University of Portland

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Hallmarks and Quirks

Women's Soccer. I am one of the top schools for women's soccer in the entire country. Thousands of people come to my games and cheer on the women. Many well-known pro soccer players even drop in. Yep, I'm a pretty big deal.
Fostering a sense of community. I don't have any fraternities or sororities, but who needs those when you have an awesome dorm culture? Each of my residence halls has its own identity that brings its students together, and there are plenty of events and competitions between dorms to help you feel right at home among your peers.
Nursing. My nursing school is very well-known for preparing students to work in the field and getting them jobs right after graduation.
Business. My business school is good friends with Nike and Adidas, as well as the Big Four accounting firms. That means students in the program get plenty of opportunities for networking, internships, and eventually great full-time jobs.
The Entrepreneurship Program. Simply put, my entrepreneurship program is amazing. Students get to create business plans, practice pitching, and get everything organized to actually open the business after graduation. They also travel to New York in the fall and go abroad in the spring to network. If that doesn't sound awesome to you, I don't know what would.

A rain jacket and rain boots. Your clothes won't survive if you don't have these. Pro-tip: No one (and I mean no one) in Portland uses umbrellas. Don't be a noob.
An appetite. There are so many great places to eat on campus and off; it would be a shame for you to not try as many of the delicious local restaurants as possible. Yes, that's a challenge.
A taste for beer. With all the microbreweries around Portland, you shouldn't just settle for Bud Light.
Vampire-like qualities. If you love the sun, Portland might not be the place for you. If you think you might be a long lost member of the Culle—er…Nosferatu family, you'll feel right at home here.
FOMO. Also known as a fear of missing out. There are so many activities on campus and around Portland—you need to seize every opportunity.

Megan Rapinoe. A professional soccer player and darling of the 2011 Fifa Women's World Cup. She also casually helped Team USA win gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She attended me from 2004-2008.
Fullbright. I was ranked third in the nation for number of Fullbright scholars in 2014. Since 2001 I have produced forty-six Fullbright scholars, which is an impressive feat for a school my size.
Study abroad in Salzburg. I have a campus in Salzburg, Austria, and students can apply to study abroad there for an entire year. They travel all over Europe and take classes in German. Are you jealous yet? Because I definitely am.

Downtown at one of the many bars, clubs, and concerts to check out. Portland is a young city full of interesting people, so why not dive in?
Off campus at a house party. This is college, after all.
On campus watching a movie. There are on-campus movie nights each weekend, and the organizers hook it up with movies that haven't even been released yet. This is a surefire way to have fun and save those precious dollars
Pilots After Dark. This is a school-sponsored event for students who aren't into partying hard. They take place nearly every Friday and Saturday night and feature live music, games, karaoke, and all sorts of other entertaining activities. Trust me—it's just as fun as a night out on the town.

The Commons. This on-campus eatery is super popular for its amazing brunch. In fact, all the breakfast at UP is ridiculously good.
At a coffee shop in North Portland. Let's be real—you can never have enough coffee.
The Library. That studying isn't going to do itself.
Shopping on NW 23rd Street. This little area is officially called Nob Hill, and is where you'll find the coolest shops and restaurants in this part of town.
Cathedral Park. This riverside park is a popular hangout spot and by far the best park in North Portland. It's nestled under a dramatic bridge that looks sort of like a cathedral. As a Catholic school, I wholeheartedly approve.

There is a priest that lives in every dorm. Yeah, yeah, I know—it sounds a lot lamer than it really is. These priests are actually really cool and like to participate in dorm activities. They give great advice about all things spiritual, academic, and personal. They're like an in-dorm support system, and students love them.
My biggest rivals also happen to be Catholic schools and as a Division I school, my athletic teams are really important to a lot of people. Don't be surprised when you see your first "Battle of the Priests" at a basketball game. If the away team brings two priests with them, I'm sure to roll out with four. It's basically Priests Gone Wild at some of my more competitive games.

Megan Rapinoe. Professional soccer player, LGBT rights activist, and all around inspirational person
Eric Spoelstra. Head coach of the Miami Heat
Kasey Keller. Another professional soccer player
Keelin Winters. Aaand another professional soccer player
Kunal Nayyar. You might recognize him as Dr. Raj Koothrappali on The Big Bang Theory.