Willamette & Pacific Merger FAQs

Willamette University and Pacific University have agreed to come together to create the largest and most comprehensive private university in Oregon.

Each school and college of Willamette and Pacific is expected to retain its name, identity, campuses, traditions, clubs and athletic programs, and admissions processes.

But upon completion of the merger process they also will be part of something bigger: a comprehensive university spanning the liberal arts and sciences, law, business, health professions and optometry, education, arts, design, and computing and data science. Serving 6,000 students and connecting an alumni network of more than 73,000 leaders and changemakers, the combined university will leverage the strengths of Pacific and Willamette to expand student opportunities and tackle the unique challenges facing our region.

The oldest institutions of higher education in the West, Willamette and Pacific are united by shared values and core missions that are focused on changing lives through education and preparing students to make a difference in the world. This merger puts that commitment into action in a bigger, bolder way for the future, creating more choices and expanding opportunities and resources for students.

Students and families have told us they are looking for an education that delivers clear value and connections to careers. By agreeing to combine and create a larger university, we can invest more strategically in the programs, technologies, and partnerships that directly benefit students and direct resources toward what matters most. The future combined university is expected to offer students more impactful opportunities and more support while preserving the distinctive, personalized, close-knit education that makes each university community so special.

A collegiate university is one university made up of several distinct colleges that each maintain a unique identity, name, culture, admissions standards, traditions, and sense of community, while being part of a unified institution of higher education. Think of it as a family living under the same roof, where each member has their own room filled with their personality, style and preferences. They are distinct but unified under one household.

In a consortium, the member colleges are separate, independent institutions. Each school has its own budget, board, and is accredited individually. Essentially, they are neighbors who choose to share some amenities, like a library system or shuttle system.

We are choosing a collegiate university structure in order to maintain the best of our existing schools and colleges while reaping the benefits of a larger university.

Right now, Willamette and Pacific continue to operate as separate legal entities, as we complete the first stage of regulatory approvals, which is expected by early 2027. At that time, there will be a “corporate merger” of the existing nonprofit operating entities into a single legal entity.

After the corporate merger is a transition period. Willamette and Pacific will be part of one corporate entity, governed by a single board of trustees. But they will remain separate universities with separate academic programs, degree authorization, accreditation, and federal financial aid participation. During this transition period, the universities will be working toward additional regulatory approvals and planning for future integration.

Upon final regulatory approvals, potentially in 2028, the institutions would merge into a single combined university.

Willamette President Steve Thorsett and Pacific President Jenny Coyle will jointly lead the combined university. As chancellor, Thorsett will oversee business operations, and as president, Coyle will oversee academics and student affairs. The combined institution will be governed by a single, shared board of trustees.

Across higher education, many mergers are driven by financial distress. What Willamette and Pacific are doing is different. We’re not merging because we have to; we’re doing it because we choose to. Both universities are operating on balanced budgets, and both institutions are stable on their own.

We’re taking this bold step from positions of strength to pursue a vision to expand student opportunities and to better meet the workforce needs of the region. At a time when universities across the country are being forced to cut back, we’re seeking to grow together.

During the transitional period, both institutions will continue to operate under their existing names. We are using the provisional name, University of the Northwest, to reflect the scope, scale, and regional impact of the combined institution. We know that the name matters, and we’re committed to selecting one that honors the legacies of the two institutions while embracing our shared future.

The collegiate model we are pursuing explicitly initially preserves the identities, names, campuses, and admissions processes for each school or college.

Your degree does not change. You still hold a degree from Willamette, and it still represents your achievements, experiences, and qualifications.

We understand how deeply our community cares about Willamette's history and cherished traditions. Preserving what makes Willamette special is a top priority throughout this merger process. The beloved traditions that define the Willamette experience, a commitment to turning knowledge into action through the liberal arts and professions, and our strong sense of community are expected to continue. They are an important part of who we are, and that identity will be honored and maintained.

At the same time, this merger presents an opportunity to build new traditions that reflect our combined strengths and shared values. The blending of two institutions with their own rich histories opens the door to celebrate and learn from one another. This merger is about enhancing and advancing Willamette’s mission and its future.

The endowed funds established to support students, programs, and schools at Willamette, Pacific, and PNCA will continue to be individually tracked and used in accordance with the intent of their donors. It will still be possible to add to existing endowments, or to establish new endowments in support of programs at any individual campus. The merger also presents opportunities to make new gifts in support of the bold vision and goals of the united university, such as cross-campus programs or to support students or faculty across the entire university.

We are thrilled that you are excited! We hope you will join opportunities to learn more in the coming weeks and months. Encourage your classmates and friends to get involved as well. Spread the news — share stories to your social media and serve as an ambassador in your community. Let us know you’d like to get involved at alumni@willamette.edu. Your philanthropic support makes an incredible difference for today’s students and future generations. When you receive requests to support the Annual Fund, we hope you will make a meaningful gift. If you’d like to consider a larger gift or include us in your estate plans, let us know at advancement-info@willamette.edu.

Willamette’s motto — Not unto ourselves alone are we born — is not going away. The motto remains deeply meaningful to our current students and alumni, many of whom continue to reference it in their professional and personal lives long after graduation.

While the motto will be preserved, we are still determining how it will be implemented and integrated within the combined institution. We recognize its importance to our community and are committed to keeping it as we move forward.

Yes, Willamette will continue to celebrate, engage, and connect its own alumni community. Your degree will always be a Willamette degree, and we intend to maintain distinct alumni programming and engagement opportunities for Willamette graduates. At the same time, one of the benefits of this merger is creating connections across a larger network. Over time, we envision Willamette alumni having the option to engage with alumni from across the broader institution, whether that's professional networking across different fields, geographic reach, or access to expanded resources and programs. The specifics of how alumni engagement will operate within the combined university structure will be developed in consultation with alumni leaders and our Alumni Engagement offices in the months ahead.

No. Across higher education, many mergers are driven by financial distress. What Willamette and Pacific are doing is different. We’re not merging because we have to; we’re doing it because we choose to. Both universities are operating on balanced budgets, and both institutions are stable on their own.

We’re taking this bold step from positions of strength to pursue a vision to expand opportunities for you and to better meet the workforce news of the region. At a time when universities across the country are being forced to cut back, we’re seeking to grow together.

No. Even after Willamette and Pacific fully combine into a single university, each of the schools and colleges will continue to set their own admissions standards and make their own admissions and financial aid decisions.