Willamette University

Willamette University, founded in 1842 as the first college in the West, consists of the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Law, the George H. Atkinson Graduate School of Management, and the School of Education. Undergraduate enrollment for Fall 2004 was 1,903; total University enrollment was 2,591.

Willamette, ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top private liberal arts universities in the country, is recognized for its intellectual vitality, its intimate campus community, and diverse opportunities for faculty/undergraduate collaborative research. With a student-faculty ratio of 11:1 and with 64 percent of all classes enrolling fewer than 20 students, the attention students receive from faculty is exceptional.

This fall, 49 percent of first-year students graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school class. The median for combined SAT scores was 1260. The median grade point average was 3.86. In the College of Liberal Arts, 15 percent of students identify themselves as students of color. Twenty-nine states are represented in the Class of 2008.

Willamette awards $21.6 million annually in scholarships and financial aid. About 92 percent of entering students receive financial aid or scholarships. Both need- and merit-based scholarships are provided.

Adjacent to the campus and connected by a sky bridge is Tokyo International University of America, the American campus of Willamette's Japanese sister university. TIUA offers classes in English and American studies to visiting students from Japan.

Willamette University welcomes approximately 200 international students to campus each year. Approximately one-half the junior class travels abroad each year, and Willamette ranks 13th nationally on the list of small colleges and universities with alumni currently serving in the Peace Corps.

While the international flavor of the campus is unique, Willamette also benefits from its location across the street from the Oregon Capitol and near other federal, state, county, and city offices. In particular, this proximity provides students with exceptional internship opportunities. A large number of students also participate in the Community Outreach Program through widely varied volunteer service projects in Salem and the region.