About Willamette University

Willamette University, the first university in the West, is comprised of the College of Liberal Arts, which includes the graduate programs at the School of Education, the College of Law and the Atkinson Graduate School of Management. The University enrolls approximately 1,800 undergraduate and 700 graduate students.

The campus, located in the heart of Salem, Ore., has 37 buildings on 61 acres. Cooperative programs among the colleges enable all students to benefit from the quality programs available in each.

Salem is located in the mid-Willamette Valley, an hour's drive from the Pacific Ocean, the Cascade Mountain Range and the city of Portland. Willamette University students benefit from being in Salem, Oregon's capital, in many ways. Twice named an All-America City, the community offers a broad range of restaurants, shopping, movie theaters and cultural opportunities all within easy walking distance of the campus. In addition, Willamette's location provides proximity to the state, regional and local centers of education policy-making and to a variety of other educational resources. Among these resources are the Oregon Department of Education, the Oregon Legislature, the Salem-Keizer School District and the Marion County Educational Service District.

Willamette University is an independent, nonsectarian institution of higher learning founded in 1842, which educates men and women in the liberal arts and in selected professional fields. The University's mission now extends far from the Oregon Territory and the Pacific Northwest to encompass the larger world beyond.

In its pursuits, Willamette University:

• cherishes the dignity and worth of all individuals and strives to reflect the diversity of our world.
• encourages close relationships among faculty, students and staff to enhance learning and foster community.
• provides a lively and challenging education in a small university setting where teaching and learning are strengthened by ongoing scholarship and research.
• embraces a commitment to service and leadership in our various communities and professions.
• honors its historic roots in The United Methodist Church and values the ethical and spiritual dimension of education.
• believes that education is a lifelong process of discovery, delight and growth; the hallmark of a humane life.