As UP aims to boost enrollment, it may be looking for students in its backyard as part of the solution. This fall, The University of Portland’s Office of Admissions launched the Moreau Pathway Program, which offers eligible students from participating local Catholic high schools direct, non-binding admission to the degree program of their choice.
The program also guarantees a renewable $20,500 minimum scholarship, a secured spot at Weekend on The Bluff, early access to housing and earlier consideration for University Honors selection.
According to Admissions Counselor Kaylan Tate, the program has been in the works for years and aims to boost enrollment by streamlining the college application process for incoming Pilots.
Map of Catholic high schools participating in UP's Moreau Pathway Program.
Although the program is currently only open to neighboring Catholic high schools, Tate anticipates that the program will extend along the West Coast in the future.
“This is our first year, kind of like a test run with our local schools,” Tate said. “The plan is to continue in the next couple years.”
According to the Office of Institutional Research, the number of first-time, first-year Catholic students enrolled at UP has decreased by 12 percent since 2015. Currently, only 230 first-year students identify as Catholic.
Vice President of Student Affairs Fr. John Donato, who works closely with Tate on this program, said that the University chose to collaborate with local Catholic schools to strengthen its partnerships with nearby feeder schools and promote the enrollment of students who are familiar with a “Catholic school environment.”
“The idea is that folks are familiar with going to a Catholic school, what it feels like, what it looks like," Donato said. "They might have had some religion or theology courses in high school, [so] they're not going to be so surprised when they get here... I think that's the impetus behind this, helping those students at Catholic high schools."
For Dean of Admissions Matt Deschner, increasing Catholic student enrollment is only one of the program’s goals. Both Tate and Deschner also believe the program’s primary focus is to increase local students’ accessibility to The Bluff and simplify the application process.
“[The University] values Catholic education and would be honored to offer direct admission to all students from our partner schools that meet our criteria to qualify,” Deschner said in an email to The Beacon. “If they happen to be Catholic, that’s a win for us.”
Students who meet the required criteria and submit the Office of Admissions short application form will be automatically admitted. According to Tate, high school program counselors have provided UP with positive feedback about the program so far.
“[The hope is to] alleviate some of that anxiety and stress behind the college application process,” Tate said. “Anything that we can do to kind of take a step back and streamline that process is one of our goals for increasing accessibility to higher education.”
Applicants interested in the Moreau Pathway Program can apply here.
Editors Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that 711 first-year students identify as Catholic. The correct number of first-year students who identify as Catholic is 230.
Kalena O’Connell is a News Reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at oconnell27@up.edu
