A Great Town: #BloNo

Transcript

Illinois Wesleyan’s home of Bloomington-Normal is on many lists of the best places in the nation. It’s ranked by Business Insider as a top 10 college town. We’re about to meet a townie, Carson, a senior biochemistry major on a pre-med track. He’ll tell us how the social scene in the twin cities, makes Illinois Wesleyan a great place to be. The floor’s all you are, Carson.

– Thanks, Alex. I chose to go to Illinois Wesleyan University because their outstanding pre-med program, scholarships, and because it’s in a great town where I also grew up. Sister Cities Bloomington-Normal or Blo-No, as we call it, provides ample opportunity for travel, entertainment, history, and great food. With some major corporations headquartered here, it’s conveniently located between Chicago and St. Louis, close enough for a day trip to either, and it has some unique history with Abraham Lincoln, Constitution Trail, and Route 66. One of my favorite parts about IWU is the benefit of being a small school, the small classes, more one-on-one with teachers that we also get the benefits of a big school just up the street. The big college town feel that surrounds IWU brings an energy that sets us apart from other schools this size. Blo-No offers shows, concerts, festivals, restaurants, and extremely fun night life. While Blo-No is a blast, IWU has a tradition of surveying the community with things like Blood Drives set up by Tri Beta, a Biology Honor Society I’m in, and volunteer opportunities like the Midwest Food Bank and my fraternity, Alpha Chapter of No matter what you may have an interest in, IWU and Blo-No will have something you enjoy. Going here has given me opportunities, some of the best friends and memories and been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Back to you, Alex.

– Great job, Carson. The town gown connections at IWU, really gives students the chance to not just have a lot of fun, but also get involved to make a difference in the community. The campus has annual do well and do good awards to honor the accomplishments of students and student organizations, which is so incredible. Thanks again for sharing your story, Carson.