Scholarship Opportunities for Incoming Students

Pacific University offers several different scholarships for our incoming students. The opportunity of a merit scholarship is available to all students who apply and is based off of the work students have already done in high school. The only requirements to keeping the scholarship are staying in good academic standing while at Pacific University. We also offer Talent Awards & Scholarships, Special Interest Scholarships, and Community-Based Scholarships.

In total, there are 26 potential scholarships that incoming students can apply to. There are 13 total Talent Awards & Scholarships: Dance Scholarship, World Languages Talent Award, etc. There are 7 Special Interest Scholarships to pick from: Outdoor Adventure Award, FIRST Robotics Scholarship, etc. There are 6 Community-Based Scholarships available for incoming students: Black United Fund of Oregon ACCESS Scholarship, Pacific University Oregon Promise Award, etc.

These scholarships are not run by the admissions office like the merit scholarships. Rather, they are run by the individual departments and organizations on campus. Because of this, the departments and organizations are in charge of the requirements of their scholarships. Students may apply to as many scholarships as they wish, but they may only accept one. The scholarships range from $500 - $6,000, and are renewable every year as long as the student fulfills the requirements. 

Check out the list of scholarships for incoming students that we offer and see if anything applies to you!

Jan Term

     At Pacific University we offer “Jan Term” classes during our winter break in the month of January.  The classes last for 11 instructional days and are three hours long. Jan term classes are usually 2 credit courses so that the workload is manageable. Students have the opportunity to move back on campus and utilize their meal plans during this time period. Registration for these Jan term classes occurs when students register for their spring semester classes. In terms of the classes, many disciplines are usually represented during Jan term.  As for the cost, Jan term is something that is already included into the price of tuition so there is no extra charge. Even more reason for students to take advantage of this time.

     Often, students will take a class that may be difficult for them if they were to take it for an entire semester. For example, social science majors (psychology, sociology, ect.) sometimes take a hard-science class during the winter break in order to meet their requirement, and hard science majors (chemistry, biology, etc.) may try and fulfill their art or social science/humanities requirement during this time.

     Although every year is different, usually a third to half of our students take advantage of our Jan term courses. Many students love this because our already small community is much more tight knit and connected during these three weeks.

     Jan term is also when a lot of our travel courses take place. Travel course are mini study abroad programs that we offer. Students can get their civic engagement requirements met in Trinidad and Tobago, have their science requirement met by taking a marine biology course in the Galapagos Islands, etc... These are also worth two credits and are a fun way to pursue your degree! Be aware that the travel courses are “out of pocket” trips unlike the on-campus Jan term courses and other study abroad trips.

Centers and Institutions

At Pacific University, students have the opportunity to get involved in a variety of clubs and groups. One distinction that we make from our general clubs are our Centers and Institutions that we have on campus. Most of the centers and institutions are ran by students who are accompanied by a staff member. This provides leadership opportunities for our students, and also allows them the freedom to focus on what is important to them. This is just a small example, check out the rest on our website!

·         Berglund Center

o   The Berglund Center is focused on serving all students at all degree levels from any major who wish to innovate. Students are helped with innovative thinking, entrepreneurship and multidisciplinary team work. Student can win fellowships, awards, and practical experience for launching startup businesses through the Inspired Ideas Competition. Students have the opportunity to share their ideas in front of a panel of judges and the public. The completion is judged on merit rather than financial or business potential in order to give every student a fair opportunity. With mentors there to support, the Berglund Center can be a very useful tool for any students with an entrepreneur mindset.

·         Center for Civic Engagement

o   All students at Pacific University have a Civic Engagement requirement which is our way of getting Pacific students out into the community, serving the common good, and engaging with the community. This is experiential learning put into practice. The requirement can be met through one of the many Civic Engagement classes that are offered every semester or if you choose to do something alone, the project/internship must be approved by the Center for Civic Engagement. In the past we have had students serve at the local farms, put on well-organized fundraisers for various charities, and do internships at places like local schools, nursing homes, and hospitals. The Center for Civic Engagement also hosts travel courses for student who wish to make a difference overseas. Student can choose from trips such as Hawaii, Ecuador, Kenya, etc. The Center for Civic Engagement does all that it can in order to make sure students are serving the community in unique and meaningful ways.

