Community Partners

Bushnell University has significantly impacted our region through its mission of providing excellent academic programs within a Christ-centered community. With nearly 800 students, Bushnell has been called “a university on the rise” by the Murdock Foundation. After 130 academic years, the University continues to live according to the core values of wisdom, faith, and service.

Students come to Bushnell from all stages of life and diverse backgrounds. While approximately half of our students are traditional undergraduates who attend class in person on campus, the other half comprises online students who are completing their bachelor’s or master’s degrees while working and raising families. Bushnell is graduating individuals who are ready to make an immediate impact in their communities and workplaces. Beacons are everywhere.

Many students choose Bushnell because the University is committed to keeping higher education affordable and accessible to every student who seeks a college education. As a result, we serve a student body that has significant financial need. Nearly 50% of Bushnell students come from low-income families, and 98% of students receive some form of financial aid. In addition, nearly 37% of Bushnell undergraduate students identify as non-white. For most of our students, a college degree changes the trajectory of their futures and will impact future generations.

We also remain the most affordable private university in the state of Oregon and are among the most affordable in the Pacific Northwest. The average annual cost of attendance (after aid) is just slightly above the annual cost to attend the University of Oregon and just slightly below that of Oregon State University. However, Bushnell’s average graduation rate is only 4.1 years, while state universities frequently average a completion rate of up to 6 years.

The Impact Sponsorships Make

The only way for the University to remain affordable is through the generous financial support of alumni, friends, foundations, and corporate partners. Each year, the University must raise approximately $1M in annual gifts to offset the financial needs of the student body. The local Eugene/Springfield business community has been a significant part of this effort because they believe in Bushnell’s impact on the region.

Some of the very concrete ways Bushnell University makes a direct impact in this community include:

• Preparing new K-12 educators for immediate placement in the classroom (many of whom stay in Lane County) and providing ongoing education for current area educators
• Providing bachelor’s- and master’s-level nursing education for area hospitals and medical facilities, meeting a timely and urgent need in our community
• Training clinical mental health counselors as licensed practitioners, many of whom choose to practice in Lane County
• Creating pathways for degree completion for adult learners who need bachelor’s and advanced degrees to progress in their industries and bring leadership to their workplaces
• Building industry leaders through the School of Business, Leadership, & Technology and fields such as management, accounting, computer software engineering, and nonprofit administration
• Sending men and women of integrity out of the School of Bible & World Christianity to serve in ministry roles both within the church and beyond
• Giving over 5,000 volunteer hours in local community service organizations every year through student- and staff-led programs

Learn More

The Office of University Advancement provides the stewardship around sponsorship fulfillment and is committed to honoring all our donors and corporate sponsors. We would love the opportunity to share more about the life of the University and some very personal stories about the ways we have seen Bushnell impact this community and the lives of our students.

We know there are so many valuable organizations to support in our area and that many programs meet urgent and timely needs. However, we also believe that investing in Bushnell University meets both pressing needs as well as represents a long-term investment in the health and stability of our community and region.

Our team would love to meet with you to explore the ways you might find your own place in the family of Beacons pursuing wisdom, faith, and service.