Compass Commercial Pledges Support to OSU-Cascades Four Year University Initiative 
Top Outdoor Town. Best Place to Live. Best Beer Town. Best Small City for Entrepreneurs. Most Dog Friendly Town. From Entrepreneur Magazine to Dog Fancy, Bend, Oregon continues to top list after list. The city is now well on its way toward earning Best University Town in that mix of honors.
Oregon State University – Cascades continues on its path to expand to a four-year university in Bend. With sights set on plans for a new downtown campus near the Old Mill District, the university has a goal of serving 3,000 to 5,000 students by 2025. In fact, OSU-Cascades notes on their website that they expect the first freshman class to hit the books in 2015.
Founded in 2001, OSU-Cascades is the fastest growing campus in the Oregon University System. The university offers upper division and graduate classes to close to 800 students. Nearly 2,000 bachelor’s and master’s degrees have been awarded since 2001.
Compass Commercial Pledges $25,000 to OSU-Cascades
Compass Commercial Real Estate Services is pleased to be an early supporter of OSU-Cascades’ “Ascending New Heights” fundraising initiative. The campaign launched in May and set a goal of reaching 40 gifts of $25,000 from community members to demonstrate local support for a four-year campus. Community contributions surpassed the initial goal and reached over $1.5 million from 59 local donors in the first phase of fundraising.
“Compass Commercial’s investment in the expansion of OSU-Cascades, particularly on the heels of a challenging economic period, represents an important vote of confidence for us,” said OSU-Cascades vice president Becky Johnson. “Our campus’ development is centered on mutually beneficial partnerships with area industries, and we are eager to see this growth continue. We are very grateful for Compass Commercial’s support and advocacy in the business community.”
4 Central Oregon Campaign
Now entering phase two of its fundraising initiative, OSU-Cascades has set the goal of securing an additional $4 million dollars, with the launch of its “4 Central Oregon” campaign.
Elements of the campaign tout the benefits a four-year campus in Central Oregon would bring, including paving the way for a more vibrant and prosperous future for everyone who makes a home on the High Desert side of the Cascades.
The campaign for a 4-year university emphasizes the following benefits:
4 Education: The opportunity to earn a degree in Central Oregon.
4 Prosperity: Universities, their faculty, students and alumni all drive economic growth.
4 Partnerships: Degree programs produce career-ready graduates for the region’s industries.
4 Culture: A draw for musicians, artists, writers and international students.
On August 3rd, OSU-Cascades will meet with the State Board of Higher Education to obtain the approval to move forward to the next phase of competing for $16M in state bonds.
“Compass Commercial is committed to supporting the smart growth of Central Oregon and we recognize the positive impact that OSU-Cascades as a four-year university will have throughout our region,” said Darren Powderly, President of Compass Commercial Real Estate Services. “As leaders in our industry, it is our civic obligation to contribute to the growth of our community and there is no question that bringing a four-year university to Central Oregon will have long-term benefits that provide tremendous opportunities for economic development and our overall quality of life.”