The moment I stepped on campus, I knew Muhlenberg would be my top choice. After touring thirty colleges (yes…THIRTY!), I was totally sure of my decision. Why, you may ask? Well, let me tell you a little something about my school.
Muhlenberg College is a little, private liberal arts school located on the outskirts of Allentown, Pennsylvania. It has a solely undergraduate population of 2,500 and this stood out to me when first looking at schools. During my tour of campus, my tour guide repeatedly made remarks about how friendly the Muhlenberg community was, and, as I spent more time here, this became completely obvious to me. There was even a name for this kindness; people at Muhlenberg are “Muhlenberg Nice”. My tour guide, within the first five minutes, waved at 10 different people. This continued throughout the tour, and I was astounded. How could one person recognize that many people simply walking through a building?
While I was on tour, my guide mentioned that Muhlenberg had a reputation that has been maintained for decades; the students and faculty would hold doors open for everyone. Even if a person was walking towards them from another building, the scarlet red doors all around campus would be waiting, wide open. The entire campus knows about this reputation and holding the door open is kind of an unspoken rule.
Photo Courtesy of Erin Pachter Photography
After being on campus for more than a semester, I now see the Muhlenberg community for what it really is. The openness and friendliness of the student and staff body is not a myth; everyone here is willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. The Princeton Review commends the college’s “highly accepting and friendly environment”, and it is quite easy to see why. Though the students know there is a reputation that must be maintained, they are eager to step up to the challenge.
Muhlenberg is home to anyone who steps onto its grounds, and the majority of this warm, comfortable feeling is due to the kindness of each and every person on campus.
Sources: