<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="" width="1440" height="690" 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/650/100315__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" width="1440" height="690" 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="" width="1440" height="690" 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/650/106261_F94A7135.jpg" class="lw_preview_image lw_disable_preview" tabindex="-1"><picture class="lw_image lw_image106261"><source media="(max-width: 500px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/106261_F94A7135.rev.1744996863.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/106261_F94A7135.rev.1744996863.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/1/106261_F94A7135.rev.1744996863.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/500/height/240/crop/1/106261_F94A7135.rev.1744996863.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/1/106261_F94A7135.rev.1744996863.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/106261_F94A7135.rev.1744996863.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/1/106261_F94A7135.rev.1744996863.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/698/width/800/height/383/crop/1/106261_F94A7135.rev.1744996863.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/1/106261_F94A7135.rev.1744996863.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/1/106261_F94A7135.rev.1744996863.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/1/106261_F94A7135.rev.1744996863.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/1/106261_F94A7135.rev.1744996863.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/698/width/1440/height/690/crop/1/106261_F94A7135.rev.1744996863.jpg" alt="New Student Peer Mentors from Fall 2024" width="1440" height="690" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/698/width/1440/height/690/crop/1/106261_F94A7135.rev.1744996863.jpg 2x" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="2133" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a><div class="hero-full_image_caption collapsable-caption">New Student Peer Mentors from Fall 2024</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! " width="1440" height="690" 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>

/ 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) serves all new students—first year and transfer—as they transition to college life at Lewis & Clark. Authentic relationships, innovative practice, care-driven support, and learning mindsets form the foundation of our work. We focus on setting students up for success by cultivating a sense of belonging and equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge, so that one day they can proudly call themselves Lewis & Clark alumni.

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

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.

A sunny scene with multiple people walking on paths near Frank Manor House on the Undergraduate Campus. Tall trees and ferns are visible.

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!

A student with long red hair lies on a sunny lawn, working on a laptop. A backpack and coffee cup are next to them.

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

The New Student Summer Checklist launches June 10 and is designed to help you navigate new student tasks leading up to class registration and your arrival on campus.

The common reading is a New Student Orientation tradition, where all faculty and new students read the same book or articles. During NSO, you will hear from a distinguished speaker related to the reading and have the opportunity to participate in a professor-led small group discussion. More information to come soon about this year’s reading.

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 four-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.

47
U.S. states represented in our undergraduate student body
2,139
As of fall 2024, there are 2,139 degree-seeking students enrolled at Lewis & Clark College.
12%
of our students are from countries other than the U.S.
125
of our undergraduate students are Third Culture Kids.
U.S. News
Lewis & Clark is on U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 “Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” list.

First-Year Experience

Meet Your Team