationship with your parent or family changed or grown since starting college?

My relationship with my family became a bit distant after I started college because I was living in the dorms and didn’t manage my time very well, so I wasn’t reaching out very much. However, my parents would come see me and I would go home once a month since I live 30 minutes away. My relationship with my parents now is much better since I communicate with them now about how I won’t have much time to see them, but I do call and text them every night. They also now understand what college means and how it is very different from high school. They understand that the career path I’m pursuing requires a lot of attention from me and they know that I have to focus on school much more than before.

What is one piece of advice you would give parents or family members of incoming FGEN students?

One piece of advice would be to have patience. Your child is starting to explore a new environment and trying to find where they fit in. They will also be busier and you may feel like they don’t talk to you enough about what’s going on. They will likely call you when they’re struggling or having a hard time, so I would recommend that you listen and offer the best advice you can. Even if you may not know the educational process well, you can be there for your child, motivate them to keep going, and encourage them to seek help from the resources on campus. One final piece of advice would be to tell your child how proud of them you are. It can be difficult being FGEN and it’s easy to lose yourself when school gets overwhelming. However, knowing that you have people who support you and are rooting for you makes the experience much better and will push your student to stay motivated.

Learn more about the FGEN program at UP by visiting their website. You can also stay up-to-date ont he FGEN community at UP by following them on Instagram or Twitter.

First Year Focus: Roommate Living

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Roommate living can be one of the biggest adjustments for a new student. Drawing upon many years of professional and personal experience, Tyler Hale, Associate Director of Community Standards for Residence Life at UP, shares how parents can help their students navigate the world of community living. Read his heartfelt article below.

Confession: I never had to share a bedroom until I went to college. Even though my freshman year was 14 years ago I remember fearfully wondering if my outrageously loud snoring would make my roommate hate me! I am happy to report that it didn’t. Or rather, it mostly didn’t. Sure, we had our frustrations and arguments and a brief but memorable passive-aggressive note-leaving phase, but getting the opportunity to go back and skip all of those awkward roommate conversations in order to have my own room would have meant that I would never have gotten to know Matt. We both had older sisters; we both snored (although I was louder); he rode dirt bikes, I rode a road bike (wearing the awkward but obligatory spandex shorts!); he studied business and I did theology; I had a Britney Spears calendar, he…did not.

I have spent most of my professional career working in residence halls and helping students navigate the awkward moments that inevitably happen when two or more humans begin to share space together. I have seen everything from differences in sleep schedules to irreconcilable differences in values. In almost all cases, the roommates learn a little about themselves and a lot about living with another person. I imagine it must be extremely hard to watch your students navigate the tough waters of living with roommates; I also know that some roommate situations can’t be solved with a Breathe Right strip and nasal spray.

If you will indulge me, I’d like to share two things:

1) We know how hard it can be to watch from the sidelines. In an era of Snapchat and texting, parents are sometimes aware of a roommate problem even before the offending student is! Standing back and giving your student that space to discover their own solutions can be really hard. Thankfully, they don’t have to do it alone. Encourage them to talk with their RA or, better yet, talk with their roommate! When you give them the space to “own their own solution” you are supporting them!

2) For students, and for those watching from the sidelines, the elusive single bedroom can feel like the Holy Grail of housing possibilities: impossible to find, but life-saving if acquired. For years, we have had anecdotal and quantitative evidence that points to just the opposite. Roommates, and the good, bad, and ugly that comes with them, are one of the best catalysts for your student’s learning, retention, and growth! Encourage them to “press in” and have the tough conversations rather than seeking a new room assignment. October is the end of the “honeymoon” phase of living with a roommate; people let their guards down, and it gets harder to ignore that thing that has bothered you since day one. We need your help telling your student that this is a normal part of living with another person. Talking about your problems is a good and mature part of growing up, and their RAs are there to help them have those conversations!

Encourage your student to talk to their roommate about frustrations and annoyances. Even more importantly, encourage them to listen to their roommate when they share about their frustrations and annoyances. Students can sometimes feel robbed of an experience if they don’t get to tell the magical story of how their freshman roommate was the Best Man in their wedding, but those are the outliers. Living with Matt, my freshman roommate, was a generally good experience, but we weren’t best friends. Encourage your student to have realistic expectations about their roommate and cheer them on when they choose to engage them in conversation. My current roommate and I have been married for over ten years, and although I don’t always get it right, I think living with Matt helped me grow into the kind of person that is quick to apologize and who is comfortable being honest with her about the things that frustrate me. Engaging in a conversation isn’t always easy, but we think that is what living in community is all about!

Tyler Hale currently serves as Associate Director of Community Standards for Residence Life at UP. Tyler holds a bachelor’s degree from George Fox University in religious studies and a master’s degree in religion from Yale University in New Haven, CT. Prior to his employment at the University of Portland, Tyler served as a student life fellow, providing spiritual and multi-religious programming for graduate students at Yale University.