Editing Cascade College

{{Short description|Christian college in Portland, Oregon, U.S.}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox college
| name            = Cascade College
| established     = 1956
| closed          = May 2009
| type            = Christian college
| affiliation     = [[Churches of Christ]]
| director        = William Goad
| undergrad       = 300+
| location        = 9101 E. Burnside Street<br />[[Portland, Oregon]] 97216
| coor            = {{coord|45.5238|-122.5695|display=inline,title}}
| former_names    = Columbia Christian College<br />(1956 &ndash; 1993)
| sports_nickname = Thunderbirds
| website         = [http://www.cascadethunderbirds.com/ cascadethunderbirds.com]
| logo            = CascadeCollegeLogo.png
}}

'''Cascade College''' was a private, four-year, liberal arts college associated with the [[Churches of Christ]]. Located in [[Portland, Oregon]], United States, it was a branch campus of [[Oklahoma Christian University]]. Its mission was to emphasize spiritual growth and career preparation. Oklahoma Christian University closed Cascade at the end of the 2009 academic year due to financial problems.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.christianchronicle.org/article2158546~Cascade_College_to_close_after_spring_semester |title=Christian Chronicle » news » top stories » Cascade College to close after spring semester |access-date=2016-09-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213000512/http://www.christianchronicle.org/article2158546~Cascade_College_to_close_after_spring_semester |archive-date=2012-02-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== History ==
Cascade had been founded as '''Columbia Christian College''' in 1956.<ref name="close">{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/10/cascade_president_economy_hitt.html|title=Economic realities take toll on Cascade College|last=Rose|first=Joseph|date=October 31, 2008|work=The Oregonian|access-date=2008-11-01}}</ref>  For several years, Columbia had serious financial difficulties. Partially as a consequence, its regional accreditation was revoked. The school's board sought help from other colleges affiliated with Churches of Christ. Oklahoma Christian University agreed to fund the college as a branch campus. The newly renamed Cascade College opened in Fall 1994 after its acceptance as a branch by Oklahoma Christian University, with 143 students attending the first semester.

As a branch campus of Oklahoma Christian, Cascade College was accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the [[North Central Association of Colleges and Schools]] and was authorized by the State of Oregon to offer and confer academic degrees. In October 2008, plans were announced to close Cascade, because of financial difficulties, at the end of the 2009 academic year.<ref name="close"/>

== Academics ==
The college offered degree programs in pre-nursing, [[religion]], [[business]], marketing, English, interdisciplinary studies, elementary education, biology, communications and [[psychology]].

== Student life ==
Cascade College had a variety of activities, including service clubs, fraternities, sororities, drama club, psychology club, diversity club, instrumental groups, The Nature Society, Witness, campus ministry, academic clubs, theater and choir opportunities.

== Athletics ==
The Cascade athletic teams were called the Thunderbirds. The college was a member of the [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics]] (NAIA), primarily competing in the [[Cascade Collegiate Conference]] (CCC) from 1997–98 to 2008–09. The mascot was the [[Thunderbird (mythology)|Thunderbird]].

Cascade competed in nine intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports included basketball, cross country, soccer and track & field; while women's sports included basketball, cross country, soccer, track & field and volleyball.

==Campus==
The 11-acre historic Cascade College campus was purchased from [[Oklahoma Christian University]] and Cascade Inc. by [[Columbia Christian Schools]] in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.columbiachristian.com/campus-life/Newsletter%20Volume%203%20Issue%202.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2016-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013091911/http://www.columbiachristian.com/campus-life/Newsletter%20Volume%203%20Issue%202.pdf |archive-date=2016-10-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  [[Warner Pacific College]], another [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]] area [[Christianity|Christian]] [[liberal arts]] college, and former partner with Cascade College, houses several continuing education classrooms and a computer lab.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.midcountymemo.com/nov12_ccampus.html|title=Columbia Christian: little school on big campus - East Portland Oregon Newspaper - Gateway & Parkrose|website=Midcountymemo.com|access-date=5 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.warnerpacific.edu/?s=cascade+campus|title=You searched for cascade campus - Warner Pacific University|website=[[Warner Pacific University]]|access-date=5 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.oc.edu/history/cascade/documents/historycascade.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-11-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120526093839/http://www.oc.edu/history/cascade/documents/historycascade.pdf |archive-date=2012-05-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Controversies==
Many questioned the decision to close the college in light of several multimillion-dollar projects which Oklahoma Christian had undertaken in recent years, including the erection of a clock tower estimated to cost $30 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2008/03/29/tower-to-light-a-path-for-oc-students/61614729007/|title=Tower to light a path for OC students|date=29 March 2008|website=The Oklahoman|access-date=30 December 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070310220944/http://www.oc.edu/ochistory/view.asp?ID=Cascade_College_branch_campus_opens_in_Portland%2C_OR Information about the College on Oklahoma Christian University's website]
* [http://www.cascade.edu/ Official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125054135/http://cascade.edu/ |date=January 25, 2009 }}
* [http://www.cascadethunderbirds.com/ Official athletics website]

{{Church of Christ Colleges}}

{{Colleges and universities in Oregon}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Universities and colleges affiliated with the Churches of Christ]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges in Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:Defunct Christian universities and colleges]]
[[Category:Defunct private universities and colleges in Oregon]]
[[Category:Educational institutions disestablished in 2009]]
[[Category:1956 establishments in Oregon]]
[[Category:2009 disestablishments in Oregon]]