Self-Guided Walking Tour Information

Upon exiting the front entrance, turn left on UR Drive and cross over Westhampton Way. On your left will be the main walkway leading up the hill between Cannon Memorial Chapel and Gottwald Center for the Sciences.

The University Forum is the heart of campus life and a central outdoor gathering space. This area is often bustling with activity, especially during Welcome Week, our annual celebration to kick off the academic year. You won’t want to miss SpiderFest, which showcases hundreds of ways to get involved as a student with our 200+ student-run clubs. During mid-term and exam weeks, our Caring K-9 therapy dogs like to hang out at The Forum, providing our Spiders with some much-needed stress relief.

To your right is the historic (134) Cannon Memorial Chapel that is home to the University Chaplaincy, a great resource for all students who want to practice their faith or explore their spirituality. To your left is (138) Gottwald Center for the Sciences that houses our four science majors and many dynamic research labs.

Gottwald Center for the Sciences is home to our four science majors on campus: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Gottwald includes 22 teaching laboratories and 50 student- faculty research laboratories, as well as facilities for organic chemistry, biochemistry and neuroscience; a quantitative science center; a nuclear magnetic resonance center; and a digital biological imaging center. In fact, eighty percent of faculty research projects in the School of Arts and Sciences involve undergraduate students. Recently, neuroscience students worked in Dr. Lambert’s lab, studying the effect of natural-enriched environments on the brain and behavior of rats. This study culminated in teaching the rats how to drive tiny robot cars in exchange for treats – an accomplishment that gained national recognition! Through The Richmond Guarantee, every undergraduate is guaranteed up to $4,000 in fellowship funding for a summer internship or research project.

Passing Cannon Memorial Chapel on your right, continue right on the upper level walkway to enter Tyler Haynes Commons.

Tyler Haynes Commons is the heart of campus and the hub of student life and campus activities. Here you will find the Career Services — Advising Suite, the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Center for Student Involvement, the Office of Common Ground, the SpiderShop, and more, all nestled in this building that spans the lake. Two of our diversity initiatives, Common Ground and the Office of Multicultural Affairs, aim to help students connect with cultural affinity groups, and organize cultural celebrations like Black History Month and LGBTQ History Month. Whether you are interested in community service, social justice and equality, or starting an organization, the Tyler Haynes Commons is here to help. Tyler Haynes Commons is also home to two dining options including Tyler’s Grill, which is a grab n’ go style eatery, and The Cellar, which is our on-campus sit-down restaurant. Between Tyler’s Grill and The Cellar sits The Current. The Current is a community space, designed by students, where Spiders may utilize flat screen TVs to play video games and watch movies with friends. Gaming and movie equipment can be rented from the Center for Student Involvement. Tyler Haynes Commons has a variety of resources for all Richmond students and is sure to be one of your most frequented buildings on campus.

Once you exit the other end of the Commons, proceed up the hill on the main path and bear left after Boatwright Memorial Library, entering Stern Quadrangle.

Jepson School of Leadership Studies was the first leadership school founded in the nation in 1992, and there are now over 40 other leadership schools and/or programs modeled after it. The Jepson curriculum helps students understand leadership not only as a position but also as a process and a relationship among people. Students in Jepson learn how to examine issues from varied perspectives, and seek innovative solutions to problems. Courses challenge students to think critically, communicate effectively, and anticipate change. Most classes are discussion-based, involve an experiential learning component, and are taught by professors from various disciplines. In fact, Jepson houses English professors, philosophers, social scientists, and even a member of the Mayor’s Office in downtown Richmond. Graduates of Jepson have gone on to pursue careers in sales, marketing, public policy, education, consulting, international affairs, and much more.

As you walk past Jepson Hall, with Ryland Hall on your right, up the hill you will see the Robins School of Business on your right and the University of Richmond School of Law on your left.

University of Richmond School of Law, founded in 1870, enjoys the same low student-to-faculty ratio as all other branches of the University. A handful of the Law School courses are cross-listed for both undergraduates and JD students, so undergraduate students do have the opportunity to get a glimpse into law school life. In fact, some of our First Year Seminars including ‘Framing the U.S. Constitution and ‘Wrongful Convictions in Modern America’ are taught by law professors. Richmond’s School of Law offers extensive clinical programs such as family law, education rights, actual innocence, and intellectual property, that offer real-life experience. For those interested in the corporate world, the Law School also offers a joint JD and MBA program with Richmond’s Robins School of Business.

