OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
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It’s where small classes, a top tier research university, and one of the most dynamic cities in the Pacific Northwest give students the edge they need.
1,311
Undergraduate and graduate students
18
Students on average per class
OSU-Cascades is growing to 3,000 to 5,000 students over the coming decades to meet state education goals. The expanding campus serves students from Central Oregon, Oregon, the U.S. and around the world.
OSU-Cascades’ presence in Central Oregon was established in 2001 when it launched a 2+2 program on the Central Oregon Community College campus, offering upper-division course offerings and bachelor’s degrees, and graduate programs.
When OSU-Cascades moved to its own campus near downtown Bend in 2016, it fulfilled a 30-year community quest for higher education in what had been the largest region in the state without a four-year university.
Together Bend and Central Oregon form Oregon’s fastest growing region and one of its most vibrant economies. Yet the region lags behind the rest of Oregon in higher educational attainment.
With studies showing that most freshmen who attend public universities do so within 50 miles of home, rural families in the region had been falling behind. As OSU-Cascades expands, it has the capacity to transform students’ lives — including first-generation college students, underserved populations, and adults seeking career advancement. With half the unemployment rate of individuals with only a high school diploma and nearly twice the earning potential, Central Oregonians with a bachelor’s degree have the opportunity to contribute to our region and the greater world.
Watch our progress on Points of Pride.
Oregon State University - Cascades is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, one of seven regional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
61%
Central Oregonians
4,090
degrees awarded since founding in 2001
18%
U.S. minority students
30%
First generation
42%
Pell Grant eligible, indicating financial need
Our faculty embrace OSU’s land grant mission to teach, research and serve the surrounding community.
A low student-to-teacher ratio attracts faculty who excel in classroom instruction and become mentors to students and alumni as they pursue careers.
Our researchers increasingly address local and global challenges, leading labs and efforts that address issues from energy efficiency, to the worldwide need for fresh water, to human resilience and sustainability, to how to better teach STEM subjects in K-12 classrooms.
Local and regional support and collaboration are helping shape the physical and academic future of OSU-Cascades.
Encompassing a 128-acre campus footprint, a vision to become a model for innovation and sustainability, and a mission to connect with the surrounding community, the university’s award-winning long range development plan reflects a nearly two-year, public planning process.
Feedback was gathered across areas important to the future campus including sustainability, community integration, health and wellness, and arts, culture and enrichment, as well as regarding access locations and building placement. Watch us grow
Our academic programs reflect Central Oregon’s vibrant economy and abundant natural resources. Input from area businesses and industry has helped develop and enhance programs in computer science, energy systems engineering, hospitality management, kinesiology and others. Future fields of study are determined based on student and national employer demand, and match with OSU-Cascades mission. At full build out, OSU-Cascades will offer as many as 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Central Oregon’s economy is growing fast and diversifying. Employers look to OSU-Cascades to provide skilled workers in growing industries such as high-tech, biosciences, healthcare and outdoor products. According to a study by ECONorthwest, by 2025 OSU-Cascades will contribute:
Net zero would mean the campus consumes only as much energy as it produces, balances water availability and demand, and eliminates waste sent to landfills. It’s a tall order, but university planners believe these goals are right for OSU-Cascades and our community. Already, campus landscaping uses native plants that require minimum water and students are learning how to leave the world better for future generations. We launched Bend's first bikeshare program and it has expanded to eight stations around town for student and community use, saving gas and parking. Our next academic building is anticipated to open in fall 2021. Sustainability features embedded in the design include solar and geo-exchange power readiness, active and passive energy reduction systems, and gray water storage for potable reuse.
