Cascade Thunderbirds • Est. 1956 • Portland, OR
A Legacy
Worth Remembering
Cascade College was a small Christian college on the east side of Portland — a place where friendships were forged, faith was deepened, and the Pacific Northwest became home. Though the college closed in 2009, the Thunderbird spirit lives on.
The Northwest Corner of Heaven
— How alumni speak of their years at Cascade College, Portland, Oregon
Our Story
A College That Shaped a Generation
Founded as Columbia Christian College in 1956, Cascade College was reimagined as a four-year liberal arts institution in 1994 under the wing of Oklahoma Christian University. For more than a decade it offered rigorous academics rooted in Christian faith, set against the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
The campus at 9101 E. Burnside Street — now home to Columbia Christian Schools — once housed classrooms, a chapel, dormitories, and the memories of hundreds of students. Oklahoma Christian University closed the college in 2009 due to financial pressures, but the bonds formed there have never faded.
Alumni Resources
Everything You Need
Official records through the National Student Clearinghouse.
Exclusive benefits for Cascade alumni through Oklahoma Christian.
A fund honoring the Cascade legacy and supporting students.
A memorial scholarship for a beloved member of our community.
Browse memories from campus life and events.
Cascade-themed wallpapers to keep the spirit close.
Archives & Origins
Dig Into the History
An in-depth history of Cascade College's decade in Portland.
→The Columbia River and its deep ties to the college's origins.
→Scholarly works and publications from Cascade's faculty and community.
→The public record of Cascade College, its history, and legacy.
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