main contentAbout Lewis & Clark

Pursue New Ways of Knowing

Lewis & Clark is a private institution with a public conscience, and a close-knit campus with global reach. Students and faculty throughout all three of our schools—the undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School of Education and Counseling, and the School of Law—pursue new ways of knowing by combining classic liberal arts learning with forward-thinking collaboration. Our institutional commitment to equity and inclusion efforts, service learning, and sustainability are evident in our policies, classrooms, and student life. Students at Lewis & Clark learn from experts in their fields and graduate ready to take on the world.

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Julia Salomone BA '23

I chose L&C because the liberal arts education was super exciting to me. I wanted room in my schedule to take an art class, or even yoga as my physical education. Studying abroad was also a priority for me.

Julia Salomone BA ’23
Parkland, Florida
More about Julia
Kiara smiling at the camera outside, wearing a white top and jeans.

I have the opportunity to explore most of my interests without having to leave campus, get mentors in my disciplines of interest, gain work and volunteer experience both in and outside of campus, and participate in student run activities or organizations. Lewis & Clark has changed my way of thinking.

Kiara Y. González BA ’27
Moca, Puerto Rico
More about Kiara
Donna smiling at the camera wearing a black shirt and tan cardigan.

I chose L&C for the beautiful campus. The history can be felt in the buildings and the engaging landscape.

Donna Kerr BA ’19
Hillsboro, Oregon
More about Donna

Interconnected Learning

As an undergraduate student, you have the opportunity to choose from a wide variety of classes and disciplines—29 majors and 33 minors—through our liberal arts education model. Our academics are rigorous and challenging, but you will be supported every step of the way by your advisors, your professors, and your peers. The connections you discover between your classes and hands-on learning opportunities are great preparation for an ever-changing world and a future career where critical thinking and creative problem solving skills are valued. And for those of you who are ready to think about your education long term, we offer accelerated degree pathways and partnerships with our Graduate School of Education and Counseling and School of Law.

Undergraduate Academic Programs Law School Academics Graduate School Academic Departments

Top 10 

Lewis & Clark has made the 2024 “Top 10” list of small colleges and universities that have produced the highest all-time number of Peace Corps volunteers.

Best 

Lewis & Clark is on the 2024 list of “America’s Best Colleges,” per Money magazine.

4-5-6 

Lewis & Clark’s 4-5-6 Commitment can help you make the most of your future.

Local 
Bon Appétit focuses on utilizing fresh ingredients through the Farm to Fork initiative, supporting local Pacific Northwest farmers.
Top 5 

Lewis & Clark is in the top five Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Oregon in 2024, according to Niche.

Top 10 

Lewis & Clark has made the 2024 “Top 10” list of small colleges and universities that have produced the highest all-time number of Peace Corps volunteers.

Best 

Lewis & Clark is on the 2024 list of “America’s Best Colleges,” per Money magazine.

Affordable Excellence

Investing in your education is one of the most important decisions you and your family will ever make. Lewis & Clark’s Office of Financial Aid creates solutions to serve undergraduate, graduate, and law students from diverse economic backgrounds. Last year, we awarded more than $74 million in institutional aid. Figuring out how to finance your education can be daunting, but we are here to help every step of the way.

Affording Your Degree

Exterior of building surrounded by tall trees and students walking on a path.

Diverse Career Opportunities

The remarkable accomplishments of our alumni showcase the wide variety of possibilities that are available after graduation. The critical thinking skills that are at the heart of every liberal arts major prepare our undergraduate students for advanced degrees, ground-breaking careers, and prestigious Fulbright grants and Peace Corps positions. Our graduate students earn advanced degrees with a unique focus on social justice and graduate ready to serve students and clients thanks to extensive hands-on experience in the classroom or a clinical counseling setting. Our law students have the choice between multiple specializations in nationally recognized programs, multiple clinics and other hands-on practical skills options, and are ready for any career they choose thanks to the highest bar passage rate of all Oregon law schools. All of our students have access to career-readiness experience that you will be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.

Your Career Starts at L&C Graduate Career and Licensing Services Law Career Services

Students sitting at a table speaking to a business mentor.

Skill Development

Hands-on learning is a pillar of all three of our schools’ education models, and a reason why our students are better prepared for careers or future degrees. Our undergraduate students gain real-world experience through internships, by leading an academic symposium, conducting graduate-level collaborative research with faculty, and much more. Our graduate students apply their coursework in a real teaching and counseling environment and gain critical insights that can only be gleaned by working in the field. Our law students learn from experts and network with the robust legal community in Portland, all while acquiring hands-on experience through the L&C Advocacy Center, clinics, externships, and a practice courtroom.

