It’s not difficult to understand why any university located in Hawaii might be placed in an ideal environment. But the University of Hawaii at Manoa is nestled in a scenic, lush valley of palm trees heavily populated with colorful flowers of exotic variety.
“If I’m going to spend four years working hard to get a college degree, I might as well do it in a place that’s beautiful.”
That was the sentiment of Denard Severy. He was keen on pursuing a career in architectural design and construction. A native of West Virginia, he set out upon a nationwide quest to find the most beautiful campuses in America.
This was the early 1980s, well before the internet made it easy to search and view photos and other information about the urban and natural environment of a college or university. But it was Denard’s first cousin in southern California who told him about a relatively new educational institution in San Diego. It was NewSchool of Architecture and Design, a private for-profit college founded in 1980.
Whether pursuing the construction management degree California NewSchool offers or its business management program, it's a stunning setting for getting an education. The campus itself is 100,000 square feet nestled in the East Village of downtown San Diego. East Village is a vibrant urban community populated by artists, crafters, and many galleries and shops. It’s also the location of Petco Park where the San Diego Padres MLB baseball team plays. Just minutes away are fabulous beaches and the world-class surfing of the Pacific Ocean.
Denard ended up completing his degree at NewSchool. He went on to a successful career with Gensler. But when asked about how NewSchool best prepared him for his profession, he often replies with a wink: “The great surfing!”
An entirely different kind of natural beauty in an academic setting can be found in Georgia. Berry College in Mount Berry has been named the most attractive college campus in the United States by World University Rankings.
A small liberal arts college established in 1902, Berry College features Gothic-style buildings that have a storybook quality. The charming architecture of the campus is located amid 27,000 acres of forest land dotted with crystal clear lakes and green open fields. Berry College is an unparalleled location for hiking, biking, and enjoying nature in a warm climate. The campus and surrounding area have been used as settings for Hollywood films, including Remember the Titans and Sweet Home Alabama.
The University of Colorado may have the most magnificent location for a college campus in the United States. It is couched in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The massive peaks soar in the background making the entire campus look like the finest screensaver ever made, except this is real. Easy access to national parks, miles of biking trails, and old-growth forests are all part of the draw for CU students. The buildings of the campus hold their own against Mother Nature's beauty. The main structures were designed by famed architect Charles Klauder who used sandstone walls and tiled roofs to complement the natural setting.
It’s not difficult to understand why any university located in Hawaii might be placed in an ideal environment. But the University of Hawaii at Manoa is nestled in a scenic, lush valley of palm trees heavily populated with colorful flowers of exotic variety.
Close by are the fantastic kind of beaches that can only be found in Hawaii. The university even owns its own coral reef. It's used for research but also makes for some of the most magnificent snorkeling and scuba diving anywhere on the planet.
It's campuses like these that make higher education a destination. It's a bonus that can't be calculated in terms of tuition or the benefit of a college degree.
