The primary focus of Lewis & Clark is its academic mission. To support and enhance students’ academic experience, Lewis & Clark staff members provide a variety of services, resources, and programs that encourage participation in curricular, cocurricular, and extracurricular activities. These services are highlighted here. More detailed information on each is available on the Student Life webpage.

Alumni Association

College of Arts and Sciences students become members of the Alumni Association upon graduation and gain access to a variety of alumni services and benefits. Membership is automatic and there is no fee to join. Coordinated by the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement and governed by the national Board of Alumni, the Alumni Association has more than 30,000 members. The Alumni Association promotes on-campus, regional, and virtual events to foster lifelong connections that engage alumni, students, and their families with Lewis & Clark College. Supported by alumni chapters, regional events take place across the United States and around the globe. In addition, the Alumni Association provides opportunities for continuing education, career networking, and lifelong learning. An annual calendar of events includes happy hours, Homecoming and Family Weekend, an Alumni Honors Celebration, Alumni and Reunion Weekend, on-campus and virtual career panels, and several additional events around the United States and overseas. The Alumni Gatehouse is the home of the Alumni Association, and includes a lounge available to small groups of students and alumni for meetings and social activities. The Gatehouse is also the home of the Student Alumni Association, a leadership group dedicated to promoting meaningful connections between students and alumni. 

Members of the Board of Alumni serve as representatives of the worldwide alumni community. Board members facilitate the relationship between Lewis & Clark and its alumni to maintain and deepen lifelong connections between the institution and the alumni, as well as across generations, in geographic areas, and within affinity groups. Board members serve in various capacities, including event promotion, equity and inclusion awareness, fundraising, career networking, and other special projects. Members are nominated by the Lewis & Clark community and elected by the sitting board, and may serve up to two three-year terms.

Campus Living

Lewis & Clark is committed to the residential cocurricular experience, which includes the exploration of purpose, relationships, and wellness, plus social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, through formal and informal interactions with fellow students as well as faculty and staff. The residence hall community is dedicated to academics, campus and community involvement, and enjoyment of the college experience.

Consistent with Lewis & Clark’s mission as a residential liberal arts college, students are required to live on campus for four semesters (typically their first two years) unless they are living with their parent(s) or legal guardian in the Portland area, are married, are 21 years of age or older when fall semester begins, or are entering transfer students with 60 semester hours or more of transferable college credit. The Office of Campus Living collaborates with students to create a supportive, interdependent, and educationally purposeful residential community for Lewis & Clark.

Each residence hall cluster is managed by a full-time professional area director (AD) who coordinates all aspects of the community, including training and supervising an undergraduate residential experience manager (REM) and resident advisors (RAs), coordinating programming efforts, participating in the student conduct process, and providing support, mediation, and crisis management as necessary. The REM and RAs help students transition to group living using the extensive training they receive in peer support, campus resources, leadership, activities planning, and community building.

The Office of Campus Living administers housing and food service contracts; coordinates room assignments; manages student staff selection, training, and supervision; provides leadership development opportunities; and offers cocurricular support programs.

Campus Safety

The mission of the Office of Campus Safety is to enhance the quality of life for the Lewis & Clark community by providing a safe and secure environment that is conducive to learning and consistent with the educational goals of this diverse institution, while building community partnerships that foster trust, mutual respect, and cooperation.

Campus Safety provides coverage 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Phone 503-768-7777 in the event of an emergency, or for any service call. For routine business, call 503-768-7855.

The Office of Campus Safety can quickly dispatch officers to any part of the Lewis & Clark campus through a two-way radio system. The staff includes uniformed Campus Safety officers, dispatchers, a Campus Safety supervisor, and the director of the Office of Campus Safety.

Center for Social Change and Community Involvement

The Center for Social Change and Community Involvement seeks to prepare Lewis & Clark undergraduate students to engage effectively, both locally and globally, in order to bring about active citizenship and social change.

The center’s goal is to create a variety of immersive learning experiences, foster meaningful relationships with community partners, and promote leadership development opportunities for students. Some of our program offerings include volunteering, service-learning, social impact certification, and immersion trips locally and globally. 

Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement

The Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement supports and empowers historically marginalized students at Lewis & Clark College to achieve academic, social, personal, and professional success in order to become critically conscious and inclusive leaders.

