<a href="/live/image/gid/698/width/650/100315__INK6582.jpg" class="lw_preview_image lw_disable_preview" tabindex="-1"><picture class="lw_image lw_image100315"><source media="(max-width: 500px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/100315__INK6582.rev.1695162923.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/100315__INK6582.rev.1695162923.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 500px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/100315__INK6582.rev.1695162923.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/100315__INK6582.rev.1695162923.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 800px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/100315__INK6582.rev.1695162923.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/100315__INK6582.rev.1695162923.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 800px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/100315__INK6582.rev.1695162923.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/100315__INK6582.rev.1695162923.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 1200px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/1200/height/575/crop/1/100315__INK6582.rev.1695162923.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 1200px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/1200/height/575/crop/1/100315__INK6582.rev.1695162923.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(min-width: 1201px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/1440/height/690/crop/1/100315__INK6582.rev.1695162923.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(min-width: 1201px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/1440/height/690/crop/1/100315__INK6582.rev.1695162923.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/698/width/1440/height/690/crop/1/100315__INK6582.rev.1695162923.jpg" alt="The 2023 New Student Peer Mentors" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/1440/height/690/crop/1/100315__INK6582.rev.1695162923.jpg 2x" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="2133" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a><div class="hero-full_image_caption collapsable-caption">The 2023 New Student Peer Mentors</div>
<a href="/live/image/gid/698/width/650/83581_EVNT-E2-0819-0120_2.jpg" class="lw_preview_image lw_disable_preview" tabindex="-1"><picture class="lw_image lw_image83581"><source media="(max-width: 500px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/83581_EVNT-E2-0819-0120_2.rev.1588091370.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/83581_EVNT-E2-0819-0120_2.rev.1588091370.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 500px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/83581_EVNT-E2-0819-0120_2.rev.1588091370.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/83581_EVNT-E2-0819-0120_2.rev.1588091370.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 800px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/83581_EVNT-E2-0819-0120_2.rev.1588091370.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/83581_EVNT-E2-0819-0120_2.rev.1588091370.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 800px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/83581_EVNT-E2-0819-0120_2.rev.1588091370.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/83581_EVNT-E2-0819-0120_2.rev.1588091370.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 1200px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/1200/height/575/crop/1/83581_EVNT-E2-0819-0120_2.rev.1588091370.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 1200px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/1200/height/575/crop/1/83581_EVNT-E2-0819-0120_2.rev.1588091370.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(min-width: 1201px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/1440/height/690/crop/1/83581_EVNT-E2-0819-0120_2.rev.1588091370.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(min-width: 1201px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/1440/height/690/crop/1/83581_EVNT-E2-0819-0120_2.rev.1588091370.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/698/width/1440/height/690/crop/1/83581_EVNT-E2-0819-0120_2.rev.1588091370.jpg" alt="" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="960" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a><div class="hero-full_image_caption collapsable-caption"></div>
<a href="/live/image/gid/698/width/650/100322_CAS-0823-Entering_Class_on_the_Glade-6381.jpg" class="lw_preview_image lw_disable_preview" tabindex="-1"><picture class="lw_image lw_image100322"><source media="(max-width: 500px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/100322_CAS-0823-Entering_Class_on_the_Glade-6381.rev.1695227129.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/100322_CAS-0823-Entering_Class_on_the_Glade-6381.rev.1695227129.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 500px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/100322_CAS-0823-Entering_Class_on_the_Glade-6381.rev.1695227129.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/100322_CAS-0823-Entering_Class_on_the_Glade-6381.rev.1695227129.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 800px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/100322_CAS-0823-Entering_Class_on_the_Glade-6381.rev.1695227129.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 800px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/100322_CAS-0823-Entering_Class_on_the_Glade-6381.rev.1695227129.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 1200px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/698/width/1200/height/575/crop/1/100322_CAS-0823-Entering_Class_on_the_Glade-6381.rev.1695227129.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 1200px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/698/width/1200/height/575/crop/1/100322_CAS-0823-Entering_Class_on_the_Glade-6381.rev.1695227129.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(min-width: 1201px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/698/width/1440/height/690/crop/1/100322_CAS-0823-Entering_Class_on_the_Glade-6381.rev.1695227129.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(min-width: 1201px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/698/width/1440/height/690/crop/1/100322_CAS-0823-Entering_Class_on_the_Glade-6381.rev.1695227129.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/698/width/1440/height/690/crop/1/100322_CAS-0823-Entering_Class_on_the_Glade-6381.rev.1695227129.jpg" alt="The incoming class of 2023! " data-max-w="2121" data-max-h="1414" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a><div class="hero-full_image_caption collapsable-caption">The incoming class of 2023! </div>
<a href="/live/image/gid/698/width/650/83579_EVNT-E2-0819-0002_2.jpg" class="lw_preview_image lw_disable_preview" tabindex="-1"><picture class="lw_image lw_image83579"><source media="(max-width: 500px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/83579_EVNT-E2-0819-0002_2.rev.1588091369.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/83579_EVNT-E2-0819-0002_2.rev.1588091369.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 500px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/83579_EVNT-E2-0819-0002_2.rev.1588091369.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/83579_EVNT-E2-0819-0002_2.rev.1588091369.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 800px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/83579_EVNT-E2-0819-0002_2.rev.1588091369.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/83579_EVNT-E2-0819-0002_2.rev.1588091369.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 800px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/83579_EVNT-E2-0819-0002_2.rev.1588091369.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/83579_EVNT-E2-0819-0002_2.rev.1588091369.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 1200px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/1200/height/575/crop/1/83579_EVNT-E2-0819-0002_2.rev.1588091369.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 1200px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/1200/height/575/crop/1/83579_EVNT-E2-0819-0002_2.rev.1588091369.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(min-width: 1201px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/1440/height/690/crop/1/83579_EVNT-E2-0819-0002_2.rev.1588091369.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(min-width: 1201px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/1440/height/690/crop/1/83579_EVNT-E2-0819-0002_2.rev.1588091369.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/698/width/1440/height/690/crop/1/83579_EVNT-E2-0819-0002_2.rev.1588091369.jpg" alt="" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="960" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a><div class="hero-full_image_caption collapsable-caption"></div>

