U. Kansas may be a part of conference realignment, but it still remains in a league of its own.
Last week Sarah Schlichter, editor of IndependentTraveler.com, listed Lawrence as one of the nine best college towns in the country on MSNBC.com.
“We really liked the emphasis on the arts,” Schlichter said. “For a relatively small city, it really seemed to be a thriving arts community. We also liked the sense of history there.”
Schlichter said Lawrence also stood out because of the inexpensive shops, unique dining options, activities available at Clinton Lake, the “attractive buildings and green spaces” on campus and the “great pride” surrounding University’s sports teams.
Alison Aviles, a senior from San Diego, said she agreed with Schlichter’s findings, particularly the affinity for Jayhawk athletics. She said she loved the sunshine during football season and tailgating with other fans added a new element for her: school spirit.
“It’s not a huge thing at schools at home like it is here,” Aviles said. “It’s fun to see how many Jayhawk fans there are.”
Senior associate athletic director Larry Keating said that sports first acted as entertainment and encouraged KU graduates to stay or return to Lawrence.
“I’ve found a number of people who have returned to Lawrence to retire because their experiences were so good,” Keating said. “It’s a vibrant town with a youthful energy, the University is certainly a big part of that and athletics is a big part of the University.”
The connection between the Lawrence community and the University is something both Keating and Jack Martin, University deputy director of communications, agreed was a major factor in the town’s spirit.
“We’re very pleased to see Lawrence getting that kind of recognition,” Martin said. “Lawrence is very important to the recruiting of students, faculty and staff members. The community we have here has a lot of character and all sorts of amenities that people want to have in a community they live at.”
These amenities, mentioned by Schlichter in her review, include biking, fishing, hiking, boating and swimming at Clinton Lake in West Lawrence. Sue Gehrt, operations, manager at Clinton Lake, said most of the time the beach is packed with University students.
“Clinton Lake and all it offers is a huge asset to the city of Lawrence and the University students who use the area quite a bit,” Gehrt said. “When I was a student at Kansas back when they first built the dam 30 years ago, I biked across the dam that students now use heavily for fishing.”
Gehrt is originally from Ohio, but stayed in Lawrence after graduating with two degrees from the University.
“I just came here to go to school, but Lawrence really is a fantastic town with a lot to offer,” Gehrt said. “So I came out here, really liked it, met my husband and ended up staying.”