Multnomah University

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Multnomah University was a private Christian university in Portland, Oregon. It offered undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs in person and online. In May 2024, it closed as an independent university and became the Multnomah Campus of Jessup University, with teach-out options that allowed students to finish their degrees by 2027.

Founding and history
- The school began on February 14, 1936, when John G. Mitchell gathered local ministers and Christian businessmen to create a Bible school in the Pacific Northwest. Classes started that October with 49 students and six faculty in a former mortuary.
- B. B. Sutcliffe was the first president (1936–1939). In 1943, Willard Aldrich became president at age 34, the youngest college president in the United States at the time, and led the school until 1978.
- The Multnomah Graduate School of Ministry started in 1986 (later called Multnomah Biblical Seminary).
- In 1993 the college became Multnomah Bible College; in 2008 it was renamed Multnomah University.
- In 2016 MU received an exception to Title IX, allowing it to discriminate against LGBT students based on its policies.
- Enrollment declined during the 2010s, dropping from around 900–1,000 to 595 by fall 2021.
- On November 7, 2023, MU announced it would close as an independent institution and join Jessup University as the Multnomah Campus. Students could participate in teach-out programs to complete degrees by April 30, 2027. Diplomas and transcripts for teach-out graduates would come from Multnomah University.

Campus and campuses
- The main campus is in Northeast Portland on about 25 acres.
- In 1952, Multnomah bought a 17-acre site at NE 82nd Avenue and NE Glisan Street, which became part of the campus.
- A Reno, Nevada satellite campus opened in 2008, offering bachelor’s and graduate degrees in biblical and theological studies and church leadership. It closed in 2020.

Academics and accreditation
- MU offered bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, plus professional certificates and endorsements.
- Early programs included a required Bible and Theology major; later, the school introduced a “Biblical Core.”
- The Summit program let students earn a BA in Bible and Theology and an MDiv in five years.
- Online programs included a Master of Arts in Global Development and Justice and a Master of Arts in TESOL.
- The Multnomah Biblical Seminary offered MA and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) programs with various tracks (e.g., Cross-Cultural Engagement, Contextual Leadership, Global Evangelism, Youth Ministry). There were standard and advanced tracks to tailor the graduate experience.
- MU was accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and the Association of Theological Schools.

Athletics
- The university’s teams were the Lions. MU competed in the NAIA, primarily in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) from 2015–2016 through 2024, across 12 varsity sports.
- Men’s sports included basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, and track. Women’s sports included basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, track, and volleyball.
- The men’s basketball team set NAIA records for most three-pointers attempted (79 in a game) and made (29 in a game).

Enrollment and leadership
- Endowment was about $8.74 million in 2021.
- The university’s president was Jessica Taylor.
- Undergraduate enrollment was around 335 students; graduate enrollment around 175.

Summary
Multnomah University grew from a small Bible college in 1936 to a private Christian university with multiple degree offerings and online programs. Facing declining enrollment and a strategic shift, it closed as an independent institution in 2024 and continued as the Multnomah Campus of Jessup University, with options for students to complete their degrees through teach-out programs.