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Full-Time Atkinson Graduate Program Orientation

Welcome incoming Atkinson Graduate School of Management Graduate Students! We are so excited to have you join the Willamette community.

Compass Week

Compass Week is the Early Career and Career Change MBA, 1-Year MBA and MS in Accounting and Finance graduate program orientation which takes place Tuesday, August 18 through Thursday, August 20, 2026. All incoming students to the Early Career and Career Change, 1-Year MBA and MS in Accounting and Finance graduate MBA programs are required to participate. There is an additional mandatory day of Orientation for all International Students on Monday, August 17, 2026.

Designed to get your graduate school journey started on the right foot, Compass Week focuses on preparing students for effective scholarly practice, professional readiness, and community engagement. Compass week provides incoming students with an opportunity to meet fellow classmates, faculty, and staff. The Compass Week agenda will include program resources, academic modules and exercises, team-building activities, career development, opportunities to meet faculty, and much more.

See below for this year's current draft schedule. Participants will receive a printed final schedule on Tuesday morning.

2026 Schedule

8:00 AM 9:00 AM Check-in, Welcome Breakfast Kaneko Atrium
9:00 AM 9:10 AM Welcome from Willamette University President Stephen Thorsett, President Kaneko 120
9:10 AM 9:20 AM Welcome from Atkinson Graduate School of Management (AGSM), Staff Introductions Romana Autrey, Dean Kaneko 120
9:20 AM 10:00 AM The Atkinson Experience Jim Ostler, Associate Dean Kaneko 120
10:00 AM 10:15 AM Break
10:15 AM 12:00 PM Getting to Know Kaneko Treasure Hunt Katrina Garcia, Assistant Director of Career Management Kaneko 120
12:00 PM 1:15 PM Lunch Goudy Commons
1:15 PM 2:00 PM Student Resource Panel Lisa Logan, Director of the Gender Resource & Advocacy Center (GRAC); Juliane Corpus, Director of Intercultural Engagement & Inclusion; Marisa Moser, Director of Accessible Education Services Kaneko 120
2:00 PM 2:15 PM Break
2:15 PM 3:00 PM Student Affairs Support Resources Heather Kropf, Assistant Vice President & Dean of Students Kaneko 120
3:00 PM 3:15 PM Atkinson Student Association (ASA) Executive Board Introductions Keegan Obert, President & ASA Executive Members Kaneko 120
3:15 PM 3:30 PM Treasure Hunt Votes and Awards ASA Executive Members Kaneko 120
3:30 PM 5:00 PM ASA Team Building ASA Executive Members Kaneko 120
8:30 AM 9:00 AM Check-in, Coffee & Tea Kaneko 120
9:00 AM 11:30 AM Achieving Success at Atkinson Jim Ostler, Associate Dean Kaneko 120
11:30 AM 12:00 PM Managerial Disciplines Overview Jon Thompson, Associate Professor of Economics Kaneko 120
12:00 PM 1:30 PM Lunch with Faculty Kaneko Breakout Rooms
1:30 PM 2:30 PM Alumni Panel: Making the Most of AGSM Anne Lapour & Katrina Garcia, Assistant Director of Career Management Kaneko 120
2:30 PM 3:15 PM AI Orientation Session Tim Johnson, Grace & Elmer Goudy Associate Professor of Public Management, Applied AI & Quantitative Methods Kaneko 120
3:15 PM 3:30 PM Break
3:30 PM 4:30 PM Digital Tools presented by Willamette Integrated Technology Services (WITS) Chris Olivia, End User Computing & Audio-Visual Technician & Sarah Andyshak, Director of the Digital Learning Studio/Instructional Technologist Kaneko 120
8:30 AM 9:00 AM Check-in, Coffee & Tea Kaneko 120
9:00 AM 10:15 AM Career Management Introduction Anne Lapour, Executive Director of Career Initiatives & Katrina Garcia, Assistant Director of Career Management Kaneko 120
10:15 AM 10:30 AM Break
10:30 AM 11:45 AM Networking 101 Anne Lapour, Executive Director of Career Initiatives & Katrina Garcia, Assistant Director of Career Management Kaneko 120
11:45 AM 12:00 PM Group Photo Naomi Luhn, Photographer TBD
12:00 PM 1:30 PM Lunch & Headshots Kaneko 123
1:30 PM 3:00 PM Employer Insights Panel Anne Lapour, Executive Director of Career Initiatives & Katrina Garcia, Assistant Director of Career Management Kaneko 120
3:00 PM 3:15 PM Break
3:15 PM 4:00 PM Professionalism Kieran O'Connor, Associate Professor of Management Kaneko 120
4:00 PM 4:45 PM Mentor/mentee Meet-Up ASA Executive Members Kaneko 120
7:00 PM 10:00 PM Thursday Night Out (TNO) ASA Executive Members Taproot, 356 State Street, Salem

