Former Portland State Student Named Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia

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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Kemea Smith, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Mohammad bin Nayef, former Portland State University (PSU) student from 1977 to 1980 has been named crown prince, making him the most likely person to be the next king of Saudi Arabia.

Nayef, 55, was named prince by his uncle King Salman, by royal decree this week. He is also the chairman of the New Council for Political and Security Affairs. 

Nayef attended PSU off and on from the summer of 1977 to the summer of 1980, earning 83 credits in social science courses, according to Cindy Baccar of the PSU Registrar. Nayef was 71 credits short of earning the total hours required for a degree.   

Before attending PSU, Nayef earned 32 credits at Lewis and Clark College and Portland Community College, added Baccar. 

This could potentially bode well for PSU's international student population as well as foundation and gift donations. In fall 2014 PSU had 442 students from Saudi Arabia- making Saudi students the highest international student population at PSU. 

"We are proud that Mohammad bin Nayef is an alumnus of Portland State,” says PSU President Wim Wiewel. “We have more students on campus from Saudi Arabia than from any other foreign country, and that is a direct result of our history of strong connections there." 

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