The College Sage had an amazing time visiting the University of Portland and interviewing Evan Leadem, Special Assistant to the President & Board Secretariat at UP. Read the blog below for Evan’s thoughts on UP!
Evan tell us about UP? The University of Portland is a comprehensive, Catholic university rooted in the liberal arts that's located in a beautiful neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. We're guided by the Congregation of Holy Cross, the same religious community that leads our sister institution, the University of Notre Dame. Our mission at UP is to help students learn how to lead lives of meaning and purpose. We accomplish this through what we call our Big Six: Teaching & Learning, Faith & Formation, and Service & Leadership. Each constituent part of the Big Six is vital to what we do, and we gear our entire educational model around ensuring that each student experiences opportunities for growth in all six areas. Many schools talk about "teaching the whole person" and engaging "minds, hands, and hearts." At UP, though, we really deliver on this promise.
Students can choose from several courses of study across our five schools: the College of Arts & Sciences, the Pamplin School of Business, the School of Education, the Shiley School of Engineering, and the School of Nursing. We were recently ranked second in the West among regional institutions by US News & World Report. We're just minutes from so many of the cool spots that make Portland a great place to live, and our access to the outdoors is unbeatable. Our beautiful campus sits high above the Willamette River, and is commonly referred to as "The Bluff." We're a very tight-knit, residential community, and the vast majority of our students live in residence halls or just a block or two from campus.
What’s your role? I serve as Special Assistant to the President & Board Secretariat at UP. In this role, I'm reponsible for a wide array of projects and initiatives that are helmed within the Office of the President. I also work closely with our Board of Regents and help to ensure that they have the information and resources they need in order to provide governance for the University. I am remarkably blessed to be able to say that I really love my job. It requires me to think strategically and creatively, I find the subject matter endlessly fascinating, and I feel a real connection to our mission of serving students. I also love it because no two days are alike and I get the chance to engage in a lot of "other duties as assigned," which are typically fun projects that don't really "fit" well in any other part of the University!
What makes UP stand out from the pack? While exceptions exist, higher education in the United States is becoming more-and-more transactional and commodified. That is, a student shows up, pays four years of tuition, gets a diploma, and the institution feels as though it has succeeded. What makes UP stand out, however, is our commitment to holistic formation. We feel that we haven't done our job if a student graduates from UP without having had the chance to grow academically, personally, and spiritually.
I also think that UP excels at providing students with skills that are both "timely" and "timeless." Our graduates receive a top notch education and have the capabilities they need for workplace success on day one. At the same time, though, our graduates have the all-important soft skills that are so essential to a successful life and career. They're great communicators and critical thinkers. They're remarkably creative, and they're able to collaborate and build teams. They're inordinately compassionate, humble, kind, and humorous. They're just genuinely a pleasure to be around. All of this stems from our distinctive culture, and it really sets us apart.
I know you love athletics - tell us about UP sports. You're right! I absolutely love UP sports. We compete at the Division I level in the West Coast Conference. Our teams are known as the "Pilots," which is an homage to the riverboat pilots who guide ships along the mighty Columbia River not far from campus. We're one of the smallest DI schools in the country and we really embrace the "underdog" mentality. We take pride in the fact that we're able to compete with the "big dogs" despite our size!
Portland is a soccer-obsessed city and that obsession extends to UP. Our women's and men's soccer programs are consistently excellent and they attract huge crowds. The students come out in droves to support the teams, dressing up in kilts, playing drums, and setting off purple smoke bombs when we score. Perhas our most famous sports alumna is Megan Rapinoe, although we've got lots of of other soccer alums who play for professional and national teams across the globe.
I also love attending our women's and men's basketball games, and I've found myself really getting into volleyball, too!
What would you tell students thinking about possibly coming to UP? I would tell them to come to Portland, poke around campus, ask questions, and consider whether UP is right for you! I hope that prospective students will see what I see when I look at UP: an excellent academic institution with a gorgeous campus where people are kind and supportive and where you'll have the chance to grow so much as a student, a professional, and a person. We're an extraordinarily warm place, where folks from all backgrounds, spiritual affiliations, interests, etc., are welcomed with open arms and viewed as valued contributors to our community. We take our studies and our work seriously, but we don't take ourselves too seriously. We like to have fun, to get outdoors, to cheer on our sports teams, and to take advantage of how wonderful it is to call Portland and Oregon our home.
Ok, ready for a one-word buzzer game ... here we go!
Favorite place on campus: This is so tough! I can't choose just one. So I'm going to break the rules and give you three. Merlo Field on a fall evening, watching a soccer game. The benches on The Bluff that overlook the Willamette River. The patio in front of the Pilot House when it's a beautiful day in late April and the sun is shining.
What UP class would you most like to register for: Either a course taught by Sam Holloway on the business of craft beer, or HST 318 which addresses America during the Cold War.
UP mascot?: Wally the Pilot!
Favorite item in the dining hall: Either the Quinoa Power Bowl or the Chilaquiles!
Most unusual place on campus students might not know about: The Holy Cross Dining Room! Students might think of it like the "secret" Teacher's Lounge from way back in elementary school. It's a lunch spot with lots of communal tables. You simply show up, walk through the buffet line, and find a table to join. Ideally, you'll be sitting next to a fellow faculty or staff member you've never met before!
Favorite UP tradition: Each year during Orientation Week, the entire class of first-year students will show up en masse at a UP soccer game. There's so much school spirit and pride on full display, and it really helps to bring the class together.
Most unusual piece of campus history: When the University was founded in 1901, it consisted of just one building! West Hall (now called Waldschmidt Hall) was everything: a classrom building, a dining hall, an administration building, you name it! It's amazing to see how much the school has grown.
UP fight song or cheer: While there is an official fight song, my favorite tunes are the ones that the students sing during soccer games. There's one called "Vamos Pilotos!" which translates into "Go Pilots!" The lyrics are, "Vamos Pilotos, esta noche tenemos que ganar." Loosely translated, this means, "Let's go Pilots, tonight we must win!" It's sung several times over, each time with increasing volume. So fun!
Most unique stat about the UP faculty: Not a stat, per se, but more of a statement. At UP, we place a high premium on undergraduate teaching. Thus, our faculty members really invest in educating and mentoring our undergrads. It's one of the best things about UP.
Best hiking spot close to campus: Forest Park, which is among the largest urban forests in the world and is mere minutes away from campus!
Best hiking spot within an hour (or so) of campus: I love Tom, Dick, & Harry Mountain, which is out by Mt. Hood. It's a fun hike with great views!
Best Donut in Portland: Blue Star!
Best Ice Cream in Portland: Salt and Straw!
Best Coffee in Portland: Stumptown!
One word to summarize UP: "Transformative." Folks come to UP and are forever changed. You leave The Bluff having had the opportunity to grow intellectually, spiritually, and personally.
Thank you, Evan!!
