A College Town at Heart
Lawrence is truly a college town with a vitality and diversity uniquely its own. The city is home to two universities: the University of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University. Baker University neighbors Lawrence to the south in Baldwin City.
University of Kansas
Since its opening in 1866, the University of Kansas has had a major influence on the city of Lawrence. With an enrollment of more than 25,000 students on its Lawrence campus, KU is a focal point for numerous academic, cultural and recreational activities. Its beloved mascot, the Jayhawk, is a familiar image all over the city. The campus, situated high on Mount Oread, is acclaimed as one of the most beautiful in the country.
Jayhawk Boulevard curves through the heart of KU's campus. Sixteen buildings, in styles from collegiate Gothic to modern brick, stand along its tree-lined, half-mile arc, five of which are named on the National Register of Historic Places. These buildings contain world-class museums, classrooms, laboratories, auditoriums, cafeterias, a library and a chapel.
Put on your walking shoes and discover the beauty of the KU campus for yourself. Self-guided tours of Jayhawk Boulevard are available at the KU and Lawrence Visitor Information Centers.
For another scenic walk, head for the Campanile hill where it slopes to Potter Lake to the west, the Spencer Museum of Art and the walnut grove to the east and historic Memorial Stadium to the north. Memorial Stadium plays host to men's football in the fall and the tradition-rich Kansas Relays each spring.
KU is known for high-quality education at a low cost. U.S. News & World Report ranks KU among the top national universities for price and quality of education, and Barron's Best Buys in College Education highly recommends KU. The 2005 Fiske Guide to Colleges (and previous editions since 1982) gives KU four stars in academics, social life and quality of living.
Campus information is available at the KU Visitor Center, 1502 Iowa St. The Center is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and selected Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Campus tours are available by appointment. For student tours, call 785-864-5135; for general campus tours, call 785-864-2341. http://www.ku.edu/
Learn more about the history of KU at http://www.kuhistory.com/.
Haskell Indian Nations University
Haskell Indian Nations University is the oldest intertribal university in the U.S. whose admission is open to members of federally recognized tribal nations. Opened in 1884 as an elementary school, it has evolved into a university that offers a variety of associate degree programs and baccalaureate degrees in elementary education, business administration, environmental science and American Indian studies. Haskell students represent nearly 150 tribes/nations and 35 states annually.
Haskell now is a center for advanced academic study and cultural preservation. Working to preserve the vast history of Haskell's evolution from boarding school to university, Haskell Indian Nations University now has a Cultural Center and museum to house its archive collections, artifacts and oral history projects. This collection also includes traditional art forms in clothing, jewelry, basketry, pottery and beadwork. Contemporary work by renowned Native American artists Don Secondine, Alan Houser, Franklin Gritts and Richard "Dick" West are also part of the Haskell collection. A veterans' memorial and outdoor amphitheatre are also located on the grounds of the new Haskell Cultural Center.
Haskell's 320-acre campus is a national landmark and contains 12 sites listed in the National Register of Historic Landmarks. Sites of interest on the campus include the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame located in Stidham Union, Haskell Memorial Stadium/Arch, the Medicine Wheel Totem Pole, Medicine Wheel Earth Work and the Haskell Cultural Center. http://www.haskell.edu/
Baker University
Baker University, the oldest university in the state, is located 15 miles south of Lawrence in Baldwin City. Baker was founded in 1858 by Methodist ministers, and the private school has been attracting excellent teachers and students ever since. In fall 2001, for the fifth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report ranked Baker among the top regional universities in the Midwest. The ranking is based on criteria including academic reputation, faculty resources and student retention. Four Rhodes Scholars and two Pulitzer Prize winners have attended Baker.
The university is comprised of three schools: The College of Arts and Sciences located on the main campus in Baldwin City; the School of Professional and Graduate Studies serving working adults seeking both undergraduate and master's degrees in Overland Park, Topeka and Wichita, Kan., and Lee's Summit, Mo.; and the School of Nursing, a partnership with Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center in Topeka, offering a traditional four-year program and an abbreviated degree program for nurses working in the field. Contact Admissions, 800-873-4282, or general information, 785-594-6451. http://www.bakeru.edu/
