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US News & World Report: UP Ranked No. 2 In West

The University of Portland is now ranked second out of 127 institutions listed in the “Regional Universities – West” classification according to U.S. News & World Report magazine. The University also placed second in the 2020 rankings – its highest ranking to date. In the 2018 and 2019 rankings, the University placed sixth in the same “Regional Universities – West” category. This ranking marks the 26th consecutive year the University has received a Top 10 ranking. The full rankings can be seen on the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges website.

Among notable measures in the U.S. News & World Report methodology is the University’s 90% average first-year-to-second-year retention rate for the past several years and six-year graduation rates of 82% and 84% for the last two student cohorts. In addition, the University’s Donald P. Shiley School of Engineering’s reputation for excellence continues to rise. This year, the engineering program was ranked 33rd nationally among engineering schools whose highest degree is a bachelor’s or master’s.

According to U.S. News & World Report, regional institutions are those that provide a full range of undergraduate majors and master’s programs, but few – if any – doctoral programs. The universities in this category are not ranked nationally but rather against peers in one of four regions – North, South, Midwest and West – because they tend to draw students primarily from surrounding states.

U.S. News & World Report’s methodology for this category weighs heavily on student retention rates, peer assessment and faculty resources; as well as on student selectivity, financial resources earmarked for educational purposes and the alumni giving rate.

University of Portland’s commitment to its mission of teaching and learning, faith and formation, and service and leadership has been successfully proven through its graduates. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, the University of Portland ranks among the highest in the nation alongside peer institutions for the number of students and alumni earning Fulbright grants for several consecutive years.

McLary Extending Interim Dean Duties to 2021-2022

University president Rev. Mark L Poorman, C.S.C., and provost Herbert Medina have invited Laura McLary to extend her service as interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and she has accepted. McLary will now serve as interim dean through the end of the 2021-2022 academic year.

Fr. Poorman explains that “After observing the steady, skillful hand with which she has led the College in these challenging times, and considering other factors such as continuity of leadership, stability, and institutional knowledge, we concurred that it made sense to ask her to serve for two academic years. We plan to conduct a search for a permanent CAS dean in the 2021-22 academic year.”

Please join me in offering congratulations, gratitude, and support to McLary as she continues to serve in this important leadership position at UP.

New Updates Posted to UP “Coronavirus” Website for Fall 2020 Information

University of Portland announced on July 30 that most fall semester classes will be conducted remotely and residence halls will be closed to students unless they have an approved exemption.

All University of Portland faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to check regularly for updates on the UP Coronavirus webpage, according to Michael Lewellen, VP for marketing and communications. New content is being added as the University approaches the Fall Semester.

Rowena Bramlette ’88 Endowed Scholarship Announced

We are pleased to announce the endowment of the Rowena B. Bramlette ’88 Financial Affairs Division International Accounting Scholarship, established in memory of Rowena Bramlette ’88. Rowena served the University for 14 years and retired from her position of associate vice president for budgeting in 2019. She passed away after a courageous battle with cancer in January 2020. Prior to his retirement as vice president of financial affairs, Alan P. Timmins ’81 had nurtured the idea to create a scholarship in Rowena’s memory. Initial funding was provided by Alan and members of the Controller’s Office. Rowena’s husband, Rod Bramlette has added his support to the scholarship along with the President’s Leadership Cabinet. The Rowena B. Bramlette ‘88 Financial Affairs Division International Accounting Scholarship will be given each year to an outstanding senior, non-US born, accounting student.

In remembrance of Rowena, University employees and members of the faculty may contribute to her scholarship by using this link.  To  inquire on how you can make your donation through payroll deduction, please contact Kati Duffy, development, at duffyk@up.edu.

Portland Magazine Wins National Silver Award

The University of Portland’s Portland magazine has won a national Silver Award from CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) in its annual Circle of Excellence awards. Portland won second place in the “Magazines, Alumni/General Interest 3x Per Year category.

In announcing the award, CASE’s statement about Portland reads: “After Portland magazine’s two-year hiatus following the death of beloved, longstanding editor Brian Doyle, editor Jessica Murphy Moo put the wheels in motion again with new designer Darsey Landoe (using partial redesigns from Zehno). They had an audience eager to receive Portland again, and expectations were high in terms of both content and design. Portland magazine has a strong and unique brand; it is more literary and heartfelt than many alumni magazines. The brand was also very much attached to the previous editor. So the team needed to figure out how to continue to give the audience what they wanted—authentic, deeply human stories—with a new editor at the helm. This first year of the redesigned magazine offers great stories—a balance of personal essay and reporting. A New York Times writer described his work with the Compton Cowboys, and the founder of a nonprofit named Girls Build told a personal story about her work to encourage girls to consider careers in the trades. The editor wrote about an archeological dig in Mallorca, Spain, and an alumnus wrote about his summer answering phones at the White House. The tradition of spiritual writing continues as well. The elements of the Portland magazine tradition are there. In the first year of the redesigned magazine, the team delivered the authentic, deeply human storytelling our readers wanted and expected.”