Counseling 

Counseling Center staff offer culturally sensitive, professional help for students experiencing personal and academic concerns. Counseling is available to all undergraduate, graduate, and law students. Appointments with the counseling staff are free of charge. Staff include licensed mental health professionals and trainees. A limited number of psychiatry appointments are available each week. Therefore, these appointments are reserved for students who are being seen by Counseling Center staff. Charges apply for psychiatry appointments.   

The primary purpose of the Counseling Center is to provide problem-resolution services and time-limited, intermittent therapy. Crisis support is also available. Students who need routine long-term counseling or psychiatry treatment, and/or specialty treatment (such as for an eating disorder), should make arrangements to see a mental health professional in the local area. Counseling or Office of Student Accessibility staff can help students with the referral process. Information shared at the Counseling Center is held in strict confidence.

Health Promotion and Wellness

The Office of Health Promotion and Wellness leads efforts to develop a community that supports balanced and healthy lifestyles. The staff are committed to helping students gain the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed decisions regarding personal health and well-being. We encourage students to be mindful and to take responsibility for themselves in all areas of wellness. Health Promotion and Wellness staff collaborate with campus and area resources to provide support and prevention education on an array of issues that typically concern Lewis & Clark students.

Health Service

The Health Service provides medical services to all students attending the undergraduate, graduate, or law schools. Services include diagnosis and treatment for medical conditions, routine physicals, gynecological care, prescriptions, laboratory services, immunizations (including travel immunizations), travel prescriptions, maintenance allergy injections, and referrals to medical specialists in the Portland area. Medical consultations and examinations are free. Charges apply for immunizations, allergy injections, medications, laboratory tests, medical procedures, medical equipment, and missed appointments. The Health Service does not bill insurance, but provides a receipt of charges, which students may submit to their insurance plan. Medical records are strictly confidential and are not released without the student’s written consent. 

Student Health Insurance

Lewis & Clark requires all degree-seeking and visiting undergraduate students to have medical coverage comparable to that offered through the school’s comprehensive Student Health Insurance Plan. Students are automatically enrolled in the school’s Student Health Insurance Plan each year, unless they submit a waiver attesting to the fact they have comparable coverage. Students are given one opportunity each academic year to waive the school’s coverage. For further information, please refer to the Costs section of this catalog.

International Students and Scholars

The Office of International Students and Scholars provides academic and personal advice, assistance with housing and on-campus employment, processing of immigration and financial aid documents, and opportunities for community involvement to international students, visiting international scholars, and American Third Culture Kids (TCKs). The office supports the recruitment and admission of international students and TCKs, then provides orientation, advising, and advocacy for these students. Professional staff members also serve as advisors to the International Students of Lewis & Clark and the Third Culture Kids Club.

Spiritual Life

Student Engagement

Engagement inside and outside of the classroom is critical to a rewarding college experience. Lewis & Clark supports more than 130 recognized student organizations, including the Campus Activities Board, club sports, and student media. These student-run organizations enrich their membership’s common interests and activities and the student body as a whole. Student organizations cocreate symposia, seminars, speakers, leadership trainings, and programs for the campus community. As officers, chairs, and committee members, students develop and exercise interpersonal and organizational skills while cocreating recreation and engagement opportunities. Lewis & Clark provides staff and resources to support student involvement and help students integrate their curricular and cocurricular experiences. 

Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students

The vice president for student life and dean of students is the executive officer for the Division of Student Life and is a member of Lewis & Clark’s Executive Council. Reporting directly to the president, the vice president serves as a leader and collaborator in the institution’s strategic planning and decision-making activities and is the senior advocate for the support and engagement of the student body and enhancement of the student experience at Lewis & Clark. The vice president provides leadership and administrative management for all offices and centers in the Division of Student Life, which include Campus Living, Campus Safety, the Career Center, College Outdoors, Commencement, Counseling, Emergency Management, the First-Year Experience, Health Promotion and Wellness, Health Service, Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement, International Students and Scholars, New Student and Parent Orientation, Physical Education and Athletics, Social Change and Community Involvement, Spiritual Life, Student Accessibility, Student Engagement, and Student Rights and Responsibilities. The Office of the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students is located on the first floor of East Hall.