Mark L. Poorman

Mark L. Poorman is an American theologian, ethicist, and academic administrator who formerly served as the twentieth president of the University of Portland in Portland, Oregon, United States. Poorman was inaugurated as president of the University of Portland on September 26, 2014. Early life and education Poorman spent his childhood in Phoenix, Arizona, Bakersfield, California, and Springfield, Illinois, where his father served as the founding president of Lincoln Land Community College. He earned a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Illinois and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He later earned a master of divinity degree from the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana and a Ph.D. in Christian Ethics from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. Poorman was received into the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1977, made First Vows in 1978, professed Final Vows in 1981, and was ordained as a Holy Cross Priest in 1982. University of Notre Dame After completing his master of divinity, Poorman remained on Notre Dame's campus to serve as rector of Dillon Hall, associate director of campus ministry, and instructor of theology. He returned to Notre Dame after earning his Ph.D. to become a member of the theology faculty and later an administrator. From 1999 to 2010, he served as Notre Dame's Vice President for Student Affairs and as priest-in-residence in Keough Hall on the campus.