50th Anniversary Updates

At Maseeh College, we are a third of the way through our year of celebrating 50 years of engineering at Portland State University (PSU). Despite engineering studies being present at PSU since its establishment and initially being the most sought-after courses, the state of Oregon and the lobbying efforts of other established institutions deemed it unnecessary to have "duplicate" programs at more than one university. As Oregon State University already had an engineering program and was looking to absorb and relocate PSU’s relevant STEM courses, it was reasoned that PSU could not offer one as well. After years of advocacy and political efforts, the State Board of Higher Education approved engineering classes at PSU's Department of Applied Science in 1973, marking a significant step toward becoming the School of Engineering and Applied Science (1982) and, ultimately, the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science (2004).

To celebrate the milestone of 50 years of engineering, Maseeh College has been sharing vintage photos and articles on our social media platforms, as well as engaging the community with activities throughout the school year. In addition to these activities, students, staff, and faculty are hard at work competing in an asynchronous Engineering Week scavenger hunt after the success of our first Native and Indigenous Student Community Gathering and the launch of PSU’s Native and Indigenous STEAM hub.

Next term will start with a Semiconductor Roundtable a month before PSU Research Week kicks off with a Student Innovation Happy Hour. Then we look forward to our faculty and staff Wedge Awards, and the Academy of Distinguished Alumni gathering. Before commencement ceremonies take place, Portland State Aerospace Society will squeeze in a launch of Oregon's second satellite.

While we are justly proud of our first 50 years of engineering, we are even more eagerly looking to what the next half century will bring. Maseeh College's next steps include the FUTURES Initiative, encompassing student support and outreach programs, as well as the recently relaunched CyberPDX program. These initiatives align with the college's commitment to inclusivity and fostering a diverse and supportive learning environment. In all its incarnations, PSU and Maseeh have stood as a beacon of innovation, committed to providing an inclusive and diverse learning environment that has been unwavering, ensuring that every individual with a passion for engineering and computer science has a place to thrive and contribute.