The holidays arrived a little early this year for Oregon Institute of Technology. Oregon Tech was selected as one of the recipients of a one-time special grant from the Fred W. Fields Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) in the amount of $50,000.

For Oregon Tech, this generous grant will be used to support the university’s urban Wilsonville campus, which opened for classes in September 2012.  The new campus includes state-of-the-art classrooms and labs for students studying renewable energy, software and manufacturing engineering as well as clinical laboratory science and paramedic education.     

Chris Maples, Oregon Tech President, said “Thanks to Mr. Fields and the Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon Tech students will acquire degrees in engineering, engineering technology and allied-health areas at our Wilsonville campus.  These types of degrees are critical for improving Oregon’s economy. The gift from the Fred W. Fields Fund from OCF will enhance the education of Oregon Tech students in Wilsonville and assist Oregon Tech in meeting Oregon’s 40-40-20 goals.”

Earlier this year, Fred Fields left a $150 million gift to The Oregon Community Foundation with the direction to use this permanent fund to support education and the arts in Oregon. It is the largest gift ever made to OCF and one of the largest single gifts made to any community foundation in the country.

About Oregon Tech
Founded in Klamath Falls in 1947, Oregon Institute of Technology is one of seven universities in the Oregon University System, and the only polytechnic university in the Pacific Northwest. Oregon Tech provides degree programs in engineering and health technologies, management, communications and applied sciences that prepare students to be effective participants in their professional, public and international communities through hands-on learning. Oregon Tech has a traditional, residential campus in Klamath Falls and an urban campus in Wilsonville. The university also has sites in Beaverton, Salem, La Grande, and Seattle, as well as online degree offerings. Visit www.oit.edu to learn more about Oregon Institute of Technology.

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