Kate Meinhard

What three words would you use to describe L&C?

Nature: Our campus in surrounded by nature, with lots of outside spaces to hangout

Active: There is always something going on on-campus between all the different clubs and sports

Diverse: People come to L&C from all over the globe and there are so many different opportunities available for everyone.

What’s your favorite class? Why?

My favorite class I took was Drawing I with Cara Tomlinson because it was the perfect mix of being a structured art class where we worked on different techniques, while also leaving a lot of room for everyone to add in their own individual styles. My favorite professor so far has been Sweta Suryanarayan in my Calculus 2 class. She was such a helpful professor and truly cared and took the time to make sure everyone understood the material.

What made you want to come to Lewis & Clark?

When looking for colleges, I was searching for a high academic institution that allowed me to continue my athletic career. When visiting campus, I had a great talk with a physics professor about the different pathways I could take after graduating. I loved the campus and the opportunity to continue playing both of my sports at the collegiate level.

What do you like or find most interesting about your major?

I enjoy the lab work that we are able to do. I find that it really cemented the material we learned in class and was a really fun way to see how what we learned in class could be seen in real life.

What do you like or find most interesting about your minor?

I really enjoy the open-ended nature of most of the art classes. We focus on different technical skills every week, but everyone gets to put their own spin on the projects which makes for really interesting critiques. It is always cool to see how different people interpret the prompts and what they create.

Tell us about your support systems and social outlets on campus: people, activities, clubs, res halls, etc.

I have found a lot of my friends through my sports teams and within my dorm. My freshman year, we would all hangout in the lobby area of Copeland on the couches and it was a great way to meet new people. I have also participated in three intramural sports, which is a great way to get out and meet new people.

What advice do you have for incoming students?

I think that the biggest piece of advice I have is to go to all the activities the first few weeks because that’s where you can meet a ton of new people. As uncomfortable as it might be, everyone else is brand new to campus as well and also looking for friends.

Did you visit campus before deciding to come to L&C? How did your visit influence your decision to attend?

I visited once before I decided to attend L&C. I think that walking around campus and seeing how close everything is was a big plus for me. I also think that the proximity to downtown and other fun neighborhoods was a selling point because it makes it easy to get off-campus and there is always something fun going on.

What do you remember most about your New Student Orientation?

I remember the stargazing night the most. It was a fun time to go hang out with all my new friends and everyone was there hanging out. It was a fun, more informal way to hangout and meet new people.

Which residence halls have you lived in? How would you describe the hall’s personality? What is/was the best thing about living on campus?

I have lived in Copeland for two years now. I feel like living in Copeland is the quintessential freshman dorm experience. It’s the biggest dorm on campus and filled with mostly freshmen and sophomores, so everyone is getting used to living in a communal space. The RA’s are always hosting activities, from video game tournaments to making “dirt cups” with pudding and gummy worms (shout out RA Stella). I really enjoyed living in Copeland my freshman year, because most of my friends also lived there, so it was really easy to just walk over to people’s rooms and hangout.

What’s your favorite thing about living in Portland?

My favorite part about living in Portland is that there is so much to do. There are always things going on downtown from festivals to concerts. Also the food scene in Portland is great. There are so many restaurants that I want to try and you can always find somewhere new to eat.

What’s one of your best Lewis & Clark memories so far?

One of my best L&C memories is last spring when the weather got nice again and everyone went out on the lawn. People were studying for finals, while others were playing spikeball and it was fun to end the school year hanging out with friends.

Why do you love playing sports at L&C? How do you balance athletics and academics?

I think that playing a sport at L&C is an incredible opportunity. I have met some of my best friends on my teams and there are a lot of fun opportunities to gain being a D3 athlete. As someone who plays a sport both in the fall and spring, it definitely is a challenge to balance athletics and academics, as the time commitment for athletics can seem like a lot. However, if you are able to manage your free time effectively, it is definitely possible to make time for school, sports and having fun.