Bushnell University’s Board of Trustees will confer 113 undergraduate, 43 graduate degrees, and will award an honorary doctoral degree to a long-time church and community leader during two special in-person commencement ceremonies on Sat., May 8, 2021, outdoors on the Quad located on W. 11th Avenue between Alder and Kincaid streets.
Due to COVID-19 protocols, each graduation ceremony will have a maximum of 100 attendees, including graduates and most essential administration, faculty and staff. Because not all graduates choose to participate in commencement (this is true every year), degrees can be conferred for the Bushnell University Spring Class of 2021 with two graduation ceremonies Bushnell’s undergraduate commencement will be at 10 am, and then online and graduate students will graduate at 2 pm. If it rains, commencement will be held under a tent.
Bushnell Alumnus, former Chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees, and Senior Pastor of Harrisburg (Ore.) Christian Church, Clare Buhler will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity.
Buhler has helped lead numerous mission trips to Mexico to build homes, and to Kenya, Africa to work in the Mabatini Missions of Hope School of the Mathare Valley area of Nairobi. He has also made an impact in local region by serving for many years at Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp directing high school programs, coaching the Harrisburg High School Track & Field Team, and volunteering with the District’s Crisis Response Team.
Buhler graduated from Bushnell University (Northwest Christian College) in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biblical Studies and the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education/Physical Education. He also earned a Master of Science degree in Ministry from Pepperdine University in 1994.
Buhler and his wife, Twila, have been married for 43 years, and serve as partners in life and ministry. They have three grown sons, Gabe, Jordan (Danielle), and Tysen (Mikayla)—all of whom graduated from Bushnell (Northwest Christian University). The Buhlers have two grandsons, August and Micah.
Both Bushnell commencements will be live-streamed on Sat., May 8, 2021.