UP’s Enduring Value

“YOU NEVER GET a sore back carrying around a good education.”  

When Anna Singley ’26 was growing up on a farm in Illinois, her grandfather offered this piece of advice after a long day working in the cornfields. Anna took the words to heart. She graduated from The Bluff in May, earned the prestigious Marshall Scholarship, and will soon move to England to pursue a PhD in Applied Mathematics.  

Back in January, Anna shared her grandfather’s wisdom in remarks before our Board of Regents. It stuck with me during a panel discussion a few weeks later entitled, “Why Go To College?” hosted by Becker Capital Management.  

Many, if not most, people worry about the cost, the commitment of time, and whether a good job will be waiting for them when they graduate. Many question whether the investment is worth it. These are all valid concerns. 

At the same time, when I consider the story of Anna Singley and countless other Pilots I’ve met during my four years as President, I know that there’s never been a better time to go to college at a place like University of Portland. 

A bachelor’s degree is still an exceptionally reliable way to change your financial trajectory. The median salary for a 25- to 34-year-old with a degree is nearly 60 percent higher than for those without one.  

But focusing just on these tangibles leaves so much out. 

At UP—inspired by our singular, Catholic, Holy Cross mission—we are transforming lives for the better. Nearly any institution can offer instruction. It’s simply the transmission of data from teacher to pupil. What we do on The Bluff goes much deeper. We provide true education. 

We equip students with what they need for the journey of life. We accompany them as they figure out who they are, and who they are becoming. We encourage them to embrace conscience and character, develop core values, and find joy in community. We’re transforming lives, and we’re guiding our students toward not only professional success, but (far more importantly) personal fulfillment. And we hope these values and skills stay with people for life, whether they’ve just received their degree or they’re decades out in the workforce. 

Much of the focus these days is on the value of a college degree. That’s fair. But I advocate for us to think more deeply about the value of going to college. 

How do these four, transformative years change the course of your life for the better? I see examples of this everywhere I look. The aspiring engineer who is the first in their family to graduate from college. The child of immigrants who dreams of earning a business degree and taking over the family’s small business. The new Pilot teacher, who comes from a long line of UP-trained educators. And the young mathematician from rural Illinois who will soon board a plane bound for England and the journey of a lifetime. 

ROBERT D. KELLY, PhD, is the 21st president of University of Portland.