Florida Southern College, Lakeland

Florida Southern College is in a charming though fairly poor, quite hilly (for Florida) town called Lakeland, 45 minutes inland from Tampa and an hour from Orlando. With raised views over pretty Lake Hollingsworth and the largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world, it makes for a serene environment.

For twenty years Wright worked on his "true American campus" creation, at the college president's request. A strange, very low esplanade created by Wright connects many of the buildings. There is a huge, impressive and peaceful round blue fountain in front of the library. The recreation center and many of the student dorms (75%) have lake views- these are super nice! The fitness center provides snorkeling trips to the Keys, rockclimbing trips, canoes and bicycles to rent.
Most of the lakes in Lakeland are the result of industrial phosphate mining.
Undergraduate students (there are 2,000 of them) at Florida Southern College are guaranteed a degree in four years or their tuition is covered from then on. Every student at the college gets an internship as well as a travel experience (some are as short as 7 days abroad), and many students take advantage of the Fall break (an unusual feature of the school) to study abroad. Students are encouraged to start early at internships so they can see if their chosen field is something they really want to do. The school is very thoughtful and well-organized in this way. Many majors are career-focused and popular majors are Biochemistry, Chemistry, Business, Education, Nursing, Communication, and Fine Arts. The school is church-affiliated though not all students are religious. 63% of students come from Florida. All undergraduate students are required to live on campus for all four years- this makes for a strong sense of community, as does the monthly convocation.
There are many living-learning communities such as Musician's World, Gateway to Art, Law and Politics, Nursing, and Honors. Most students are involved in an intramural sport. Throughout the year there are concerts on the green. There are also two days where classes are closed each semester so that students can perform service hours. If you apply, you receive a decision within two weeks! The college is in great financial shape and offers mainly merit-based scholarships.The current president of this college used to serve Rollins College, a college which also impressed me very much with its caring, friendly, and relaxed atmosphere, and gorgeous campus.
You can park at Florida Southern College campus without being towed according to a lady I talked to. Pop into the Melvin Art Gallery on campus to see what they have on display- when I was there I was in bliss seeing colorful artwork by Pierre H. Matisse, Henri Matisse's grandson. Polk Museum of Art, a twelve minute walk away, is a free art museum with fantastic temporary exhibits.
Fifteen minutes walk to the west on Florida Ave you can find three cool places: Hillcrest Coffee with its fireplace and homey feel, Concord Coffee, a modern hip place with lovely plants on the wall, and Born and Bread, a cute bakery that is only open on Wednesdays 5-10pm and Saturdays 8am-1pm. The line, which wraps around the corner outside, moves quickly, and you can check the changing menu on their facebook page while you wait. Try their croissant muffins or a savory filled croissant. The seating is communal which adds to the friendly atmosphere. Get there early before the best choices sell out!
Lastly, for a long walk or bike ride, enjoy the bike path that goes three miles around Lake Hollingsworth, alongside Lake Hollingsworth Drive, on the southern edge of the campus.

Directions

Florida Southern College is located at 111 Lake Hollingsworth Dr, Lakeland FL 33801, call (863) 680-4111. There are parking lots on Frank Lloyd Wright Way, and Johnson Ave (a one-way street going north).

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