Humble Beginnings: The First Commencement at Vanport
Portland State University traces its origins to the Vanport Extension Center, established in 1946 to serve veterans returning from World War II. The center held its first commencement ceremony in 1947, honoring a small group of graduates, many of them the first in their families to attend college, who had taken advantage of the G.I. Bill.
From its earliest days, PSU has been defined by opportunity, access and the belief that higher education should be available to those whose paths to college may not have followed traditional routes.
Resilience and Relocation: From Flood to the Heart of Portland
In May 1948, disaster struck when a catastrophic flood destroyed Vanport, wiping out the center’s facilities. Yet the spirit of the school endured. Within weeks, classes resumed at Grant High School, and soon after, the institution relocated to the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation building in St. Johns before finally moving to the former Lincoln High School building in downtown Portland, the location of PSU’s urban campus today.
Growth and Milestones: From the Ballroom to the Park Blocks
As Portland State grew, so did its graduation celebrations. For decades, ceremonies were held each academic term in the Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom. By the 1990s and early 2000s, the university hosted summer commencements in the South Park Blocks, including a historic 1998 address by Bill Clinton. In 2012, due to safety and space concerns, the Park Blocks ceremonies were discontinued.
The Moda Center Era
From 1996 to 2019, PSU held university-wide ceremonies at the Moda Center, accommodating tens of thousands of graduates and guests. This era emphasized the grandeur and unity of large-scale commencement celebrations, bringing together students from every academic discipline under one roof.
Celebrating Identity, Community and Belonging
As PSU’s student body became increasingly diverse, the university and student organizations created additional opportunities for graduates to celebrate their achievements within communities that reflected their lived experiences, identities and support networks.
Beginning with Lavender Graduation in 2011 and Family Friendly Commencement in 2012, these affinity-based celebrations grew to include programs such as Black Graduation, Latinx/e Graduation, Native Graduation, and Asian and Pacific Islander Graduation. These events complement the university’s official commencement ceremonies by creating spaces where graduates can celebrate alongside peers, families, mentors and communities who have supported their educational journeys.
The Pandemic Pause and Return
In 2020 and 2021, in-person ceremonies were paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, commencement resumed at Providence Park, offering a transitional return to in-person celebrations. PSU then returned to the Moda Center in 2023 and 2024, reestablishing large-scale ceremonies for thousands of graduates and their guests.
A New Chapter: Viking Pavilion at the Peter W. Stott Center
In 2025, PSU began a new era of commencement celebrations on campus at the Viking Pavilion. Instead of one or two large events, the university hosted multiple school and college-specific ceremonies, each offering a more personal and meaningful experience.
The new format allows graduates to celebrate alongside classmates, faculty and staff from their academic communities while providing improved accessibility, clearer recognition of individual achievements and a more intimate experience for families and guests.