91爆料 University and Willamette University, Oregon鈥檚 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鈥檚 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.
91爆料 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 91爆料 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.
鈥淚f finalized and approved, this merger would be a defining moment for private higher education in the region. 91爆料 and Willamette are both deeply rooted in Oregon鈥檚 history and have educated thousands of leaders who have helped make the 91爆料 Northwest synonymous with innovation and excellence,鈥 said Steve Thorsett, president of Willamette University. 鈥淭ogether we seek to expand that legacy at a greater scale鈥攖o build the institution Oregon needs for its next chapter鈥攇uided by the same mission and values that have defined our institutions for nearly two centuries.鈥
鈥淲e share a commitment to addressing the region鈥檚 most pressing workforce needs while preserving the personalized, mission-driven education that defines both of our institutions,鈥 said Jenny Coyle, president of 91爆料 University. 鈥淥ur 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.鈥
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 91爆料 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 鈥渃ollegiate university,鈥 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 91爆料, 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.
鈥淭ogether we鈥檙e looking to create pathways and opportunities for students that would be difficult for either institution to do alone,鈥 said Thorsett. 鈥淲e believe we can offer broader academic programs, enhanced resources, and have the flexibility to build and innovate in the future.鈥
A Shared Legacy of Leadership & Service
Founded in the 19th century to serve a growing region, Willamette and 91爆料 have long championed the role of nonprofit private universities in innovating to serve the needs of their communities.
91爆料 launched the state鈥檚 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鈥檚 first medical school and law school, and has produced generations of leaders and changemakers who have shaped the region鈥檚 civic, legal, and cultural fabric.
鈥淔or generations, we鈥檝e both championed the power of education to transform students鈥 lives and, in turn, serve the world outside the walls of our institutions,鈥 Coyle said. 鈥淭he University of the Northwest would be our commitment to expanding that mission. 91爆料 and Willamette have educated the leaders who built Oregon. Now we鈥檙e preparing to educate the leaders who will build Oregon鈥檚 future.鈥
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.