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Salem, Oregon

Turn Knowledge Into Action

Two students shake hands at the Opening Day orientation.
A Willamette University student sitting in the grass pointing to the camera and smiling during the Opening Days celebration.

You’re Here. You Belong. Let’s Go.

Willamette’s orientation is where you’ll meet your mentors, make new friends, and take your first steps toward making change. Whether you’re a first year student, a transfer student, or diving into grad school, this is where your Willamette story starts.

Orientation That Prepares You to Thrive

Willamette’s orientation is hands-on, high-energy, and built for momentum. From Opening Days for undergrads to Compass Week for MBA students, each program is tailored to launch you into your academic journey with confidence, connection, and purpose.

Get Set for Day One
A Willamette student poses for a photo with Blitz the Bearcat.
Two Willamette students - one is waving hello.

Get Involved and Inspired

At Willamette, your education doesn’t end when class does. With over 100 student clubs and organizations across all undergraduate and graduate programs, you’ll find your people and your purpose.

Clubs Build Leadership Skills

Whether you’re choreographing with the Willamette Dance Company, chatting global policy with the Debate Union, or launching your startup with the Entrepreneurship Club, Willamette’s student orgs are transformational. Just ask any Bearcat who found their voice or their calling at a club meeting.

Passionate About Something? There’s a Club for That
Explore Life on Campus
Several Willamette students on stage at a performance.
Willamette students kayaking in the Willamette River.

Oregon’s Best Career Center, Reimagined for Your Future

The Renjen Career Center is Willamette’s new hub for career development, right in the heart of the Salem campus. But it’s more than a building. It’s a bold new approach to helping you build a career that fits your goals, from your first day on campus through graduation and beyond.

Your Success Story Starts Here

Welcome to the Future of Career Readiness

At Willamette, we don’t just get you ready for a job. We help you build a career that connects your passions with your potential. Opening in Fall 2025, the Renjen Career Center will bring together advising, networking, mentorship, and career-focused programs. With more career staff per student than many large universities and a new $2 million facility, we're raising the bar for what career support should look like.

Read the Full Story
An architectural rendering of the Renjen Career Center interior.
An architectural rendering of the Renjen Career Center exterior.

Learning and Leading since 1842

For almost 200 years, Willamette has helped students turn their knowledge into action — right here in the heart of the Pacific Northwest.

heart of the pnw

Explore Willamette

Discover how you can turn knowledge into action through our undergraduate and graduate programs, or take a closer look at what it’s like to live and learn in the Pacific Northwest.
Undergraduate Programs Graduate Programs Learning in the Pacific Northwest