ASU is a unique university, because it stretches across many miles with a total of four campuses: Tempe, Downtown, West and Polytechnic. Every campus has immersive programs that are made to fit the profile of students attending ASU.
Although Tempe campus is engulfed by a college town culture, it is not the only campus with the capability to put on exciting events. At present, Tempe attracts many students because of its constant opportunity for intrigue. If the other three campuses set up engaging events more frequently, then students would be more willing to experience the cultures of the district four campuses with less hesitation.
Downtown' Phoenix's culture is professional and artsy. With the Downtown campus being in the heart of the city, students are able to immerse themselves in a more mature environment and explore the several art exhibits and presentations. This culture is not only available to students living downtown. Students from other campuses should make an effort to take the light rail or jump on a shuttle to experience what Phoenix has to offer. First Fridays is a public event that joins the community together and students should take the opportunity to check it out at least once. Students could also take a short light rail trip to catch a comedy show at Stand Up Live.
Within West campus lies a culture of diverse and vibrant students. Walking onto the campus, one can't help but marvel at the ornate buildings. There are several pleasant places to simply sit down and hang out with fellow Sun Devils. From the courtyards to the green fields and little nooks to sit, the campus offers every student a beautiful scenery and place of refuge. It is titled a Phoenix "Point of Pride," not because of its academic features, but because of its incredible elegance.
Polytechnic campus nurtures a culture of innovation and exploration. If for nothing else, visit Poly for its awesome architecture. The community is small but allows for students to be a close community. Students from other campuses could appreciate a different scenery and explore this campus. Kylie Griffin, sophomore aviation major, explained to me that the culture is, "Extremely technical over here as it is highly focused on academics. The campus is extremely quiet, but has a lot to offer. A state-of-the-art gym, a student union that is the epicenter of our campus, a layout that shows how ASU really wants to preserve the desert environment."
Distance and location are important factors in students' opinion on the four campuses. Before a student can fully make up their mind on which campus is the best, they need to make an effort to see the magic happening on each campus. Together, the campuses make ASU the university it is, not just one campus. In order for ASU to truly be appreciated as "one university in many places", each campus should be recognized by all students.
Reach the columnist at Ryan.Santistevan@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @ryanerica18
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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