The Alumni Service Award

Tricia Hasbrook graduated from PLU in 1993. The following fall, she began law school but soon realized her true passion was in the field of education. Tricia taught in the Portland-area public schools for several years.
Her first child, a son named A.J., was diagnosed with autism. After watching the difficulty A.J. was having with traditional schooling, Hasbrook began to research specific educational opportunities for children with autism. She did not find any regional options, so she started a grassroots effort and became the founder and director of Victory Academy, which opened its doors in 2009.
Victory is the first school of its kind in the Greater Portland Metro Area to offer an integrated academic and therapeutic program to children affected by autism. Victory continues to stand alone as Oregon’s only accredited year-round school dedicated to students with autism. In September 2015, Victory will open its doors at a new campus especially designed for this unique population of learners. The new Victory Campus will allow the school to act as a resource for its student population, families and educators throughout the region. Victory will expand its programs and offer preschool through high school.
Hasbrook saw a need in her community and used her skills gained from her education (as well as a lot of courage and dedication) to create something that did not exist before.