Sandra Steele, Educational Consultant

Pacific U Receives Prestigious Award

By Linda Saari

"School of the Year" for regional housing award

Pacific University was awarded the coveted "School of the Year" award for the Pacific Association of College and University Residence Halls (PACURH) region at a recent conference at University of Nevada/Reno. This award is given to one school each year within the PACURH region which include universities from California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Hawaii, Alaska and British Columbia.

All universities with active Residence Housing Associations (RHA) send delegates to the business conference each year to vote on bids for a number of awards, elections, and legislation for the region. Pacific's delegation this year included students Colby White as Pacific's National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) representative and Stephanie Tripp as Pacific's RHA National Communications Coordinator (NCC); and RHA Advisor Kathy Gordon.

This was the first time Pacific University bid for the prestigious "School of the Year" award. Pacific's bid was compiled by senior Resident Assistant and NRHH member Adam Daniels. This 24-page bid effectively used the theme "Time Magazine's School of the Year: Pacific University" to highlight the achievements of Pacific's RHA, NRHH, Residence Life department, Pacific Undergraduate Community Council, New Student and Transfer Orientation, clubs and organizations such as Na Haumana O Hawaii, Adam's Super Society, Speech and Debate, ACE Board, and even highlights the University's Peer Review Board, the Index student newspaper and the construction of the new library, Burlingham Hall, and the development of the Cedar Street Athletic Complex.

"This comprehensive bid captures all the details that make Pacific unique and it is an incredible honor to receive this recognition within the PACURH region," said Eva Krebs, vice president of student life and dean of students.

Pacific now competes against the "School of the Year" award winners in the other seven regions of NACURH at the national conference at University of California-Berkeley in June. NACURH is the largest student-run organization in the world and Pacific has become an increasingly active and recognized university over the past few years, even hosting the conference in 2005 a huge achievement for one of the smallest universities active in the organization.

For more information, call Student Life at 503-352-2200).

Posted by Linda Saari (lsaari@pacificu.edu) on Feb 21, 2006 at 2:04 PM