Internships Graduate Partnerships Experiential Legal Learning

A Voice for Change

Lewis & Clark is deeply committed to matters related to sustainability. Our research and actions extend beyond the classroom into Portland and the wider world. We build on best practices while recognizing the interrelatedness of ecology, economy, and equity. Over the last decade, we’ve made sustainable endowment policies including environmental, social, governance criteria (ESG), fossil fuel divestment strategies, and an institutional net zero investment policy, which has us on track to completely eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from our portfolio by 2040.

Sustainability

Diverse Minds With a Shared Vision

As an educational institution committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Lewis & Clark engages in efforts to foster a multi-identity community where all feel supported and a sense of belonging, while being challenged to venture from their comfort zone as they grow and learn.

Equity and Inclusion

Champion Athletics

Lewis & Clark’s 21 varsity sports teams—composed of almost 20 percent of our undergraduate students—compete mainly in the Northwest Conference against eight NCAA Division III institutions. Our outstanding athletic facilities, including newly renovated Huston Sports Complex, mean our student-athletes get the best in the classroom and on the field.

Athletics

Students swimming underwater.

A Global Education

Lewis & Clark’s commitment to creating global citizens has been evident in our unique approach to overseas study since 1962. In fact, at a time when overseas study programs were few and far between—and programs outside Western Europe even less common—Lewis & Clark started its overseas study program by making the bold decision to send students across the Pacific to Japan for a semester of learning and adventure. We have continued to be a leader in overseas study ever since.

Overseas and Off-Campus Programs

Students sitting at tables on a green lawn.

Find Your People

Our diverse student body is made up of American students, international students, and students in between (Third Culture Kids), all learning together by sharing their cultures, beliefs, and worldviews. No matter where your passport was issued, we pride ourselves on creating a community that feels like home.

Your Pacific Northwest Home

Love Where You Live and Study

Our location in Portland, Oregon, provides countless professional opportunities in a vibrant, progressive city with endless networking, entertainment, and cultural resources—just one of the many reasons to earn your degree at Lewis & Clark.

Portland, OR

Upcoming Events

Bloodworks Logo
March 28: All Day

April 10th- Blood Works Blood Drive

Each spring, when the sun comes out, blood donations drop during school breaks and families taking vacations together, but there’s still a need for blood. Consider sharing a little sunshine with patients near you by making blood donation part of your spring break plans. When you donate with Bloodworks NW, you’re giving a critical boost to Pacific Northwest patients undergoing surgeries, traumas, and cancer treatments. As a donor, you are also encouraging our local community to step up and donate blood every 56 days, rain or shine.
Schedule your blood donation now to give blood inside SMITH HALL on April 9th and 10th!
*Donors can use this opportunity to earn a donation cord for graduation!

REGISTER HERE FOR APRIL 10TH!

until April 10
game board background with figurine and di. Text reads: Choose Your Own Adventure, Virtual Package. Networking, Action Steps, Profile Rev...
March 28: All Day

Choose Your Own (Career) Adventure

 Ready to level up your future? Select your quest package and gain exclusive career wisdom—no side quests required! 

until April 15
March 28: All Day

Law: Spring Break

until March 30
Spring Break 2025 Dining
March 28: All Day

Spring Break Dining Hours

until March 30
Students hike through trees and ferns at Redwoods National Park
March 28: All Day

Spring Break: Redwoods and Tidepools

Come stay in Redwood National Park for Spring Break! We’ll spend the week hiking through huge redwood forests and stunning beaches on the Pacific Ocean. We’ll also visit magnificent tidepools along the Southern Oregon and Northern California coast. You can expect to see majestic trees, wildflowers, elk, cormorants, egrets, and other wildlife. In the evenings, we’ll have time play games, socialize, read, and relax. The main lodge where we stay has a huge kitchen for cooking meals, great resources for learning about redwood ecology, and hot showers, too! This trip returns to campus late Friday, but ends Saturday after brunch and required clean-up activities Saturday morning. Redwoods are the tallest living things in the world – don’t miss this opportunity to live among them for a week! You can get one activity credit in PE/A 101, “Outdoor Adventures” for participation during this trip as long you register prior to drop/add and complete a drop/add form.
until March 29

More events→