From Ryland Circle turn left on the pathway between the School of Law and Jepson Hall. Bear right on Founders Walk, entering the courtyard of the Carole Weinstein International Center.

The Carole Weinstein International Center is Richmond’s state-of-the-art hub for efforts to internationalize the curriculum, explore, and appreciate new cultures. Weinstein is home to several academic disciplines with ample faculty and classroom spaces. Weinstein also houses the Office of International Education which is an amazing resource for our international students and students who want to study abroad. About one in 10 of our undergraduates are international students who come from every corner of the globe. Richmond is second in the nation for total students who study abroad with more than two-thirds of our undergraduates spend time abroad; more than triple the national average. Richmond offers over seventy-five study abroad programs in over thirty different countries. Our Office of International Education works to mentor students through program selection, credit transfer, as well as travel logistics and finances. Financial Aid travels abroad, and every student receives travel assistance and a cultural excursion stipend. We also bring international scholars to teach courses and conduct research. One of the most loved on-campus eateries, Passport Café, is also located in the Weinstein Center. Passport Café offers international cuisine from sushi, gelato, croissants, and rotates lunch specials weekly.

Pass through the courtyard and cross the street, heading straight for Robins Stadium.

Robins Stadium seats 8,700 and is a multi-sport venue serving the University’s football, men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, and women’s track & field programs. Richmond has 17 Division I sports and has powerhouse teams in football, basketball, lacrosse, swim/dive, tennis, golf, and more that compete in the A10 and Colonial Athletic Conferences. Tickets are free for students, so they never have to miss a chance to show off their Spider Pride. Did you know Richmond is the only college with a spider mascot?

Turn left from Robins Stadium, passing by the newly constructed Well-Being Center and the Robins Center on your right.

The Weinstein Center for Recreation features two floors of fitness machines and free weights, several multipurpose rooms for free exercise classes, squash and rac¬quetball courts, a swimming pool, a three-court gymnasium, and sauna facilities. Students with an interest in outdoor recreation may rent kayaks, tents, mountain bikes, and other camping equipment. Our Outdoor Adventure and Recreation program also hosts a variety of guided outings including whitewater rafting on the James River and hiking the Appalachian Mountains. In addition to the 17 Division I varsity sports teams, Richmond boasts 30 club sports teams, and numerous intramural teams. The newest addition to the Weinstein Center for Recreation is the Well-Being Center. At Richmond, we take a holistic approach to wellness and work to ensure that every student has easy access to well-being resources that support learning, success, and a well-balanced life.

The Well-Being Center is a comprehensive and integrated facility that serves as a one-stop-shop for all on-campus health and wellness services. The Well-Being Center includes massage therapy rooms, a Himalayan salt room, and a meditation garden. The demonstration kitchen and healthy eating café promote good nutrition. The Well-Being Center also houses our Counseling and Psychological Services and our Student Health Center, fully integrating all elements of mental and physical health care into one convenient and accessible facility.

Lakeview Hall is a suite-style co-ed residence hall that houses several Sophomore Scholars In Residence living-learning communities. Students live in groups of 16 and participate together in a class, group travel, and co-curricular activities with a faculty mentor. In addition to suite-style housing, upperclassmen are able to select to live in our on-campus apartments that include a kitchen and living space. With the many different living style options, Richmond is a highly residential campus. In fact, about 90% of students live on campus.

Follow the lake path back towards Tyler Haynes Commons. On your left will be Boatwright Memorial Library.

