Topeka, KS: Choosing a college affects the rest of your life. What you learn, the classes you take, the major or area of concentration you select, the place you live, the people you meet all blend together to make up who you will become in your adult life. When I first learned about Washburn University, I knew I wanted to put it on my list as a school to check out.

"Bod Wild '96," Washburn University's Senior Day, was an excellent way to learn about the opportunities for students. Each year, Washburn plans a day of events for prospective students. From workshops and guided tours of the campus to a tailgate cookout and passes to a football game in the afternoon, the admissions office makes sure everyone's questions are answered.

Washburn was founded as Lincoln College just after the Civil War. Three years later, Ichabod Washburn, (a Worcester, Massachusetts philanthropist,) made a generous donation. Because of this, the school was renamed Washburn College until 1941 when it achieved university status.

Washburn has so much to offer. Being in a residential neighborhood just outside downtown Topeka, it offers students shopping, movies and restaurants to enjoy in their spare time. Also, Topeka is the state capitol, which allows for government internships, both city and state. Washburn has over 90 majors, ranging from the arts and sciences to business. It is especially known for its political science, computer science, speech communications, and nursing programs. It is also recognized for its mass media program with television and radio stations, and is nationally known for its law school, which former Senate Majority Leader and Presidential candidate Robert Dole attended.

Most of the campus is modern with new buildings, recent renovations and a brand-new health center, complete with gym equipment, and an enormous gymnasium which accommodates fans to watch Washburn's NCAA Division II teams.

Overall, Washburn is worth traveling the distance from New England. Make sure you check it out, because it has much to offer. f



Review by Nicholas Oliver, E. Providence, RI


Reviewed in 1997