Welcome to Western Michigan University

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OLD Welcome to WMU

Tour stop audio transcript

Welcome to Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan! WMU combines the resources of a major research university with the personal attention and warm atmosphere often found at a small college. A student to faculty ratio of 17:1 and an average class size of 32 gives students the edge they need to succeed in school, the workplace and life. At WMU, we are learner centered, discovery driven and globally engaged. We invite you to continue your tour of campus, where you'll see why we're a destination of choice. We've started at one of our main entrances to campus.

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OLD Student Recreation Center

Tour stop audio transcript

The WMU Student Recreation Center is the largest recreation facility in the Mid-American Conference, totaling 240,000 sqare feet. Students have unlimited use of the facility and amenities, including a swimming pool, indoor track, 45-foot indoor climbing wall, 8,000 sq. ft. weight room, spin room, eight basketball courts and much more! If fitness classes are more your style, come on in for yoga, Cycle Fit, Zumba, Pilates, kickboxing, and more! Students who live in the residence halls can take 18 classes for free! Or if you're looking for team athletics, there are three levels of sports at WMU, including varsity, club and intramural.

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OLD Bernhard Center

Tour stop audio transcript

The Bernhard Center is the heart of campus life at WMU! Students come here to eat, study, shop, and meet up with fellow Broncos. On the main floor, students can access the Bernhard Cafe and Market and the WMU Bookstore. Head downstairs to visit the food court, computer lab and the Global Lounge. The Student Organization Center and WMU Signature offices can also be found in the building, near the Hoejke/Bigelow dining center. Adjacent to the Student Center, Ellsworth Hall houses a variety of units that provide academic support services for students such as exploratory advising, the writing center, military affairs and the Center for English Language and Culture for International Students.

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OLD Sangren Plaza

Tour stop audio transcript

WMU has made it a priority to foster an accepting and welcoming community for all. Diversity on our campus means understanding that each individual is unique and that our commonalities and differences make the contributions we have to offer all the more valuable. WMU is dedicated to serving students from diverse backgrounds through the Office of LBGT Student Services, the Division of Multicultural Affairs, Disability Services for Students and the Autism Services Center, to name a few. Near the center of campus, flagpoles celebrate the diversity of our populations by rotating flags from nations around the world, as nearly eight percent of WMU students are international.

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OLD Sangren Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Home to the College of Education and Human Development, the 230,000-square-foot Sangren Hall was completed in 2012 at a cost of just under $60 million. This building is dedicated to educating future teachers and human develpoment professionals, with more than four dozen classrooms, an education library, thousands of instructional seats, and a large grants and research center. WMU is also the only institution in the state of Michigan to host a TeachLIVE Lab, a mixed reality teaching environment. The programs offered by the college include professional preparation for careers in pre-K-12 schools, design firms, health and wellness agencies, sport and recreation venues, community organizations, and a variety of business settings.

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OLD Western Heights Residence Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Most first-year students choose the convenience and support of living in the residence halls while making the transition to university life. Western Heights is a freshmen-focused residence hall complex and is in close proximity to the Bernhard Center, Student Recreation Center and Sangren Hall. The design, which is the first of its type in Michigan, is intended to build community engagement and facilitate academic success. Each living area is arranged into houses of 30-35 students on each floor with a kitchen and study area, plus centrally private bathrooms maintained by staff. Central community spaces on four levels feature laundry and study areas, an open-air terrace, plus entertainment and game rooms.

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OLD Valley Neighborhood

Tour stop audio transcript

Campus residence halls are located in three neighborhoods. The Valley neighborhood features suites where two student rooms share a connecting bathroom. These large, coed halls have a picturesque, peaceful setting and are close to the Haworth College of Business, Intramural Fields and Goldsworth Valley pond. This neighborhood offers a variety of Living Learning Communities, which are an opportunity for students to live on a floor with peers who share similar interests, schedules or majors. These communities help facilitate study groups, social connections and exposure to a more engaging University experience. The adjacent Goldsworth Valley pond offers scenic views where students are often seen in gathering spaces enjoying the natural setting.