·         Center for Gender Equity

o   The Center for Gender Equity host several workshops throughout the year for various things such as mental health, LGBTQ Week, slam poetry events, panels, speakers, short films, etc. The goal is to make people aware of issue surrounding gender in an open and inviting way. They offer scholarships, research opportunities, and conferences for Pacific Students as well. 

Outdoor Pursuits and Voyages!

The state of Oregon has so much to offer, especially when you take a step out of your front door. With Henry Hagg Lake 15 minutes, Mount Hood and the coast an hour away, hundreds of hiking trails with amazing views and waterfalls, and plenty of other easily accessible attractions, Pacific University is in the perfect central place for students who want to get outside and connect with nature! For this very reason, Pacific has an outdoors club called Outdoor Pursuits. The sole mission of the club is to provide students with opportunities, skills, and experience in the great outdoors. The club is catered to students with any level of experience all the way from, “I essentially am a tree” to “I will scream if I see a ladybug in my room”. Throughout the school year Outdoor Pursuits offers trips for students that are discounted to an extremely affordable level. For example, it can cost $80 to rent a stand up paddle board through a regular company, but only $35 for students with Outdoor Pursuits. The club aims to make all the prices low so there is no excuse for not trying new things. On top of the trips that are available to all students, the club offers Freshman Voyages. These trips are offered to freshman before orientation in the fall. Students have the opportunity to do fun things such as surfing, rock climbing, white water rafting, etc. we trained older students and faculty for about a week. Voyages are chance to walk into freshman orientation with a small community that you have already formed. Often students make friends that last their entire college career on their Voyage trip which is amazing to hear! When we have students who are extremely passionate about being in nature, we point them to our Outdoor Leadership Minor. We are one of the few schools in the country that offer this as a minor and employers love it. When an employer sees 100 applications, this minor really stands out and shows that you have leadership skills in extreme situations/environments and they want to know more about it. Student are able to lead classes, learn about safety, learn about guiding, and learn a lot about themselves as leaders and people. It is a new program but the reviews have been amazing!

Meet Tailor Dolgin, a recently graduated senior (English Lit Major, Outdoor Leadership Minor) who found her new home in Outdoor Pursuits!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZR78zBECRw

If you have any other questions and want to check out all that Outdoor Pursuits has to offer, click here.

Part 2: Top 10 Reasons to Become a Boxer!

A continuation from last week’s post, there are an unlimited number of great things that can be said about Pacific University. We decided to shorten that list and give you the Top 10 Reasons to Become a Boxer!

6.       Study Abroad and Travel Courses – Pacific University has 26 different study abroad programs in 13 different countries that all students have a chance to participate in. Studying abroad is an opportunity for students to not only earn Pacific credits, but to explore the world and experience something different! Students are able to apply the same financial aid they receive at Pacific University to the foreign university they attend in our programs. If a whole semester or school year is not something a student wants or is able to do, then we also offer three-week travel courses during winter term or early summer (7 courses offered in the 2018-19 school year). These are out of pocket trips that are paired up with a course in the fall or spring semester. We encourage all students to ask their advisers about study abroad programs in order to figure out how their schedules will need to be structured.

7.       Civic Engagement Opportunities – A requirement for all students, civic engagement is a way we get our students out into the community serving in many different ways! The students have the option when and how they choose to meet this requirement which makes the process more enjoyable and authentic. There are classes geared toward civic engagement projects that revolve around specific majors. A psychology student will have may options that revolve around mental health within the community, while an environment science student may have an opportunity to volunteer at the B-Street Farm. There are also general classes for civic engagement with themes for students who have not chosen their major yet. No matter how it gets done, its sole purpose is to get students off campus, into the community, and making a difference.

8.       70+ Clubs and Activities – There is no shortage of clubs to choose from as Pacific has over 70 clubs and organizations on campus. The clubs fall under many categories such as academic, educational, Greek life, cultural, religious, public service, recreational, performing arts, and student media. We highly encourage our student to join multiple clubs. It is a great way for all students to make new connections with like-minded students, take up potential leadership positions, and get involved on campus and in the community. Most Pacific University students are involved with three or four different clubs or organizations throughout their career as a student. If students are unable to find a club that fits their desire, we highly encourage starting a new club! All students need to start their own club is seven members and a staff or faculty member as their adviser. After turning in some paperwork, they are now a funded club of Pacific University.

