Do the Best Things Really Come in Smaller Packages?

Colorado State University - Pueblo (CSU-Pueblo) was opened as Southern Colorado Junior College in 1933 at the Pueblo County Courthouse. Since that time it has grown and changed to fit the needs of the growing Pueblo area, expanding from a junior college to a state college, and is now a regional, comprehensive university as part of the Colorado State University system.

CSU-Pueblo has many attributes and benefits, the largest being the size of the university. The student population ranges only between four and five thousand students, making it smaller in size even than some of the state's state level colleges. This intimate population provides students, and faculty, the advantage of more one-on-one, personal interaction. Even general education and lecture classes, classes that, at many universities, cater to 150-200 students at a time, typically only reach into the sixty to seventy student range.

Class size and one-on-one professor and student interaction are certainly not the only advantages to attending CSU-Pueblo. Despite the small numbers, the institution is rich with student activity. There is quite literally an opportunity for every student to be involved in a club or organization that interests them. From the Experiential Learning Center, a collection of outdoor recreation enthusiasts, to Greek life, including educational honor fraternities such as Sigma Tau Delta and Alpha Lambda Delta, to education clubs like the English Club or the Psychology Club, there truly is something for anyone who wants to be involved.

For those who are not interested, or don't have the time to commit to a club, the Office of Student Activities coordinates events both on and off (although mostly on) campus on an almost weekly basis. While some of the events, such as the semi-annual Casino Nights, are smaller and only open to students, faculty and staff, other events such as the world famous Second City Comedy Tour, which has performed on the CSU-Pueblo campus for several years, are advertised even to the general public for a small admission price.

If sports are your game, CSU-Pueblo boasts competitive NCAA Division II opportunities in baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, golf, tennis and basketball. Intramural and club sports are also available for those not interested in competing on the national level.

As with anything great, CSU-Pueblo also has its share of disadvantages that prospective students should be aware of when selecting a college. One feature of the school that actually teeters on the edge of advantage and disadvantage is the school's location. The campus is positioned approximately two miles from the city. While some find the distance and seclusion from the city pleasant and while there are some businesses within walking distance and housing in the near vicinity is not scarce, the campus is not, in reality, "user-friendly," for students who find themselves, for whatever reason, without transportation.

CSU-Pueblo is predominantly a non-traditional school, meaning that more than 60% of the student population lives off campus and commutes to and from school, and many of them also work full or nearly full-time jobs in addition to a full course load. This can be a bit of a disadvantage for someone looking for the "Hollywood" college experience including dorm life and campus activities as many of the students return to their "other" lives as soon as their final classes disband.

The non-traditional nature of the school, as well as the small population, also affects the athletics programs in an adverse manner. For example, due to NCAA regulations, even though the school has the interest, present and potential, to add a full-scale football program, there is not, conversely, enough interest to also add an equal number of athletic opportunities for women. This causes the high school football star and potential college student to look elsewhere for their educational opportunities.

As with anything, it all depends on what the student expects to gain from their college experience, however, in the grand scheme, the advantages of CSU-Pueblo tend to outweigh the disadvantages. For potential students, especially those looking for lower teacher-student ratio, it is definitely worth the time to, at the very least, investigate what the school has to offer.