Part 1: Top 10 Reasons to Become a Boxer!

There is an infinite amount of reason why someone should want to be a Boxer! Unfortunately, there are a limited amount of words for this blog post so we are going to narrow it down the Top 10 Reasons to Become a Boxer!

1.       4-Year Guarantee – Here at Pacific University we guarantee that our students will be able to graduate in four years as long as they hold up their end of the deal. All a student needs to do is declare a major by the end of their Sophomore year and maintain a 2.5 GPA (B-/C+ range). Graduating in four years gives students a chance to get out into the real world in a timely fashion. 82% of Pacific University graduates are either enrolled in grad school or have a career job within six months of graduation. For whatever reason if a student is unable to graduate on time and they upheld their end of the bargain, then Pacific University will pay for the remaining classes that are need. The 4-year guarantee keeps students on track to move on to the next big thing!

2.       10:1 Student Faculty Ratio – At Pacific University, we have a faculty member for every 10 students on campus. Why is that important? We find value in this because students are able to have a personal relationship with their professors, more one on one time with professors, and an opportunity to succeed. With most of our professors having terminal degrees in the field (highest achievable degree) students have access to open door policies with experts in the field. Often at large state institutions, students do not have the opportunity to meet their professors due to the sheer amount of enrolled students. Professors come specifically to Pacific University for the sole reason of being able to interact closely and directly with their students.

3.       Average class size of 19 students - Due to the smaller school size (1850 undergraduates), students have the luxury of smaller class sizes. With the exception of a few intro courses that are usually taken within the freshman year (Intro to Biology, Intro to Chemistry, and Intro to Psychology, all classes many students are required to take) class sizes are purposely kept on the smaller side. When at a large public institution, the class sizes for an incoming freshman can reach upwards of 500 students to a class and are held in large lecture halls. With smaller class sizes, classes change from lecture to discussions, giving students the chance to not only be heard, but hear the diverse perspectives of other students in the class. This brings about a well-rounded and unique learning experience.

4.       65+ Areas of Study - Pacific University is a liberal arts university meaning we want to give our students a chance to explore. With over 65 areas of study, students enrolled at Pacific have the opportunity to check out many different avenues of interest. We encourage that students take advantage of this. We do not put pressure on student to pick a major as we give them two years (four semesters) to make this decision if they want to stay on track for graduating in four years. We offer a class called Essential Human Knowledge which offers a lecture once a week by a professor from a different discipline. We do this so students are able to truly get a firsthand taste in what all the different majors have to offer. It is a great way to learn what things do or do not interest you, and help guide your decision as you navigate our many paths!

5.       Undergraduate Research & Internships – At Pacific University, we push our students to pursue both internships and research opportunities. Most students have participated in at least one internship by the end of their time here at Pacific. The professors are extremely involved in helping students find internships through the various connections and relationships they have previously built in the field. When emails come in from other companies, professors relay the information to students who they believe would be good fits or just to the general population. Often we are able to have our students land paid internships with top notch companies such as Nike and Intel. In terms of research, our professors conduct all of their research in the summers. Often students will be hired to assist the professors and gain real research experience as undergrads right here on campus. Also, all students are required to do a senior thesis project and work very closely with professors to complete these. Research that is specific to the students’ field of study will be conducted in order to complete these projects.