HOGGER GOES SOUTH - DAY 9 - (FL SOUTHERN)

Florida Southern 

University

Lakeland, FL

www.flsouthern.edu

Mascot: Moc
(the Moccasin snake)

Florida Southern has the pleasure of being a campus that also is the showcase of a famous Architect's vision. Sometimes referred to as "Frank Lloyd Wright’s campus,” 12 of the original 18 buildings which were designed by FLW by request of the college president. For this reason, the campus has been designated as a national historic landmark. In 1938 the college president asked FLW to design and construct “a great American college temple.”

The result is one of the most striking campus building's I've had the pleasure of seeing.

If you aren't a fan of Lloyd Wright, this campus would ironically be one of the great eyesores of the American Collegiate landscape, but thankfully, I found the place beautiful.

Florida Southern is certainly impacted by its architecture, but it certainly isn't defined by it. The students, facilities and faculty clearly demonstrated that it was another little collegiate gem in Florida, but as I was almost 10 days into a college tour, I must admit to being more focused on the things that made it different from the places I've seen.

Perhaps it was the extent to which I missed my dog, Gus, but I was thrilled by the concept at FSC of the campus dog. This is the first I’ve heard of a school having an official campus dog. Bailey lives in counseling center and loves to comfort, love, and play with anyone on campus. Students can check him out for a walk, or just stop by to say hi. It made me want to go back to NMH and build a campus doghouse off the back of my office building, and start searching Petfinder, to find our new Campus Pup!

We were spoiled with a Valentines day dinner hosted by FSU and their President, at the beautiful Lakeland Yacht Club. It was very kind of the FSU faculty, administration and staff to give up their Friday to host such a wonderful concluding event.