The final stop on my Wisconsin college trip was Lawrence University which is in Appleton Wisconsin. We started our day with a panel discussion where we learned all about this school of 1500 undergraduates from the student perspective. In addition to being a traditional university, Lawrence is a music conservatory so the all of the arts are a significant presence on campus. There is a strong sense of community and professors genuinely care about and know their students. Here are some of the comments made during the panel discussion:
- We are “nerdy, quirky students who love to learn and are driven by our passions.”
- Upcoming weekend activities include: on campus film festival, cabaret performance celebrating different cultures, master class for 5 student vocalists with a world famous tenor, sorority/fraternity mixer, student production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, music recitals, and a weekend trip to Madison.
- Our favorite classes so far are: Art in the Islamic World, In Pursuit of Innovation, Zen Buddhism, and The French Melodie.
Later that morning, after going on a campus tour, we participated in a mock Freshman Studies Group class. All students take this 2 semester multidisciplinary class taught by teachers from all subject areas. We were given a passage to read and a fascinating discussion occurred as we became the students. Just when I thought the visit couldn’t get any more interesting and engaging we learned and participated in a traditional African drumming group dance.
The campus is beautiful and is within walking distance of downtown Appleton which is a thriving small city. The students we saw and spoke to are happy, engaged in the learning process, and involved in shared decision making with their input sought after and valued. Lawrence University is an academically and extracurricularly rigorous school that is a “place of potential,” and constantly strives to be even better. Creative thought is highly valued at this “hidden gem” of a school. Admission is competitive and it is a test optional school. Give me a call to set up an appointment if you are interested in learning more about Lawrence University and the other colleges I saw on my trip to Wisconsin (Marquette University, Beloit College, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Ripon College).
