Higher Ed on a Growth Curve in Portland
Published Mar 05, 2007
Portland State University, including its College of Urban and Public Affairs, is served by the Portland Streetcar.
Higher education in the Portland region is booming.
Rapid growth, new programs, advanced degrees and the drive to excel are all part of the surge, as evidenced by a sampling of the area’s many colleges and universities.
Portland State University offers 150 program options, including an M.B.A. and several other master’s and doctoral degrees. Student enrollment continues to grow on all fronts, with expansion of student housing and a new recreational center in the works. The school’s recently expanded Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science is viewed as a significant plus for local businesses.
“We continue to integrate sustainability as part of our operations,” President Daniel O. Bernstine says. “And we are continuing to grow, with more and more out-of-state students coming to us.”
Marylhurst University, a liberal arts college in Lake Oswego, offers 14 undergraduate and five graduate programs. The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning recently recognized Marylhurst as one of six universities with best practices for adult learning.
“We’re an adult-centered institution,” President Nancy Wilgenbusch says. “We believe education must be flexible enough to allow people to work and get their degree.”
In Beaverton, the OGI School of Science & Engineering – one of four Portland-region schools of the Oregon Health & Science University – offers 13 advanced degree programs and seven certificates. The school plans to implement at least four new advanced degree programs over the next year.
Eric Switzer, communications coordinator, says OHSU is “the only academic health center in the nation that formally includes a school of science and engineering focused exclusively on human and environmental health.”
George Fox University in Newberg offers 41 bachelor’s, 13 master’s and four doctoral programs.
Its M.B.A. program is designed specifically for working adults with two different track options. The school also offers a great student perk – every freshman receives a laptop computer to keep upon graduation.
“The university has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a top-tier regional university for 18 consecutive years,” says Rob Felton, director of public information.
Other institutions of higher learning in the region include Concordia University, Lewis & Clark College, Reed College, University of Oregon Department of Architecture, University of Portland, and Warner Pacific College, all of which have campuses in Portland.
Story by Heather Strang
Photo by Brian McCord
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