We Are Willamette
If you’re an independent thinker who wants to make your mark on the world, Willamette is for you. Guided by our university motto, “Not unto ourselves alone are we born,” we’ll help you develop tools to take on society’s complex challenges and find success in your professional — and personal — life.
Whether you’re making discoveries in the science lab, studying culture in Spain, playing violin with a string quartet, exploring sustainability at Zena Forest, joining your teammates on the football field, or interning at the Oregon State Capitol, we’ll prepare you to engage in the larger world and help you turn your passions into action. Join our graduates working at places like Nike, Microsoft and Oakley, studying in top-ranked graduate programs, or serving with Teach for America and the Peace Corps.
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Curious about the Natural World
Hannah Vietmeier is turning her love for the outdoors into a career in conservation.
"As someone who plans to major in biology and minor in English, I appreciate that Willamette encourages diverse academic interests. The more I learn about different fields, the more I learn about the ways they come together."
A summer internship allowed Kimberly Hursh to explore a career path while helping the community. Read More
Whether playing football or helping form a new club, Walter Robinson hones his leadership skills at Willamette. Read More
Bernie Bernstein’s research and internship projects showed him how to apply his academics to a career. Read More
As a student, Alisa Alexander added curator to her résumé. Read More
Doug Rice dreams of using his leadership skills in the ER. Read More
Hannah Leland shows the next generation that Bartók is relevant. Read More
Alicia Maggard searches historical archives for clues about people’s identities. Read More
Michael Miller examines global challenges through an economic lens. Read More
Kaeli Swift turns bird watching into scientific discovery. Read More
Biking is more than a pastime for Jan Taborsky — it’s a vocation. Read More
Jeff Weber holds his own among PhDs in the lab. Read More
Chemistry and language classes — and a year in Africa — helped Emily Mitchell find a career in medicine. Read More
Arianna Alibabaie blends her interests in politics and global cultures as she learns both on campus and abroad. Read More
Jonnie Dunne has taken his environmental studies in new directions during his time at Willamette. Read More
Rachael Peterson’s Willamette experiences have prepared her to lead elementary school students. Read More
Mika Lim explores global leadership as an intern in Cambodia and Vietnam. Read More
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Researching Human Behavior
Melissa Witkow collaborates with students to study the adolescent social network.
"The research I do with students will give them important skills in critical thinking and understanding psychology that will help them be successful.”
Dedication to students — and rock 'n' roll — led to a national award for Karen McFarlane Holman. Read More
Ricardo De Mambro Santos takes art history far beyond names and dates. Read More
Professor Kimberlee Chambers wants her students to think critically about something close to them: food. Read More
Professor Richard Ellis is noted nationally for his scholarship, but he prefers to be known for his work in the classroom. Read More
Sarah Kirk nurtures future researchers while showing them the importance of chemistry in the real world. Read More
Professor Chris Smith and his students research co-evolution in America’s southwest deserts. Read More
Professor Rebecca Dobkins helps her students examine some of life’s greatest questions. Read More
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Making a Difference Abroad
Marco Fiallo ’11 is using his internship experiences to run a social entrepreneurship.
“The close-knit community you form at Willamette is phenomenal. My Willamette experience changed me for the best.”
Willamette helped Boeing’s CEO discover his love for numbers and engineering. Read More
Claire Bonilla ’95 was a volunteer at WU — today she serves global communities through Microsoft. Read More
Noah Horton ’02 used his talent in computer programming to create a company, Involver. Read More
BJ Wright ’03 tackles tough questions in the science lab and the boardroom. Read More
Jason Kenitzer ’00 translated his Willamette education into a job creating graphics for Oakley. Read More
Julie Kennedy ’99 helped found a successful Brooklyn charter school for inner-city students. Read More
Randall Cass ’08 takes his agriculture research to Chile through a prestigious Fulbright grant. Read More
Patrick Carman ’88 turned his children’s bedtime stories into a popular fantasy book series. Read More
Sarah Hamilton ’07 takes her theatre production skills to a larger stage through venue management. Read More
Ryan Calkins ’99 co-founded a microfinance organization to provide financial services to the poor. Read More
Will Nevius ’09 continued his civic engagement after graduation by heading to the nation’s capitol. Read More
Kate D'Ambrosio ’06 turned her passions for forestry and public policy into a career with the U.S. Forest Service. Read More
Mentoring from professors helped Colin Gardiner ’09 find his current career. Read More
A full schedule at Willamette helped Elise Helvie '09 get into a competitive graduate program. Read More
Willamette’s emphasis on study abroad and service led Ana Moreno ’05 to join the Peace Corps after graduation. Read More
Monica Rother ’05 is still in graduate school, but the National Science Foundation has already funded her work. Read More
Emilio Solano ’09 draws on his own background as he volunteers in a Los Angeles classroom. Read More
Liani Reeves '98, JD'01 has found success in her law career and through public service. Read More
Power in the Wind
Albert Wright ’10 and Jeff Bennett ’10 went far beyond a textbook to learn about renewable energy — they built their own wind turbine.
"This collaborative research project has become an important symbol, both for myself and many other students, of what can be accomplished when leadership and student innovation come together," Jeff Bennett '10 says.
Professor David Craig and his students are discovering that crows label people as friend or foe. Read More
Willamette’s Zena Forest provides a laboratory for all the liberal arts, as a class of art students recently learned. Read More
Willamette students collaborate with professors to investigate science’s mysteries. Read More
Biology Professor Chris Smith and his students research co-evolution in America’s southwest deserts. Read More
Learn about the basics of financial aid and an overview of Willamette financial aid programs. Tips for completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are also discussed. Watch the Financial Aid 101 webinar, and refer to the presentation handout.
As you begin your college search, you do not want to fall into the easy trap of placing too much faith in guide books. They are useful as a starting point, but only one of many tools to help you determine your "best" college match. Learn more from our Guide to the College Reference Guides
In contrast to what is happening elsewhere find out how we have responded at Willamette University through the current economic situation. Learn more at The Willamette Advantage