First Annual Northwest Sustainability Conference
EQUITY:
Ties that Bind
The first institution established in the West, Willamette is also pioneering a new concept of sustainability, one that integrates ecological sustainability with equity. “Willamette’s core values are deeply rooted in what one might call our ‘humanness,’” says Willamette President M. Lee Pelton. We believe communities are truly sustainable only when they are based on the foundation of social justice.
That’s why students spend 65,000 hours each year volunteering here and around the world. Volunteering is not a graduation requirement, but a thoughtful choice, one that is integral to the Willamette educational experience. The humanitarian outlook continues after graduation; Willamette ranked third in the nation among small undergraduate programs for Peace Corps participation, and topped other Oregon liberal arts colleges in Washington Monthly’s 2007 college rankings, which are based on civic engagement.