Media Mentions

Oct. 14, 2026 | Pacific University Head Men's Basketball Coach Justin Lunt joined the Forest Grove News-Times "From the Sidelines" podcast to talk about the upcoming season, the state of college basketball, and how he got his start in coaching at age 16.

Oct. 13, 2026 | Associate Professor of Public Health Rebecca Schoon spoke with KXL-FM in Portland about her experiences with universal healthcare as she prepares to join the Oregon Health Plan Governance Board. Schoon was appointed to the board by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek.

Oct. 7, 2026 | Associate Professor of Pharmacy Danielle Backus provided tips to AARP on things that seniors and caregivers should look out for in medications often prescribed to patients in long-term care situations.

Oct. 1, 2026 | Pacific University President Jenny Coyle '90, OD '93, MS '00, tells the Portland Business Journal that Pacific is looking proactively at the problems that private small colleges nationwide are facing with declining enrollment and tuition revenue. "It takes more institutional financial aid, student support, and personal attention to turn those applicants into enrolled students."

Sept. 30, 2026 | Rebecca Schoon, associate professor of public health, gives her insight on the challenges ahead as Oregon works to develop the nation's first universal health system. "There's always winners and losers in designing something like this."

Sept. 17, 2026 | Speaking on the Medical Economics "Off The Chart: A Business of Medicine Podcast," Associate Professor of Public Health Rebecca Schoon discusses an Oregon case study that says that acquisitions of Oregon medical practices are limiting treatment options in rural areas.

Sept. 2, 2026 | Pacific Psychology Professor Heide Island, an expert on otter behavior, provided expert analysis for SF Gate on an incident involving a woman who was attacked by an otter while swimming in Lake Tahoe. "I'm reluctant to describe this as an aggressive animal," Island said. "It's more likely a defensive animal during a period where humans are entering its habitat."

Aug. 25, 2026 | Pacific University is among the institutions featured in the September 2026 Insight Into Academia magazine as leaders in mental health awareness and well-being. Pacific's mention is on page six of the story (links at the bottom).

Aug. 20, 2026 | Linda Venenciano, interim director of Pacific's School of Learning and Teaching, joined other leaders of college education programs in an op-ed for Lookout Eugene-Springfield, which addressed a recent article criticizing teaching preparation in the state. "If universities are to blame, then the solution seems equally simple: fix them. But literacy outcomes are shaped by a far wider ecosystem..."

Aug. 1, 2026 | Professor of Politics & Government Jules Boykoff provides his insight on FIFA's scrapped plan to build a new commercial venture with private investors. “The fervent torrent of rejection emerging from numerous federations is extremely significant.”