Pacific and Willamette Universities explore joining forces to create Oregon’s largest private university
Pacific University and Willamette University, Oregon’s two founding institutions of higher education, have signed a letter of intent agreeing to move forward with due diligence and the negotiation of a definitive agreement to merge to become the state’s largest private university.
If approved, this historic combination, provisionally the University of the Northwest, would work to create more pathways for students, more avenues for collaboration, and more opportunities for Oregon and the West in an institution that would combine the flexibility and nimbleness of a small school with the breadth and resources of a larger institution.
Pacific University and Willamette University have a combined student body of about 6,000 students across distinctive independent undergraduate colleges and expansive graduate and professional programs, and a network of more than 73,000 alumni. The merged university would offer:
- Access to top-ranked undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. The combined institution would span the liberal arts and sciences, law, business, health professions, education, optometry, counseling, art and design, and computing and data science.
- Expanded access to professional pathways. Students at each institution have access to preferred admissions programs for advanced and accelerated degree paths, helping them launch meaningful careers faster and therefore with less debt. The merged institution would allow access to these programs across the combined university.
- A robust career and alumni network. The alumni, philanthropic supporters, and community partners of the universities have founded companies, led government agencies and nonprofit organizations, revolutionized healthcare, shaped legal precedent and created cultural foundations that define the region today.
- A hub for leadership, service, and workforce development. With campuses spanning Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Portland and Salem, the combined institution would continue the work of Pacific University and Willamette University in building the talent pipeline the region needs to address the healthcare, technology, creative and cultural, and innovation opportunities facing the Northwest.
“If finalized and approved, this merger would be a defining moment for private higher education in the region. Pacific and Willamette are both deeply rooted in Oregon’s history and have educated thousands of leaders who have helped make the Pacific Northwest synonymous with innovation and excellence,” said Steve Thorsett, president of Willamette University. “Together we seek to expand that legacy at a greater scale—to build the institution Oregon needs for its next chapter—guided by the same mission and values that have defined our institutions for nearly two centuries.”
“We share a commitment to addressing the region’s most pressing workforce needs while preserving the personalized, mission-driven education that defines both of our institutions,” said Jenny Coyle, president of Pacific University. “Our work together would be about leveraging our collective strengths to provide students opportunity and to prepare graduates who are committed to using their skills and knowledge to uplift communities.”
Ben Cannon, executive director of Oregon's Higher Education Coordinating Commission, said, "At a time when increased investment and innovation in all sectors of higher education is crucial for our state's economic future, I appreciate the bold approach Willamette and Pacific are taking to meet the moment. We look forward to supporting their work to expand access to higher education for all Oregonians."
Seeking to be better together
If the merger is finalized and approved, the combined university would operate as a “collegiate university,” where distinct schools and colleges maintain their character, identities, and historic campuses while unified under a shared administrative structure as a single institution.
The undergraduate colleges at Pacific, Willamette, and PNCA would continue to operate with their current names as colleges within the combined university on their historic campuses in Forest Grove, Salem and Portland and would maintain separate admissions requirements, academic programs and athletics. Existing graduate and professional programs would continue to offer students pathways toward their career goals.
“Together we’re looking to create pathways and opportunities for students that would be difficult for either institution to do alone,” said Thorsett. “We believe we can offer broader academic programs, enhanced resources, and have the flexibility to build and innovate in the future.”
A shared legacy of leadership & service
Founded in the 19th century to serve a growing region, Willamette and Pacific have long championed the role of nonprofit private universities in innovating to serve the needs of their communities.
Pacific launched the state’s first degree programs in teaching, optometry, occupational therapy and physical therapy, and today it is the No. 1 private educator of healthcare professionals in Oregon. Willamette, the first university in the West, launched the state’s first medical school and law school, and has produced generations of leaders and changemakers who have shaped the region’s civic, legal, and cultural fabric.
“For generations, we’ve both championed the power of education to transform students’ lives and, in turn, serve the world outside the walls of our institutions,” Coyle said. “The University of the Northwest would be our commitment to expanding that mission. Pacific and Willamette have educated the leaders who built Oregon. Now we’re preparing to educate the leaders who will build Oregon’s future.”
Next steps
Over the coming months, leadership teams expect to work together to complete due diligence, negotiate and enter into a definitive agreement for the merger, and begin the process of working through multi-step approvals required by regulators and other third parties. Further operational and structural details will be announced in the coming months.