Boatwright Memorial Library stands atop a rolling hill with a stunning view of Westhampton Lake. Boatright is open 24 hours a day, 5 days a week with reduced hours on the weekends and condensed floor access and increased security during late night hours. It houses 8:15, our on campus coffee shop that sells La Columbe coffee where you can always find students whether they are catching up with friends or grabbing a late night snack for a night of studying. Boatwright Memorial Library has many levels, with a collaborative work area on the first floor where students can work on group projects or utilize the larger group study rooms, but as you move up and downstairs, levels become “Quiet” or “Silent” sections, rules very much adhered to by our students. Boatwright also houses classrooms, a courtyard, group and individual study rooms, a lab, and an auditorium – no matter how Spiders prefer to learn, they’re bound to find the perfect atmosphere here. There are computers available on all floors for students to use by logging in using their student ID. Every student gets 400 printing credits to use per semester, which is plenty in order to print out papers and readings for class. Students also take advan¬tage of a number of resource centers in Boatwright, including the Media Resource, Technology Learning, and Academic Skills Center. Through our Academic Skills Center, students may learn time-management techniques or connect with a peer tutor for help with a tough course.

Follow the path around the lake. Once you pass Tyler Haynes Commons, climb the stairs on your left entering the University Forum. From the Forum you will continue straight on Wilton Way, stopping at Heilman Center on your right.

Heilman Dining Center is the central dining hall offering all-you-care-to-eat dining. The Heilman Dining Center is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the academic year, and guests are always welcome. Residential first-year students enroll in the Spider Unlimited Meal Plan; this plan provides unlimited meals in the dining hall and eight-hundred dining dollars to spend at our eight other satellite eateries on campus. There are a variety of different food stations that rotate their offerings either daily or weekly, so the options never get old. From Mongolian Grill and Mediterranean Bowls, to pizza and made-to-order paninis, there are always new and delicious options. The dining hall is also very accommodating for allergies or other dietary restrictions. We have an on-campus dietician who works with students to create meal plans and provides students with dietary restrictions a key to access a separate cabinet and fridge for any special food items. Also, all food stations indicate what allergens may be present so there is never any guesswork in choosing what to eat. The Heilman Dining Center is also home to the campus post office and a convenience store, E.T.C. that has all the late night snacks and miscellaneous items our students might need.

Continue up the hill on Wilton Way. Once you cross Westhampton Way, turn left in front of Booker Hall of Music and continue straight to the front entrance of the Modlin Center for the Arts.

The Modlin Center for the Arts and Booker Hall of Music are home to our Visual and Performing Arts. The Modlin Center supports two-hundred and fifty events annually in four spectacular theatres. While the Modlin Center does host international acts on campus, most of which are either free or discounted to students, the concert halls are not just for world-renowned artists. The Modlin Center contains a series of performance spaces that are regularly used by students in Theatre, Dance, and Music. From student groups like the University Dancers and the University Players, to our numerous music ensembles (we have everything from a capella to jazz!) – the opportunities to showcase artistic talents and gain on-stage experience are endless. Booker Hall, home to our Music department, is where you’ll find the Parsons Music Library and Camp Concert Hall, a performance venue that seats close to 600. Parsons Music Library houses thousands of CDs, scores, and books on all types of music and dance. Many students utilize our Music Library as a serene study space, no matter what their major. Two unique features of Booker hall are the Musicians Locker Room (great for storing instruments of any size) and the seventeen soundproof practice rooms. In addition to our robust music curriculum, Richmond also offers for-credit private lessons. In the Harnett Museum of Art, you’ll find visual art exhibitions from students and faculty, as well works from artists like Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Richmond offer an interdisciplinary arts management concentration approachable by studio art, art history, music, theater and dance majors and minors. The concentration combines creative instinct with business skills to prepare students for a management position in an arts institution, and many students gain firsthand experience by working in our on-campus museums.

Across the Westhampton Green are North Court and South Court, which house classrooms, academic departments, and residence hall rooms.

From the Modlin Center for the Arts walk through the archway and down the hill on Keller Road. Turn right on Westhampton Way. Lora Robins Court will be on your right.

Lora Robins Court is one of our six first-year student residence halls. Most of the rooms in our first-year residence halls are doubles with hall-style bathrooms shared amongst approximately 25 students. All residence hall buildings on campus have both heating and cooling with thermostat access in every resident room. Laundry facilities are free to students and electronically programmed to email students when their laundry is finished. Access to residence halls is limited to Richmond stu¬dents (and only to residents of that building after 2 a.m.).

As you exit Lora Robins Court, turn right on Westhampton Way and Queally Center will be on your right down the hill. If you started at Queally Center, you have completed the tour.