Middle School Campus Visits
We are Booked for 2026
Thank you for your interest in Compass 2 Campus. We are fully booked for the 2026 season and are no longer taking new requests for 2026.
College is possible — and it starts here.
Compass 2 Campus welcomes middle school students to Western Washington University for campus visits designed for 6th-8th grade students. These visits spark curiosity, build confidence, and help students imagine themselves as future college students. As part of our mission to expand access to higher education, C2C especially seeks to inspire students who are first-generation, low-income, or from communities historically excluded from college opportunities. By connecting with current WWU mentors and experiencing campus life, students begin to see that higher education is not only possible, but within their reach.
To ensure your group has the best possible visit experience, please read through the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and Group Visit Policies below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Groups are generally limited to 45 students per visit, and at least one chaperone per 15 students is required. Depending on staff availability, we are sometimes able to accommodate larger groups. Please reach out early in the school year if you are interested in scheduling a campus visit for a group larger than 45 students.
Middle school campus visits are usually scheduled Tuesday-Thursday between 9:00am-3:00pm and last for 2-3 hours depending on the needs and interests of your group. Due to the volume of requests received for spring campus visits, we often have more open availability October-March.
Depending on the interests of your group and the availability of different activities on campus, a variety of experiences are available. Some possible activities include visiting the SMATE library and participating in hands-on STEM workshops, participating in an art class, or playing soccer with Western's soccer team. Here is an example of a middle school campus visit schedule:
- 9:45am: Arrive on campus
- 10:00-10:30am: SMATE library and workshops
- 10:45-11:15am: Soccer workshop
- 11:30am-12:15pm: Lunch in campus dining hall
- 12:30pm: Departure
Eating lunch in a college dining hall alongside Western students is an important part of building a sense of belonging on a college campus for middle school students. Thanks to the generous support of C2C donors, we are able to provide lunch in a college dining hall for a limited number of students. Priority is given to students from Title I schools who would otherwise not have this opportunity.
Visit requests must be submitted at least four weeks in advance. Larger groups, groups with special requests, or groups planning to visit April-June should submit visit requests as early in the school year as possible. C2C will prioritize visit requests from Title I schools and schools in Whatcom and Skagit county but welcomes requests from other schools and will accommodate these requests as our resources allow.
Once your request is received, C2C will reply to finalize the details. Your visit is not confirmed until you have received and completed a formal registration, which will be provided to you by the C2C Team via email.
All important information regarding your visit (parking, directions, etc.) will be shared with you via email. If you won't be chaperoning the visit, please be sure to add your primary chaperone's contact information to the registration form. WWU Emergency Management requires C2C to have cell phone numbers for all adult chaperones on file prior to minors visiting our campus.
Group Visit Policies
- At least one chaperone per 15 students is required. Chaperones are responsible for the behavior and safety of the students during the visit and must always stay with the group.
- Please make every effort possible to arrive on time for your visit and to follow all transportation related communication. Western's campus is busy and parking is strictly enforced. Adherence to schedules and transportation plans, including bus drop-off and pick-up locations, ensures that C2C is able to continue offering these visits to our school partners.
- Please notify compass2campus@wwu.edu of any changes to your visit, including the number of attendees, times of departure, or if you are cancelling at least one week in advance.
- While your group is on campus, classes and meetings are being held. Please remind your group to be quiet when inside buildings and treat our campus and community respectfully.
- Please let us know of any special needs or accommodations that will be needed for your group. This includes physical accommodations as well as language or other supports.
- Come prepared with questions about WWU and have fun!