Portland-based alums pave the way for Ducks to flock to the big city
Renovations to the University of Oregon's northeast Portland campus are steadily advancing thanks in part to a recent gift from Steve, MBA ’91, and Kasey Holwerda, BA ’86 (French, international studies), JD ’89. The University of Oregon announced its purchase of the former Concordia University campus in 2022 and it opened to some students in fall 2023. Longtime donors Kasey and Steve say they were inspired by the generosity of the Ballmer gift of $425 million to launch the Ballmer Institute and transform how children receive behavioral health support. They were also excited at the prospect of an expanded UO presence in Portland.
Several UO programs have since moved to the UO Portland, NE campus—including strategic communications, school psychology, immersive media, and the school of law for third-year students—with the rest of UO Portland moving before fall. The NE Portland campus is also home to the new Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health, which is pioneering an undergraduate degree to help address the child mental health crisis by getting qualified professionals into communities of need more quickly.
“We live in the Portland community so it’s a chance to make contributions in our own backyard, it’s a chance to make a contribution to higher education that has been important to both of us but also our kids, and it’s a chance to make a small boost to a growing venture,” Steve says.
Originally from South Dakota, Steve moved to Eugene in 1985 to work at the university. Eventually, that led him to become a Duck and pursue his MBA degree. Steve notes that the connection to the UO changed his life, helping him and his family thrive. Kasey, on the other hand, is a Double Duck. While she started her undergraduate degree at the University of Washington, Oregon eventually called her home to continue her studies. Both have an extensive volunteer history with the university and Steve is currently chair of the UO Board of Trustees. Kasey says that both she and Steve appreciated the ability to build their lives both professionally and personally in the Portland community post-graduation.
“We’ve always enjoyed the Portland area for all the opportunities that people have to do all sorts of things in arts and culture, education, food, and business. We enjoy living here. We don’t see ourselves ever moving somewhere else and we believe in the community, and that’s why we are doing this,” Kasey says.
Steve calls the UO’s commitment to Portland “a beginning” at a time when economic disparity is making headlines. The Holwerdas hope that the expanded UO Portland experience for students, faculty, and community will drive engagement and economic development and provide students with even more opportunities to tap into and benefit from the city’s vibrant professional network. They also hope that nontraditional students and young professionals in the Portland area who might benefit from a UO education will now seize that opportunity.
“Portland is the most dominant city in our state. We have a lot of alums there. There’s a lot of industry. There’s opportunity for expansion. And so, the chance to have a larger presence is a positive,” Steve says. “[This] will bring potentially thousands of students into the city and we have job creation and idea creation that comes from that.”
The Holwerda gift supports campus renovations to bring the Eugene residential campus experience to students in Portland, with shared maker spaces, open, light-filled conference and event rooms, and residential halls and amenities. Their generosity is just the beginning of a new chapter for UO students in Portland and the UO in Oregon.
“Our gift is meaningful to us, but we know there needs to be a lot more money that is generated so hopefully our gift along with some others can prime the pump for ongoing fundraising that continues to develop the UO Portland campus into the substantial entity we all know it can be,” Steve says.
To learn more about the UO’s new northeast Portland campus, or Portland programs, visit our UO Portland NE Campus page and if you would like to discuss ways to support the UO Portland campus, contact Justin Fisher, jjfisher@uoregon.edu, or Alison Pitt, aepitt@uoregon.edu.