Welcome to University of Puget Sound

This is the accessibility version designed specifically for users needing extra accessibility features.
Feel free to check out the original experience here.

Jones Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Welcome to the University of Puget Sound! Our 97-acre campus has been located in Tacoma's North End neighborhood since 1923. This is Jones Hall, our oldest building on campus and home to the Communication Studies and Theater Arts departments. Norton Clapp Theater, located on the second floor, shows more than 24 productions every year! Jones Hall is also an administrative hub where you'll find resources such as Student Financial Services and the Registrar's Office.

Wheelock Plaza

Tour stop audio transcript

Wheelock Plaza is the heart of our campus. Our iconic giant sequoia, planted in 1932, is the tallest tree on the grounds. Feeling hungry? Inside Wheelock Student Center, you'll find three campus eateries: the Diner featuring foods of multiple cultures, preparations, and allergy accommodations; the Cellar where students enjoy pizza, shakes and games in the evenings; and Diversions Café, serving up coffee, tea, and pastries. Wheelock is also home to the Bookstore with supplies and Logger merch, the student government ASUPS, and our award-winning college radio station KUPS-FM.

Athletics Center

Tour stop audio transcript

At Puget Sound, we love staying active! In addition to our awesome varsity athletics, Puget Sound students participate in club and intramural sports from Volleyball to Ultimate Frisbee. In fact, almost two-thirds of Puget Sound students are involved in sports! Athlete or not, our recently-renovated Athletics & Aquatics Center is open to all students and faculty. Take advantage of our 25-yard pool, a fitness center with cardio and weight equipment, an indoor climbing wall, and so much more! Afterwards, visit Lillis Café for a bagel sandwich or post-workout smoothie.

Commencement Walk

Tour stop audio transcript

Puget Sound is a highly-walkable campus with a forest of more than 1,500 trees and several native plants. Let's stroll down Commencement Walk, which extends from Memorial Fieldhouse all the way down to Collins Memorial Library, tying together the north and south ends of campus. Every May, the graduating class proceeds down Commencement Walk, hence the name. If you look down at the ground, you'll notice that a plaque with each graduating class year has been added to the pathway.

Weyerhaeuser Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Welcome to Weyerhaeuser Hall, the Center for Health Sciences! In addition to classrooms, the building contains multiple labs and clinics for hands-on learning. The Departments of Psychology and Exercise Science are both located in Weyerhaeuser, as well as our renowned School of Occupational and Physical Therapy (PT) and our graduate student-run onsite clinic. Since it was founded in 1975, PT students earn exceptionally high first-time passing rates on their professional licensing exams.

Thomas Hall (Careers/Alumni)

Tour stop audio transcript

Within 7 months of graduation, 93% of Puget Sound graduates are employed, continuing their education, and/or engaging in public service. This success is due in part to our alumni connections. Thomas Hall is a hub for alumni services, including Logger Link—a mentorship network for past and present students to connect, network, and engage in mentorship. Many alumni events take place in Thomas Hall, especially in the beautiful Tahoma Room where you can see Mt. Rainier on a clear day!

Wyatt Hall (Humanities)

Tour stop audio transcript

We've arrived at Wyatt Hall, the center for nine humanities departments, including History, Politics & Government, Sociology & Anthropology, and English. Wyatt's crowning jewel is the three-story window structure crafted by Dale Chihuly, an internationally-renowned glass artist who once attended Puget Sound. It's impossible to capture the beauty of the structure, especially when the sun shines through it on a sunny afternoon! For many students, it's a favorite place to settle down and study.

Science Center

Tour stop audio transcript

Thompson Hall and Harned Hall form our Science Center where you'll start learning before you even enter the classroom or laboratories! Gaze at the skeleton of a young male gray whale, found in 1973 and displayed in the atrium. Down a hallway with floors tiled to capture pi in binary code, you'll find the Foucault Pendulum, which visualizes the earth's rotation. The Slater Museum of Natural History is also located here, with one of the largest collections of birds' wings in the world. Outside in the courtyard, encased in a beautiful glass structure the shape of a salt crystal, is Oppenheimer Café.

Karlen Quad (Student Life)

Tour stop audio transcript

Take a deep breath! We're at Karlen Quad, one of the wide-open green spaces on Puget Sound campus. This is the scene for a sleepy afternoon spent reading on the lawn, or the jovial and bustling LogJam, our annual festival kicking off a new academic year. In the center of Karlen is the Pillar of Knowledge, inscribed with each class year, per tradition. Loggers enjoy many traditions, including the Puget Sound Plunge where graduating students dive into the ice-cold Puget Sound in their caps and gowns!

Fine Arts

Tour stop audio transcript

Welcome to the Music Building, the home for digital, studio, and performing arts. As you approach the building, you'll hear intricate melodies being practiced through open windows. Was that a tuba or a sousaphone? You'll have to catch a live performance at Schneebeck Concert Hall to find out! Need some inspiration? Kittredge Gallery presents exhibitions by local and nationally-recognized artists. Whether they're creating studio art, studying art history, honing their voices, or perfecting their instrument, the creatives at Puget Sound enrich our community.

