As a former Chicagoan, the Midwest is as near and dear to my heart as chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream (which, for the record, is pretty high on the near and dear chart). I love the people; I love the seasons; and more than anything, I love the laid-back, happy culture. And now, I have one more thing to love – Indiana University and its main campus in the small college town of Bloomington, Indiana.
The Midwest is full of big cities with small town values. In turn, IU Bloomington is a large school with small school heart. Yes, it does consist of just over 40,000 students, but don’t let that scare you away. The small city of Bloomington creates the perfect college town atmosphere for students to become completely immersed in their studies, activities, sports, and social outings. There are so many experiences to choose from that you’re guaranteed to find a close group to become a part of, no matter what your interests. And if the people alone don’t make you feel all warm and cozy inside, just wait for the gorgeous Indiana fall weather to change the colors on all 1,933 acres of campus greenery.
IU Bloomington offers 180 different majors and 330 degree programs. It is the home of the Kelly School of Business, which, remarkably, holds a top 20 ranking for every single undergraduate and gradate program in the school (US News & World Report). It is one of only three business schools to hold that record. IU Bloomington’s Jacob’s School of Music has tied Julliard and Eastman School of Music in the past for the #1 ranking in the nation, which is not too shabby. And if none of that impresses you, it is also the only college in the entire nation to offer a major in Hungarian.
IU Bloomington is also part of the Big Ten Conference – which means BIG things in sports. But, don’t think that IU could ever be intimidated by the word BIG. They’ve just slapped on that small-town, Midwestern smile and won 24 national team titles, including soccer, basketball, swimming, and diving. Not to mention the 132 other individual NCAA titles won by students!
So if you are ready for a little Midwestern hospitality, check out more at: www.iub.edu. And don’t forget to stop by Mother Bear’s Pizza when you’re in town for a visit!