Please congratulate Jessica Murphy Moo for her outstanding vision and leadership in continuing Portland magazine’s reign as one of the top university magazines in the U.S. and beyond.

Congratulations to Dr. Herbert Medina!

Following a wide-ranging national search, Herbert A. Medina, former dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, has been appointed to the role of Provost effective July 1. The search for Thomas Greene’s successor attracted more than 300 applicants.

Medina has served as dean and professor of mathematics since 2018. His leadership of CAS has been marked by devotion to student well-being and success, dedication to faculty support and development, and unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. He has been a champion of experiential learning, directed the study and development of new academic programs, and has already played an important role in faculty and staff searches at the University.

An exemplary teacher-scholar, Medina is rightly beloved by his students and has earned widespread recognition for his research in functional analysis, wavelets, and polynomial approximations. He is deeply committed to the University’s Catholic and Holy Cross mission and its call for all community members to be engaged in the work of social justice, radical hospitality, and advancement of the Catholic intellectual tradition. As a leader and a colleague, Medina’s style is communicative, transparent, collaborative, compassionate, and humbly confident.

Prior to joining UP, Medina enjoyed a highly successful 26-year career as a professor and administrative leader at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He was associate dean of LMU’s Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering before his appointment as CAS dean at UP. He holds a B.S. in mathematics and computer science from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a M.A. and Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley.

For more information contact the president’s office at x7105 or simek@up.edu.

More Than 1,000 Degrees Conferred at Virtual Commencement

The University of Portland celebrated its Commencement in a virtual ceremony on Sunday, May 3, with 1,071 graduates who earned degrees from the Shiley School of Engineering, the Pamplin School of Business, the School of Education, the School of Nursing, and the College of Arts & Sciences. University President Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., conferred bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees during the virtual commencement ceremony. An in-person commencement ceremony for the Class of 2020 will be held on campus at a future date.

Four honorary doctorates were conferred during the Commencement ceremony. Honorary doctorate recipients were Nancy K. Bryant, Cheryle A. Kennedy, Marilynne S. Robinson, Ph.D., and Rev. H. Richard Rutherford, C.S.C., Ph.D. University provost Thomas G. Greene received the Christus Magister Medal, the University’s highest honor.

More information about 2020 Commencement can be found on the University’s Commencement website.

Sacred Art Songs Inspired by Feisty, Faithful Women of the Bible

Gift yourself with a mini-retreat and enrich your sacramental imagination with another podcast from the Garaventa Center vault: Women of the Book Concert, featuring February 2018 world premieres of stunning music by UP and local artists.

For other uplifting and stimulating presentations, we invite you to check out some of our greatest hits from the last 5 years, or browse our complete archive of podcasts. For more information contact Karen Eifler at eifler@up.edu.

UP Ranked 7th As Top Producer of Peace Corps Volunteers

University of Portland is ranked 7th nationally among peer institutions as a top producer of Peace Corps volunteers according to a study released by the Peace Corps. UP currently has 12 alumni serving around the world. Since the Peace Corps’ founding in 1961, more than 230 University graduates have become Peace Corp volunteers.

“At UP, I was inspired to be a servant leader,” said Marissa Kelly ’15, an alumna and Peace Corps volunteer. “My time at UP gave me the professional tools and the service-oriented lens that I needed to be a successful volunteer and, more importantly, a compassionate human being.”

The Peace Corps annually ranks its top volunteer-producing colleges and universities based on the size of the school. University of Portland jumped to No. 7 from its No. 9 spot last year and has been a top school for the last three years. UP’s size places it among the “small school” category and is one of three Oregon universities included in this year’s rankings.

“These schools are institutions that emphasize being global citizens and service-minded students,” said Jody Olsen, Peace Corps director. “I am excited to know the graduates coming from Peace Corps’ Top Colleges are using their skills to make a positive impact on their communities at home and abroad.”

View the 2020 Peace Corps rankings.

Early Career Award for Alice Gates

Alice Gates, social work, was selected as this year’s recipient of the Council on Social Work Education Early Career Faculty Award for Service and Leadership in Social Work Education.

Founded in 1952, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is the national association representing social work education in the United States. Its members include over 800 accredited baccalaureate and master’s degree social work programs, as well as individual social work educators, practitioners, and agencies dedicated to advancing quality social work education. CSWE’s Commission on Accreditation is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in the United States and its territories.