Perhaps it’s our location in the Pacific Northwest. Maybe it’s the dynamic community of supportive peers, caring and mentoring professors, and friendly staff who live and work here. Whatever it is, to visit our beautiful, facility-rich campus is to find a place that is distinctively different from other college campuses across the nation.

A place apart

Whitman students live and work on an unpretentious, residential campus that doubles as both an arboretum and an outdoor art museum. Located in a welcoming college town, it is a place that is home to an extraordinary diversity of talents, interests, activities, and people. Here it’s easy to venture outside your comfort zone, extend yourself intellectually, collaborate with others and share new ideas and insights. Here you will find the teachers, friendships, resources, inspiration, time, and space you need to discover yourself and your ability to make a difference in the world.

An inspiring residential community

Although they come from many different backgrounds, Whitman students, faculty, and staff share a passion for knowledge and a determination to make an impact on the lives of those around them. The approximately 1,400 students at Whitman come from 45 states and more than 30 different nations. And through a combination of academic rigor and all the extracurricular opportunities offered by more than 100 student-run clubs, activities, and organizations, they make a mark on both the college and the larger community.

An impressive campus

Whitman offers students a classic, liberal arts campus that blends beauty with contemporary facilities, modern technologies, and historic buildings. Take a stroll along the well-groomed, beautifully landscaped paths of our campus and you’ll find why students describe it as the perfect place to strike a balance between the academic, the professional, the social, and the personal. Among your first must-sees:

• The Ethernet- and wireless-capable Allen Reading Room within the state-of-the-art Penrose Library, open 24/7, which exemplifies Whitman’s dedication to learning and achievement.
• Research laboratories in the recently remodeled Hall of Science, designed for collaboration between students and professors (don’t miss the environmentally friendly heating and cooling systems, which exemplify Whitman’s environmental ethic).
• The Reid Campus Center, a gathering place for the entire Whitman community and an especially popular destination when Whitman President George Bridges holds office hours in the coffeehouse. Students may also rent sports equipment from the Outdoor Program rental office housed there, or sign up for community service opportunities through the Center for Community Service.
• The centrally located Ankeny Field, home to the college’s intramural sports competition, in which 75 percent of Whitman students participate. As a Whittie, you’ll spend many sunny afternoons here, studying, sunbathing, playing Ultimate Frisbee, pick-up soccer, football, or volleyball, or simply hanging out with your friends.
• Ideal venues for art and cultural events such as Harper Joy Theatre, Cordiner Hall concert auditorium, and Donald H. Sheehan Art Gallery.
• Great spots for solitary reflection, quiet conversation, or socializing, such as the Cordiner Glen (Narnia), the Whitman Amphitheater, or Lakum Duckum.