Author: WUpedia Contributor
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History of Nutria in Willamette Valley and University
Written by Student Contributor Juliette Burns, Class of 2026 Many newly arrived into the Willamette Valley may find themselves at a loss with the mention of a curious animal called a nutria. Some find them cute, some find them terrifying, and everyone is confused. Nutria (also called coypu) are semi-aquatic rodents native to South America,… Read more
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Thomas Van Scoy
Written by Juliette Burns, Class of 2026 Thomas Van Scoy was a lifelong theologian and school headmaster, working as the seventh president of Willamette University from 1880 to 1891. Van Scoy was born in Indiana in 1848. There is not much to be found about his early years until the age of seventeen, when he… Read more
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Whipple Clock Tower
Written by Juliette Burns, Class of 2026 The clock tower in Jackson Plaza on the Willamette University campus—officially known as Whipple Clock Tower—was built along with the Mark O. Hatfield Library and the plaza in mid-1986. Plans for the clock tower were in circulation as early as 1982, with original plans including a fountain to… Read more
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The Rose Gardens of Willamette University
Written by Juliette Burns, Class of 2026 Mission Rose Garden The first rose garden at Willamette University got its beginnings in a few conversations among flower enthusiasts. The Pioneer Rose Association, founded in February 1935, was a group of rose connoisseurs who were especially interested in the rose species brought to Oregon by pioneer women.1… Read more
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Barney, Blitz, and the Bearcat
Written by Juliette Burns Blitz the Bearcat, the well-liked Willamette mascot with a confusing animal origin, has a mascot history going back over a century. The bearcat itself was named Willamette University’s mascot to represent the school in sports events in 1915.1 For those not in the know, the bearcat is a real animal, also… Read more