Important Resources

The following information will be helpful to you as you begin your graduate school journey with us this fall.

Throughout Compass Week, you will participate in various programs and activities that will provide you with opportunities to meet and interact with the Atkinson Graduate School of Management faculty and staff, as well as get to know each other. Some days will require business casual or business professional attire, and others will be more casual. Please consult the final Compass Week schedule for attire expectations throughout the week.

For the fall semester, all first-year students will have class each day, Monday through Thursday. Classes may start as early as 8:00 a.m. and end as late as 5:00 p.m.

All first-year graduate students are pre-registered for a standard schedule of required classes in fall semester. Your individual class schedule is available to view later in the summer.

View the full schedule of courses available each semester online.

Your book list is on the Willamette Bookstore site after your class schedule is available. Although you may choose to purchase your books from the Willamette Bookstore, it is not required.

  • Mandatory International Student Orientation is on Monday, August 17, 2026.
  • Compass Week Orientation is Tuesday, August 18, 2026 – Thursday, August 20, 2026.
  • Fall semester classes begin on Monday, August 24, 2026.
  • You can view the EC/CC academic calendar for 2026-2027 online

Willamette Atkinson Graduate School of Management
Kaneko, 2nd floor
(503) 370-6167

Willamette Atkinson Graduate School of Management Career Management
Kaneko, 1st floor
(503) 370-6790

The Service Center
Student IDs, Parking Permits, Bike Registration
University Services Building
(503) 370-6300

Office of Financial Aid
1st Floor Waller Hall
(503) 370-6273 (voice)
(877) 744-3736 (toll free)

Student Accounts
Tuition payments, refunds, 1098-T tax information
University Services Building
(503) 370-5308

Bishop Wellness Center
Health Services, Student Insurance, and Counseling
Baxter Hall, Salem Campus
(503) 370-6062

Accessible Education Services
Disability accommodations
Smullin Hall 155, Salem Campus
(503) 370-6737

Office of International Education
International student support
Global Learning Center, NW corner of Baxter near Smullin and Ford Halls
(503) 370-5493

Campus Recreation
Putnam University Center, 2nd floor
(503) 370-6008

Please see Tuition and Financial Aid for a breakdown of tuition, fees, and estimated expenses for full-time tuition.

Willamette Integrated Technology Services (WITS) is Willamette's technology services group. WITS manages the campus' network, email systems, computer labs, and more. They provide students with their network account which is used to access Willamette's technology resources, as well as student technology support.

WITS keeps updated computer recommendations for students, including incoming MBA students. Please check out this page for information about suggested computer specifications.

WITS has a Help Desk in Smullin 118. The Help Desk can be reached at (503) 370-6767 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm during the school year, and 8:00 am to 4:30 pm during the summer.

The Willamette Atkinson Graduate School of  Management Career Management, located on the first floor of the Kaneko Building, is a valuable student resource, dedicated to creating employment and professional development opportunities for students and alumni. You will have the opportunity to meet and interact with the Career Management staff during Orientation.

For more information about Atkinson Student Groups, please visit Student Organizations at Willamette MBA.

Please see Veterans Affairs for more information about Veterans Education Benefits.

Willamette University

Office of Admissions

  • Graduate and Professional Center

    Address

    Ecotrust Building
    721 NW 9th Ave
    Portland Oregon 97209 U.S.A.

    Contact

    503-370-6303

    Contact Us