Collins Library

Tour stop audio transcript

The Collins Memorial Library is so much more than four stories of books (though we love those too)—you'll find everything you need to go deeper into your interests. Explore the Makerspace for use of sewing machines, 3-D printers, laser cutters, and many other tools. It doesn't have to be for class, either: library resources are for work or play. The basement is home to Technology Services, including rentable equipment, a recording booth you can reserve to finally make that podcast, and many spaces to study as a group or alone.

Anderson/Langdon Hall (Residence)

Tour stop audio transcript

Most Puget Sound students live on campus in suites, houses, or residence halls, such as Anderson and Langdon. While living on campus, you'll do so much more than eat, sleep, and study—each floor has a community room for streaming shows, studying, or playing board and video games. In the quad outside, students hang out on warm evenings before retiring to their rooms. When it's too cold, they can head to the Cellar for pizza and games, or watch movie screenings for free every weekend.

McIntyre Hall (Business)

Tour stop audio transcript

Above all, Puget Sound prioritizes its academics. With an average class size of just 17 and a student-to-faculty ratio of 11:1, students have access to the resources and attention they need to achieve their goals. Another academic opportunity at Puget Sound is the Business and Leadership Program (BLP), based here in McIntyre Hall along with the School of Business. Students enrolled in the BLP receive a unique curriculum, including 7 program-exclusive classes. According to Forbes, Puget Sound was named 1 of 20 most entrepreneurial schools in the country.

Howarth Hall (Diversity and Inclusion)

Tour stop audio transcript

Diversity creates a better college experience for all, and we want to make sure communities feel supported while attending Puget Sound. Campus Pride Index awarded Puget Sound a four-star rating for institutional commitment to LGBTQ-inclusive policies, programs, and practices, and we extend the resources to support all Puget Sound students, including Student Accessibility & Accommodation and the Center for Writing and Learning. Howarth Hall houses many of these resources, as well as our African American Studies program and the Experiential Learning office where students can find internships, community projects, research, and study abroad opportunities.

Wilson Welcome Center

Tour stop audio transcript

Many prospective students begin their campus journey here at Wilson Welcome Center. There's a cozy hearth, light-filled presentation rooms, meeting spaces that students can book for club meetings and study sessions, and the Admission department offices, including the admission counselors you may have chatted with via email or phone. Haven't spoken to a counselor yet? They're available to answer your questions and concerns—simply send an email to admission@pugetsound.edu to begin!

Student Engagement

Tour stop audio transcript

At Puget Sound, student support and activities come from peers as well as staff! Welcome to a few of our student centers, located just down the street from the rest of Puget Sound campus. Most notable are the Center for Student Support (also called "the Yellow House"), the Student Diversity Center, and the Social Justice Center. Student Clubs also have gathering places here, including the Expeditionary, where students can rent outdoor equipment and coordinate trips and events with other adventurous peers. When you knock on a door, community awaits!

Theme Row

Tour stop audio transcript

Most Puget Sound students live on campus, as it's required for the first two years. Here on Theme Row, students enjoy an extra level of community with houses specially curated for different identities and interests. For example, there has been a Music House for music students, a Japanese House where students immerse themselves in the Japanese language, and a Track & Cross-Country House for runners. Many houses have their own themes already, and others can be chosen by returning students. Greek life students who belong to fraternities and sororities can also live in their affiliated houses elsewhere on campus.

Proctor

Tour stop audio transcript

We can't forget to show you some of our favorite parts of being located in Tacoma, Washington! Tacoma was named 1 of 50 Best College Towns in the US, after all. First up is Proctor, located half-a-mile north of campus and absolutely adorable. Spend your day at one of many coffee shops, grab a scoop of ice cream at an ice cream social, visit the farmers market, or stop by the Met Market for the famous sweet known simply as "THE COOKIE".

6th Ave District

Tour stop audio transcript

Half-a-mile in the other direction is 6th Avenue, a common hangout for Puget Sound students due to its abundance of cheaper, delicious eats and cool shops. Find a vintage treasure at Scorpio Rising, or explore the vinyl at Hi-Voltage Records. Then, grab a slice of cake at The Cat and the Rabbitt to top it all off. You'll never stop exploring (or eating!) on 6th Avenue.

Downtown Tacoma

Tour stop audio transcript

Historic downtown Tacoma is not only stunningly beautiful, but full of activities. Watch an arthouse movie at The Grand Cinema, eat a beautiful dinner when your family is in town, or catch a concert at the Rialto Theater. The Museum District has 6 museums to explore, making it the greatest concentration of museums in the state of Washington. There are also many internship opportunities in Tacoma, including the Emergency Food Network, Hilltop Artists, and the Northwest Immigration Rights Project.

2022 Experience the Pacific Northwest

Tour stop audio transcript

The Pacific Northwest combines beautiful nature, exciting cities, and great career opportunities. Point Defiance Park, one of the largest urban parks in the United States with hiking trails and beach access, is just minutes from campus. Students take ski trips and overnight camping trips to the surrounding mountains, and kayak the Puget Sound. When it's time to hit the town, Tacoma offers much to do, or students can take a bus for less than an hour north to Seattle. What will you explore in the Pacific Northwest?

Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames