Located in La Grande, Oregon, EOU sits at the base of the picturesque Blue Mountains, about halfway between Portland, Oregon and Boise, Idaho. Founded in 1929 as a teacher's college, EOU has evolved into a regional residential and online institution that combines a strong emphasis on access and quality, and offers excellent education opportunities for residents of rural communities dispersed over the large geographical region of eastern Oregon, southwest Washington, and western Idaho. With a student body of nearly 3,500 students, about 1,450 students attend classes at the main campus in La Grande. 

EOU was an early adopter of distance and online education in an effort to extend its reach to the many rural communities throughout the region, state, and country. Over half of all students matriculate beyond the boundaries of campus through its distance and online education courses. For students' enrolled on-campus, EOU provides a learning environment that takes full advantage of modern facilities, updated classrooms, and state-of-the-art lab space. EOU's passionate, caring, and distinguished faculty take pride in the close interaction and mentoring of students.