Richard “Dick” Sorenson

Richard “Dick” Sorenson, former vice president of student affairs and dean of students at Lewis & Clark, died November 15, 2019, at age 79.

In the 1960s, Sorenson began his career in higher education. After serving as assistant dean of men at the University of Oregon, he moved on to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he worked as assistant dean of students and later assistant to the president. While at MIT, he received his MBA as a Sloan Fellow.

Sorenson returned to Portland with his children in 1976, when he accepted the position of vice president of student affairs and dean of students at Lewis & Clark. There he met Jill Austin, longtime registrar, who would become his wife in 1979. They spent the next eight years mentoring, encouraging, and supporting untold numbers of L&C students.

In 1987, Sorenson left academia for the investment world, joining Paine Webber, a move that culminated in his retirement as complex manager in 2006. Three years later, he joined RBC Wealth, where he directed operations for Oregon, eastern Washington, and Idaho.

Survivors include his children, Sydney, Matthew, and Mitchell, and four grandchildren. His wife, Jill, died in 2015.