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OLD Valley Dining Center

Tour stop audio transcript

WMU Dining Services offers a variety of dining options to meet a wide range of food preferences and needs. One of four dining halls, the Valley Dining Center features nine micro-restaurants that offer a wide variety of on-trend flavorful and healthy options. For example, Blazin' Bronco offers a traditional grill menu with a wings bar, while Cilantro's features Latin American tastes with fresh-baked tortillas, burritos and wraps. A special, allergy-free zone called My Pantry exists for students with food allergies or individual dietary needs. WMU Dining Services is the largest employer of students on campus, offering flexible work schedules and convenient work locations for student employees.

OLD Schneider Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Schneider Hall is home to WMU's Haworth College of Business. The college is one of the largest schools of business in the United States and is among an elite group of fewer than 5 percent of business schools worldwide that are accredited at both the undergraduate and graduate levels by the AACSB International. Over 3,500 undergraduates major in 18 specialized areas of business, including the top ranked Integrated Supply Management. An additional 500 graduate students study business administration and accountancy. Within Schneider Hall, the Zhang Career Center, Greenleaf Trust trading room and Sanford Center for Financial Planning and Wellness provide exceptional opportunies for business students.

OLD Lee Honors College

Tour stop audio transcript

WMU is a destination for elite students who choose to engage with faculty through mentored research and creative activity experiences, like many students in the Lee Honors College. Home to more than 1,700 high-achieving students, students complete programs of study in every one of WMU's seven academic colleges. Founded in 1962, the Lee Honors College is one of the oldest honors colleges in the country. Honors college members receive benefits like priority course registration and small class sizes. Students can engage in unique educational offerings open only to honors students, such as Study in the States, where students travel across the U.S. to experience place-based learning.

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OLD Waldo Library/Chemistry Building

Tour stop audio transcript

If the Bernhard Center is the heart of campus, then Waldo Library is considered the brain. With over 1.3 million books and more than a half million electronic sources, students have a world of resources at their fingertips. And while Waldo Library is an excellent place to study, students can also play in the virtual reality labs or relax in the common areas. Also in the central area of campus, the Chemistry Building presents students with spacious classroom and laboratory environments which accommodate physical chemistry, organic chemistry and instruction in advanced instrumental methods. The building offers research workspace suitable for advanced biochemistry, quantitative analysis and chemistry coursework for health professionals.

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OLD Fine Arts campus/Miller Fountain

Tour stop audio transcript

Welcome to Miller Plaza! This section of campus is home to the only College of Fine Arts in Michigan, where 1,200 students make up the Frostic School of Art, Department of Dance, School of Music and Department of Theatre. WMU is one of only eight colleges of fine arts in the nation that has all of its programs professionally accredited. Students experience professional learning environments for the performing and visual arts, including performance halls, studios, exhibition spaces, laboratories and classrooms. Students from the college perform in 1,000 shows annually. Nearby, Miller Auditorium is the premier performing arts venue in West Michigan featuring touring productions straight from Broadway, live concerts, and more.

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OLD Arts and Sciences

Tour stop audio transcript

The College of Arts and Sciences represents the foundation of learning and the academic heart of WMU. With 26 departments and interdisciplinary programs, WMU's largest college provides a high-quality education in the liberal arts from world-class researchers and teachers, bridging the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Faculty of the college rank among the finest scholars and researchers at WMU and in the country, and students receive personal attention from these top educators. Research facilities are spread across campus, including the nearby Finch Greenhouse, a state-of-the-art greenhouse facility which provides faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students the opportunity to conduct plant, plant-insected and related research in a controlled environment.

