By Ezri Thompson
I met with Bruce Bishop, Class of 1968, in Boxer Brew after he was helping plan the Boxer
history program for homecoming. Sitting across from him in the café, he seemed comfortable, he paused often to reflect as he shared memories from his time at Pacific. Interview conducted by Ezri Thompson for MEDA 240.
Ezri Thompson: What does it feel like to come back to Pacific after all these years and be part of shaping its history again?
Bruce Bishop: It’s exciting for Pacific. It’s not exactly “coming back” for me because we’ve
lived in Portland for 46 years, so I’ve visited regularly. But it’s still good to be here. We’re
planning the Boxer History program for homecoming, and getting to see Dr. Coyle while we were working upstairs in Marsh made the trip worthwhile. This building has changed a little
since 1964, when my class was the first to occupy it, but it’s still remarkably familiar. Some
things change, some things don’t.
E.T.: What memories come back the strongest when you walk around campus today?
B.B.: Probably freshman year, 1964–65, when I was living in McCormick and met my wife,
Judy, who lived in Walter. We started dating at the end of that year and got married the year we
graduated. That’s the highlight for me.
E.T.: What does being part of the Class of ’68 mean to you today?
BB: I think we were the best graduating class at Pacific. Our year was when the mascot officially changed from the Badger to Boxer. There was a lot happening politically in 1968, and it was also the next‑to‑last time Boxer was tossed out. I was in the Gamma Sigma fraternity, and we tossed it in the spring of ’68. Our class also had to live up to the reputation of the Class of ’67, which set records everywhere. Back then the school was small, so you knew everyone, even if you weren’t close. Friendships came later, when many of us returned to Oregon and reengaged with the university.
E.T.: What part of Pacific’s culture or spirit feels the same as it did in the ‘60s?
B.B.: The Boxer spirit is still strong. There was a long lull when no Boxer statue was around, but recent efforts have restored some of that tradition. Football was gone for over 20 years, which
changed the culture, and the school is much bigger now. But the campus still has a certain
serenity. Even with more people, it still feels like a small, close community.
E.T.: What elements of Boxer’s story are most important for today’s students to understand?
B.B.: The Boxer story covers the entire life of the university and even the story of Oregon. A
student who graduated in 1867 and became a missionary in China for 50 years brought the statue
back to Forest Grove. Boxer has been part of Pacific and the community from the beginning.
Even recently, I discovered a Pioneer Cemetery plaque near campus I’d never noticed, showing how closely the early community was tied to Pacific.
E.T.: Did you choose to come back and design the homecoming display yourself, or were you asked?
B.B.: I think I was asked. I received the Service Award, partly because of my involvement with
Boxer. I’ve been part of bringing Boxer 1, 2, and 3 back to campus. Boxer 3 was commissioned
for our 50th reunion in 2018, and it arrived before the original returned in 2024. Each statue is
different, and Boxer 3 is the most accurate thanks to improved archives. The original is damaged
from decades of fights, but that’s part of its culture.
E.T.: What was your initial reaction when they invited you to design the homecoming display?
B.B.: I was pleased. We’re creating a meaningful program in the same Marsh Hall location
where Boxer was first displayed in 1899. One of my favorite recent moments was seeing Dr.
Coyle dance a 3D‑printed Boxer at a football game. I didn’t even know it existed until then. It’s a
remarkable replica and much safer to carry.
E.T.: What is your career now, and how did Pacific shape your path after graduation?
B.B.: My career now is retirement. After Pacific, I went to law school, became a lawyer, and
started working at the capitol in Salem. I worked in the legislature and then became a lobbyist.
Being a political science major clearly influenced that path. It wasn’t the career I expected, but
it’s the one I ended up with.
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