Pacific University

Pacific's relationship with Japanese students dates almost back to the university's first days; now it has a firm connection to a leading university that sends students to Oregon, and accepts many others in return.

Coyle was ceremonially installed as the 18th president of Pacific University on March 9, 2023.

In the June issue of Pacific magazine, we note the passage of 50 years since the enactment of Title IX, the civil rights amendment that sought to ensure that women are treated as if they are equal to men. Many things have changed in America and at Pacific University since then.

When Title IX was enacted into law in 1972, few at Pacific University seemed to take notice. But it's clear in retrospect that the world of higher education had changed.

As Pacific contemplated its mission in the 1970s, it looked to health professions studies as a way to complement the traditional liberal arts. 

In 1876, Pacific University celebrated one of its early commencement ceremonies with a special distinction: Pacific became one of the first universities in the United States to welcome Japanese citizens to its alumni ranks.

One of the most prominent names connected with Pacific’s College of Optometry is Carkner, and the connection began before the beginning.

The earliest contact lenses were made of glass and could be worn only for a few hours at a time. Today’s contact lenses are engineering marvels, and Pacific’s College of Optometry is at the vanguard of contact lens research and design.