/ First-Year Experience

First-Year Experience

Your first year at L&C is full of a lot of excitement—and a lot of learning! Adjusting to your new home, friends, and coursework can be overwhelming, but our fantastic student support systems are here to guide you every step of the way.

Our First-Year Experience (FYE) is designed to help all new students—first year and transfer—with the transition to college life at Lewis & Clark. By connecting you to our on-campus resources and hosting events to foster a sense of belonging from day one, you will thrive in your personal and academic journey.

Meet Your Team

Your Admissions Counselor will guide you through the admissions process.
The Office of Financial Aid can answer all your affordability questions.
The New Student Peer Mentors will be your support system throughout NSO and fall semester.
Our academic support and resources will help you thrive in class and stay on track for graduation.
The Career Center will assist you on your professional journey (even after graduation).
The Office of Student Accessibility is here to help you access accommodation resources.
Our Campus Living staff makes your residence hall feel like home.
Our holistic wellness resources will connect you to yourself and the community.

Transitioning to college–or a new college–can feel like a giant leap. That’s why I love working alongside such a passionate team of faculty, staff, and mentors who all share the same mission: ensuring every student feels supported and belongs at L&C.
Melanie McManamon
First-Year Experience Coordinator
More about Melanie
We strive to help incoming students (both first year and transfer) make personal connections, find ways to engage with the many opportunities at L&C, and successfully meet their academic goals.
Jonathan Manz
Director of First-Year Experience
More about Jonathan
Having my peers by my side at New Student Orientation reassured me that I wouldn’t go through college alone.
Colin J. Blume BA ’22
Student Director for New Student Orientation
More about Colin

Specialized Support

Pictures of the Great Expectation retreat of mentees, mentors, and staff.

Great Expectations

The Great Expectations Mentorship (GEM) Program is designed to support incoming BIPOC and/or first-generation new students with their transition to Lewis & Clark College.

International Students

As you start your life as a college student in the U.S., our International Students and Scholars Office is ready to support you, beginning with a specialized orientation!

Transfer Students

We recognize that as a transfer student, your needs differ from those of a first-year student. From the admission process to orientation, we ensure you have the support you need.

Your First Year

Every year in August we offer new students an opportunity to launch their Lewis & Clark career in a fun and adventurous way. There are two types of trips: outdoor adventures and on-campus programs. The Pacific Northwest has a lot to offer and we love sharing what we are lucky enough to call our backyard! New Student Trips (NSTs) happen just before the college-wide New Student Orientation (NSO).

Check out this year’s offerings!

Throughout the five-day orientation process at the end of August, free from classes or returning students, you will engage in activities to learn about academic offerings, resources on campus, social outlets, and ways to engage with your new community. You will be assigned a New Student Peer Mentor, who will lead you and a small group of other new students through orientation and fall semester.

Schedule to come.

During NSO, you will be assigned to a small group that consists of other new students, led by a New Student Peer Mentor. Your group will meet regularly throughout orientation, will be the same peers in your First-Year Seminar (Words or Numbers) class, and will connect together for programming during the fall semester (including an excursion off campus in Portland!). Your New Student Peer Mentor will also facilitate one-on-one check-ins with each student in the group.

Top 100
Lewis & Clark is in the top 100 on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023–24 “Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” list.
16%
first-generation students at Lewis & Clark College
21
L&C has 21 varsity sports teams. See the full list!
18%
of Lewis & Clark students are varsity athletes.
Top
Lewis & Clark earned a spot on Princeton Review’s 2024 “Best Colleges” list.

First-Year Experience

Meet Your Team