Pacific University is a private comprehensive university founded in 1849, making it one of the oldest universities in the Pacific Northwest. Located in Forest Grove — a small city in the Tualatin Valley between Portland and the Coast Range — Pacific enrolls about 3,900 students across its undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. The university is known for its strong healthcare programs (optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy) as well as its traditional liberal arts undergraduate experience. The Pacific Boxers compete in the Northwest Conference.