Hit the trail to Willamette and see where it leads
you.
Your
feet are soaking wet. Your eyebrows are covered with mist. And your
hair looks like you just went through the car wash with the windows
rolled down.
Is it raining? Nope. It's just another sunny day at Willamette - and
you've just returned from a study break that turned into a spontaneous
road trip. This is a place where you can wade in the ocean, walk under
a waterfall and ski along a ridge top in the span of a single day. Sure,
you might have to fill up the car before you leave campus - but at Willamette
University, a little gas money goes a long way.
"What I like about Willamette is we're not in the big city, but we're
close to everything," says senior Graeme Byrd. "We have beautiful countryside,
we're close to Portland, we're close to the beach - it appeals to everyone.
I'm happy here. I couldn't see myself at any other institution right
now."
Our location next to the Capitol has paid
off for countless students.
He
gleams like a golden beacon, and he's forever gazing westward. He's
the Oregon Pioneer, the statue adorning the top of the state capitol
- and he's facing the wrong way.
We think he should be looking in our direction. If he were properly
oriented, he'd notice countless Willamette students making their way
to the capitol for internships, legislative sessions and meetings with
lawmakers. How many other colleges are located right across the street
from the hub of state government? None that we can think of. And is
there a better place to work as a tour guide? Not in Patrick Sieng's
opinion.
"Just being in that political and governmental atmosphere with 50 million
things going on is a lot of fun," says Sieng, a sophomore from Keizer,
Ore. "I enjoy giving tours and helping people. Plus, climbing up the
121 steps to the golden man every day gives me great exercise."
In Salem, you can cover a lot of ground
in a hurry.
So
you've misplaced your meal card, lost your shoes and very recently realized
that the paper you've been putting off is due tomorrow? Sounds like
it might be time to reorient your mind - and Salem offers plenty of
avenues for escape.
If you're looking for some peace and quiet, you can find it at the world's
smallest park (.005 acres) or the city's largest (308 acres). If you
need a little R&R, check out the jogging and biking trails along the
banks of the Willamette River. And if you're in the mood to shop, catch
a movie or grab a bite to eat, you should make a beeline to downtown
Salem. (By the way, you won't need a car to get to any of those places
- as long as you can find your shoes.)
"I love Salem - it's really like no other place," says Katie Krieger,
a 2002 graduate from Gig Harbor, Wash. "There are so many beautiful
parks, and you can bike everywhere. I definitely feel safe here - I
feel comfortable. Salem has everything you'd want in a city."
Transform your environment in 60 minutes
or less.
What's
the difference between noon and 1 p.m.? A lot if you're at Willamette.
At noon, you could be reading Plato in your dorm room. By 1 p.m., you
could be watching the special 10th anniversary edition of "Free Willy"
on DVD.
Or you could be whale watching at the Oregon Coast. Or hiking underneath
waterfalls at Silver Falls State Park. Or walking the bustling streets
of Portland's Hawthorne District. Or introducing yourself to every living
resident in the city of Barlow, Ore. (pop. 140). The point is this:
Willamette is within 60 miles of all kinds of places - and sometimes
an afternoon study break is just what the doctor ordered.
"I love being so close to the coast," says Cassandra Farrin, a sophomore
from Emmett, Idaho. "I've gone there a lot of times this year. It's
only an hour away, and I think that's really cool. There's something
about standing next to the ocean that you don't get anywhere else."
If you're into the outdoors, Willamette is the
place to be.
Are
you still into climbing the monkey bars, going down the slide and riding
the merry-go-round until you can't see straight? If you are, maybe we
mailed these brochures to the wrong address, and we apologize. But if
your name matches the one on the envelope, you're probably into other
forms of recreation - and you won't find a better playground than the
Pacific Northwest.
Within two hours of campus, you can go hiking in the Coast Range or
mountain biking in the Cascades. You can go surfing in Newport or windsurfing
in the Columbia River Gorge. And you can go skiing at Hoodoo or snowboarding
at Mt. Hood Meadows. Whether you sign up with one of our outdoor clubs
or hook up with a friend or two, you're bound to have experiences you'll
never forget.
"I was leaning toward going to school in the East Coast, but I really
ended up liking the Northwest," says Tasha Shapiro, a junior from Los
Altos, Calif. "I'm a big backpacker and skier, and it's easy to get
to Mt. Hood, Mt. Bachelor, the Opal Creek Wilderness, the Mackenzie
River Trail. What I like most is I really feel I have a home here. I
also have this great place to explore."
Visit Willamette and see what we're all
about.
There's
no doubt about it: Our central location appeals to just about everyone.
And if you're into visiting colleges, Willamette is one of the easiest
places to find in the world.
Starting from the equator, drive north until you merge onto Interstate
5 and keep going until you're halfway to the North Pole. Turn left at
the 45th Parallel and head straight for our Star Trees, officially recognized
as the tallest Sequoias on any college campus in the nation.
We think you'll discover that our campus is an ideal destination, complete
with rustic gardens, native wildlife and a clear-running stream. "There
is no other way to describe my visit without saying it took my breath
away," recalls Nicole Dahl, a sophomore from West Richland, Wash.
She's right: Willamette is breathtaking, and so is the area
that surrounds it - rain or shine.
