About Willamette University

Institution: Willamette University
  Salem, OR
 

Become a Bearcat!
Willamette University, founded in 1842, is a nationally recognized liberal arts school with graduate programs in business and law. WU has earned a national reputation for its academic standards and exemplary citizenship, values that have defined the culture of this campus for more than 160 years. Willamette University’s motto, “Not unto ourselves alone are we born,” captures the essence of our distinguished university. It speaks to our commitment to community service, to the extraordinary collaboration between faculty and students, and to the tradition of service and civic engagement that is typical of our alumni.

Willamette University is situated in the heart of the Willamette Valley and Oregon Wine Country, Salem is Oregon’s capital city, boasting a mild climate and high quality of life. Our prime location affords us ready access to the Oregon Coast, the Cascade Mountains and a wide range of recreational opportunities. Salem’s local attractions are complemented by those of nearby urban, cultural and academic centers in Portland, Corvallis, and Eugene – all within an hour’s drive of the of our beautiful campus. ​Oregon is home to great food and wine and some of the nation’s most beautiful scenery.​ Salem is the perfect community in which to live and raise a family.