OLD Western View Apartments

Tour stop audio transcript

Residence Life offers multiple housing options that evolve with students' needs and interests, and Western View apartments and community center are no exception! Found in our west residential neighborhood, the complex is designed for upperclassmen and graduate students who prefer the independence of apartment-style housing. The west neighborhood provides easy access to off-campus amenities while students stay connected to campus in a safe, collegiate environment. Located near Kohrman Hall, Miller Auditorium and Trimpe Hall, Western View apartments offer in-room laundry, kitchens, free parking, air conditioning, key card entry system, and a private bathroom per bedroom. A Bronco Transit stop is nearby for bus transportation on- and off-campus.

OLD Health and Human Services

Tour stop audio transcript

In 2005, WMU's College of Health and Human Services consolidated its programs under one roof, a striking facility which represents the best of technology and humanitarianism. Teaching labs mirror today's clinical environments. Students learn with patient simulations and the latest educational technology, like SimMan 3G and the Anatomage table. The college offers unmatched clinical learning through the Unified Clinics and the Center for Disability Services, where the community can access unique clinical care while students practice under the watchful eyes of expert faculty practitioners. Interprofessional teams are the norm in health care today, so the college regularly brings together disciplines for learning activities to prepare students for today's healthcare workplace.

OLD Bronco Athletics

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The Western Michigan Division of Intercollegiate Athletics is extremely proud of the heritage and history of the University as a cornerstone of the Kalamazoo community. WMU is an NCAA Division I school in the Mid-American Conference and National Collegiate Hockey Conference. With options for men and women, athletics adds to the vitality of campus life by offering 16 varsity sports. Most student fans visit Waldo Stadium, home to the football team since 1939, or other prominent facilities like Lawson Arena and Read Fieldhouse. To generate school spirit, the Bronco Marching Band and Cheer and Dance teams often make appearances. Nearly all sporting events on campus are free to students.

OLD Engineering and Applied Sciences

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With a $100 million high-tech facility at WMU's Parkview Campus, the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences is housed in Floyd Hall. With over 323,000 square feet of teaching and research space, the facility includes seven computer teaching labs, 75 research and teaching laboratories, and a number of flexible classroom and lecture spaces. The college offers 14 undergraduate programs in engineering, engineering technology and applied sciences, plus 11 master's degree programs and seven doctoral programs. Every program is accredited. Students spend time on main campus as well as on the Parkview Campus and can take a free four-mile shuttle back and forth every 30 minutes.

OLD Aviation

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The College of Aviation at WMU offers the only comprehensive aviation program at a public university in Michigan, and with nearly 900 undergraduate students, is one of the largest aviation programs in the nation. Backed by over 75 years of aviation experience and our excellent industry reputation, the college is a powerful force in the future of aviation training. The College of Aviation has grown into a world renowned program with an elite industry reputation. With a fleet of 26 Cirrus SR20s, the college is home to the largest flight school in the Midwest. It occupies 92,000 square feet on 20 acres at the WK Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek.

OLD Heritage Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Originally built in 1903, East Hall was extensively renovated in 2015 into the Heritage Hall we see today, home of the WMU Alumni Center on Prospect Hill. The hall houses the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, and the building's interior spaces are heavily devoted to WMU's history. Across the parking lot, Walwood Hall is home to the Graduate College. WMU has engaged in graduate education for over 60 years and welcomes over 1,000 new graduate students each year. Our WMU Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine and WMU Thomas M. Cooley Law School put us in the elite company of only 70 U.S. universities with medical and law schools.

OLD Downtown Kalamazoo

Tour stop audio transcript

Halfway between Detroit and Chicago, and easily accessible by plane, train or bus, Kalamazoo is a thriving center of higher education and home to international pharmaceutical and life sciences companies. With a population of about 75,000, this area is a hub of art, entertainment and outdoor recreation. With over 450 nearby restaurants, 83 lakes with public access, 22 public golf courses, 10 live performance theatres, 3 ski resorts, and a biking/hiking trail, there is plenty to do, both indoors and out. Students have ample opportunity to earn real-world experience through nationally known local companies by taking advantage of internships and off-campus employment options.

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