State Colleges
Desert Wisdom

Arizona State University Among all of the State Colleges A S U has the most population. Centrally located in the middle of our beautiful State, in the Town of Tempe, this school helps Tempe to thrive with 66,000 students enrolled for fall 2008. High profile names are laden upon some of the colleges within the University. The Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law. The Hugh Downs School of Communications and Media. and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. A S U has excellent business, nursing and engineering departments.

Arizona State has been well known for its sports programs over the last several decades. They built on the legacy of Coach Frank Kush in the Football program.

One little fact that is fun to note is that ASU patrons were called Bulldogs, Until after World War II they became know as Sun Devils. Mr. Walt Disney created their first animated rendition of the Sun Devil named Sparky. It is still used today.

The University of Arizona is the oldest educational establishment in Arizona. It was established by a Federal grant while Arizona was still a territory. There were 32 students in the first classes in 1891. Today it is a full University with 37,000 student enrolled. It is the only Universtiy in Arizona with a Medical School. It also has a Law School and several other graduate programs.

U of A has an incredible feather in its engineering cap. In 2007 it launched the Phoenix. It developed the Mars lander, tested it and sent it into space. Then landed it on Mars in 2008 where it is still photographing, testing soils and sending signals back to earth educating us about Mars. This was all funded by a contract with NASA. There has never been a project like this that was fully controlled and operated by a University. Peter Smith is the U of A Scientist in charge.

One of the most significant projects the U of A is currently engaged in is a 500 million dollar land telescope which will give better images than the Hubble Telescope set in space.

These kinds of projects have become expected at the U of A. This University is considered one of the best research colleges in the West. It receives millions in grant money for its research.

The patrons of the University of Arizona are considered Wildcats. The rivalry between ASU and UA is very fun and energizing especially in football. UA holds the wins record in their meetings with ASU in every major sport.

However, Coach Lute Olsen and his basketball prowess has brought a March Madness victory and National Championship to our Wildcats. (We all become Wildcats when they play someone out of the State, especially if they win!) Lute has brought the Wildcats to the final four, four times. That is incredible. This has made the UA sports program famous and full of interest from the outsider looking in. If we lose Lute for good that may change.

Northern Arizona University is not as competitive as the other Universities. But it is very much a green school. If you want to become a scientist of any kind this is a good place to start. The weather is unbeatable. The recreational students and professors would have a haven of extreme individual sport. Snowboarding, hiking, photographing, four wheeling etc. are the very best one can find anywhere. It is one of the only places, nestled in the city of Flagstaff, that has four seasons really. There are approximately 21,000 students enrolled for the Fall of 2008. One of the greatest attributes of NAU is the honor and respect given for nature and the Native Americans of Arizona.

There are four other State College campuses that are worthy of note that do not have foundations in state funding.

Thunderbird School of Global Management It is a Harvard type curriculum (and tuition) offered at Thunderbird. Former Vice-President Dan Quail was a fellow of instruction here. This school otherwise does not get much fan fare. There are incredible minds that study and teach here. Perhaps this is the most intellectual school in the state of Arizona dealing with business management. All who graduate from Thunderbird have employment waiting anywhere in the world.

Grand Canyon College is now named Grand Canyon University, considered a non denominational Christian College that started out in an abandonned barracks in Prescott, Arizona. It was originally funded by the Baptist Church in Arizona. It is still privately held and is now owned by Mormons who are also Christians. This school is very one on one with its students. It has a well defined on line program. The dress code is very high. You feel as if you have arrived at a school with strong moral standards and brilliant people when you visit. It is a very refreshing ambiance and addition to our State College reperatoire.

The University of Phoenix is not based in Arizona as its headquarters but you will find them all over the United States. The Apollo group owns the University of Phoenix. They have become an excellent contributor to the Valley of Sun in that they named The Cardinals Stadium in City of Glendale, The University of Phoenix Stadium. Ironic but impressive. We have already had the Super Bowl there! Major exposure for our FANtantastic State and all State Colleges.

Arizona has many other State Colleges that are county and state colleges. All are great starting points for working students, parents and for the general enjoyment of the educational expansions of your mind.

Arizona does that naturally for you. So its your move we'll help!

Rain is beauty, rain is life. Its a marvelous day when it rains. Arizona State Colleges will take you places. Make your move.

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