FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT) — The City of Florence has been recognized and named the number one best small college town in the country by USA Today.
Florence is home to the University of North Alabama, and the Shoals’ largest city received the top spot of 10 college towns.
University of North Alabama spokesperson Michelle Eubanks told News 19 that each school in the country with less than 50,000 students were nominated.
She said Florence residents, UNA students and alumni voted every day since March, and that’s what got them the top spot.
Eubanks said there were several requirements and criteria needed to be nominated.
“It was how walkable it is, how much there is to do, how family oriented it is, how much people can stay here after they graduate and work,” she said. “All of the things that make a college community such a valuable entity in any landscape in this country and we were very fortunate that again people voted, but they also agree with what we already know to be true.”
With the special recognition, Eubanks says she hopes it will be a recruiting tool to bring students to the college from Alabama but also out of state.
“We want potential students to come and see what all the fuss is about; we want them to come and see and know and see and feel and be participants in this great college experience, in the best small college town in America,” Eubanks said.
Other schools in our area that were chosen among the ten include the City of Jacksonville, home to Jacksonville State University, ranked number three, as well as Oxford, Mississippi, home to The University of Mississippi, ranked number two.
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