|
46°F / 18°F |
|
Contact Information:
Elizabeth Bussian
(970) 247-7207
bussian_e2@fortlewis.edu
Fort Lewis College Fact Sheet
Overview
Fort Lewis College, a four-year college offering Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees, is Colorado's
designated public liberal arts college.
Story idea: Public liberal arts colleges offer a private liberal arts college experience ($32,000 tuition & fees)
at a state college price ($5,000 tuition & fees).
Mission Fort Lewis College offers accessible, high quality, baccalaureate liberal arts education to a diverse student
population, preparing citizens for the common good in an increasingly complex world.
Academic experience Fort Lewis College offers an individualized education through small classes instructed by
caring and attentive faculty. Our academic programs balance the need for specialized knowledge with the equally
important need for a "big picture" perspective grounded in real-world experience.
Story idea: The Accounting program credits real-life case simulations and close instruction from faculty for its
students' passing the CPA exam at a higher rate than any other undergraduate program in the state.
Spectacular setting Located at the foot of the San Juan Mountains and the headwaters for the Colorado Plateau, the
region's mountains, deserts, rivers, and canyons serve as both classrooms and playgrounds.
History In 1892 the U.S. Army post Fort Lewis was converted into a federal Indian boarding school. In 1911 the federal
government deeded the school's property to the state of Colorado with the agreement that state would offer
qualified Native Americans tuition-free education in perpetuity.
Story idea:
Fort Lewis is first in the nation in the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to Native American students.
Signature Programs
Common reading experience The campus community reads and discusses a best-selling nonfiction book.
Story idea: Headlines about mountain lion encounters prompted David Baron's "The Beast in the Garden" to be
selected as the 2009 Common Reading Experience book.
Community Based Learning and research Working with community partners, real-world problem solving and
research experiences are integrated into classes.
undergraduate research Invitations to join faculty-led research teams provide opportunities that are often reserved
only for graduate students at large universities.
education for global Citizenship This upper-division liberal arts program addresses our increasingly complex,
interdependent, and global society through study-abroad experiences and interdisciplinary courses.
Outdoor pursuits Fort Lewis' most popular student program, at 880 members strong, guides and outfits backcountry
adventures.
engineers without Borders The Fort Lewis chapter of this national organization proves the power of the liberal arts by
sending interdisciplinary teams to improve living conditions in Thailand and Ecuador.
Story idea: A Fort Lewis team won an EPA "People, Prosperity, and the Planet" grant to help develop
“The Digester,” a composter that turns human waste into cooking fuel.
By tHe nuMBerS
elevation 6,872 feet
number of students 3,746
Students from 48 states, 121 Indian tribes and Native Alaskan villages, and 20 nations
percentage of students from Colorado 68%
Multicultural population 30%
native American population 19%
Male:female ratio 52:48
Student to faculty ratio 17:1
percentage of classes with 19 or fewer students 53%
percentage of non-traditional age students 19%
number of majors, minors, and certificates offered 99
ranking of Business Administration degree among 07-08 grads 1
number of students living on campus 1,347
number of deer living on campus 8
number of clubs 70+ student organizations
ranking of Outdoor pursuits among student organizations 1
percentage of students whose favorite spot on campus is on the rim overlooking town 50%
Average annual tuition and fees for Colorado students $4,646
Average merit scholarship offered to freshmen $2,242
percentage of applicants who considered Fort Lewis 'very affordable' 85%
number of national championships in cycling 14
number of those championships that were in mountain biking 10
BeyOnd tHe nuMBerS
To really grasp who we are and what we believe, you should know:
we love being david (versus goliath) Fort Lewis College savors its head-to-head competitions with the big
universities in the arts, academics, and athletics.
Story idea: The Fort Lewis Jazz Ensemble edged UCLA (yes, that UCLA!) for 3rd place in the 2009 Reno
Jazz Festival.
Healthy work/life balance begins in college Corporations with cultures built on work/life balance recruit at Fort Lewis
because that's our culture, too. We work to live, not live to work.
green is our favorite color We love our mountains, deserts, rivers, and canyons. And we want to give back for those
gifts. Fort Lewis is a leader in green building, energy conservation, recycling, local food and programs that work to
keep the West at its best.
Story idea: Beginning with the 09/10 academic year, students, faculty, and staff driving low-emitting and fuel-
efficient cars will get a 20% parking-fee discount.
why we don't have online classes Our students prize faculty attention and our diverse student body because they
understand that higher education is not transmission of knowledge but an invitation to new worlds and experiences.
we're learning to trap and scoop Lacrosse is catching on in the West. Fort Lewis College joined this trend by recently
adding an NCAA Division II varsity women's lacrosse program.
Story idea: Lacrosse’s Native American roots makes it a perfect fit for Fort Lewis’ heritage as a Native American
educational institution.
