Pacific University’s Firsts, Bests & Honors
HONORS
Pacific University has been the home of 19 Fulbright scholars.
Pacific faculty helped research the HI–VIS soccer ball for Nike. This yellow and blue ball has been used in games, making it easier for fans, referees and players at the game and on television to see.
Pacific´s women´s wrestling program created in 2002, is one of only nine varsity women's wrestling programs in the United States and the first at a school in the West.
The "Touch the Future" program in the College of Education brings first generation college-bound students to campus each year to introduce them to college life and a variety of professional careers.
Pacific is a charter member of the Northwest Conference, one of the longest continually operating athletic conferences in the United States. The conference was founded in 1926 with Pacific, Willamette, Whitman, Linfield, Puget Sound and the College of Idaho as charter members.
Pacific University is the only institution that boasts a "Boxer" as its mascot. The Boxer is based on a Chinese statue, resembling a mix of a dog and a dragon, dating back to the Ming Dynasty. The name "Boxer" references the Boxer Rebellion and was coined by the Index staff in 1908.
Wynne Lobel was named West Region Lacrosse Coach of Year in 2007. Lobel, second year coach was honored for her work with the new Pacific women's lacrosse program and her efforts to grow the sport in the Northwest.
Dr. Michel Hersen, Dean of the School of Professional Psychology, has published 140 books on psychology. He also serves as editor of six professional journals and is an accomplished nature photographer and noted art collector.
Jennifer Smythe, the first female dean of the College of Optometry, has been listed by Vision Monday as one of the "50 Most Influential Women in Optical" for 2006. She is recognized for her abilities to teach in both lecture and laboratory settings, effectively administer programs and national publications and speaking engagements. She is also a cornea and contact lens Diplomate in the American Academy of Optometry.
In May 2007, Susan Hartner, a Pacific University staff member in the College of Education, won the National Senior Spelling Bee. The winning word was "bharal".
Pacific University is one of 20 Oregon institutions that offers teacher licensure programs. Of the 14 independent colleges, Pacific University is the leader in preparing newly licensed educators in mathematics and the sciences, foreign languages, special education and overall number of endorsements/specialties.
Professor Jim Flory was one of only 100 credentialed photographers at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene in the summer of 2008.
DeeDee Arnall received the Ad Rutschman Award, honoring the top small college athlete in Oregon in 2005. She is the second athlete in Pacific history to be named an all-American in two sports (women’s basketball and track & field).
Professor Jules Boykoff made scholarly contributions to Al Gore’s "An Inconvenient Truth" in 2006.
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