9.       24 Varsity Sports – Pacific University is an NCAA Division III school. We compete with 24 teams in the Northwest Conference. Pacific is equipped with a new state-of-the-art 9-lane Atlas track (one of two in all the Northwest), new football/soccer/lacrosse field with a video jumbo Tron, a turf baseball field, top ranked softball field (between DII and DIII schools), an indoor turf field with indoor batting cages, three indoor and three outdoor tennis courts, an athlete weight room, fully functional locker rooms, and top notch athletic training facilities. We have coaches from all over the country with amazing histories both as athletes themselves and coaches who love being at Pacific University. Our teams have reeled in 12 championships in the last decade.

10.   Scholarships!! – Here at Pacific University, we want our students to focus on school and enjoying their experience as much as possible. Unfortunately, college finances stress students out around the country. We do all that we can to chip away at the cost of your education through many routes of generous scholarships. 90% of Pacific University students do not pay the full cost of tuition and we are proud of that number! The merit scholarships are our most basic form of scholarship. Based on GPA and test scores (ACT/SAT) students will receive a renewable scholarship: University ($12,000 per year), Trustee ($15,000 per year), Presidential ($18,000 per year), Honors ($21,000 per year), Founders ($24,000 per year). We offer Special Interest Awards ranging from $500 - $6,000 per year based on particular talents incoming students may have. Student who are interested in things such as art, math, dance, music, photography, debate, etc. have the chance to apply for a scholarship. Small requirements are paired with these awards, only one of which requires students to minor, making these even more doable. On top of all that, we host Senior Preview Scholarship Days in the fall where just by attending students receive $1,000 per year. Students arrive with their families in the morning, eat breakfast with students listen to a few speakers, a student panel, professor panel, tour the campus, and have a chance to sit in on a class. It’s a great way to get familiar with the school and earn money while you are doing it!

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. 

Why Should You Live On-Campus?!?

Here at Pacific University, we love having our students live on campus. We make housing not only available, but guaranteed for four years. It is required for students to be on campus for the first two years of attendance, and it is encouraged that students spend all four as residents on campus. In fact, it is quite common to see seniors living on campus and loving it!

Some good reasons to live on campus:

• ·         More involvement – When living on campus, you are being dropped right into the action. You are less than 10 minutes away from any event, game, speaker, or class. When you can hear music playing in the quad and look out your window to see students playing volleyball or just hanging out, you are much more likely to go out and join unlike those who may not even know that anything is going on because they are living off campus.
• ·         Community – Simply walking out of your room will provide an opportunity to get involved due to the fact that there is always something going on in a residence hall. The RAs (Residence Assistants) are there to make life more enjoyable for their students. Things such as ping pong tournaments, pancake parties, and haunted houses around Halloween time are not unusual to see. The RAs try to host an event at least once a month, and they have office hours in the lobby of their respective residence halls at least once a week each.
• ·         Less Financial Stress! – Students who live off campus have to account for paying monthly rent, a security deposit, utilities, furnishing their apartment/house, laundry, and repairs. When you live on campus, your room and board is payed as a package with your tuition, so no monthly fees. Utilities, laundry, furniture, appliances (in apartment style dorms), and repairs to the room (i.e. broken oven, dead lightbulbs) are all included. With less things to worry about in terms of your living situation, students are able to keep their focus on school and other more important factors of their life.

The on campus experience is catered to students. When on campus, you can truly experience the full benefits of a university that looks out for its students. Off campus living is something that everyone will experience once graduated from school, so why rush the process and add more real world stress and pressure to your plate prematurely?

For more information on housing, click on the link below:

https://www.pacificu.edu/housingdining

For more information on residence halls, click the link below:

https://www.pacificu.edu/housingdining/housing/residence-halls

For more information on residence life, click the link below:

https://www.pacificu.edu/housingdining/residence-life