Dorm style, night life, sports teams and academic reputation are all things one usually considers when choosing a university to attend. The best of the best schools continually compete in these areas in order to set themselves apart from their peers and get the top students to enroll. With so many similarities in these areas, it really takes some extra amenities to pull in prospective students.
An example of this are the campus-provided student activity centers which includes things like study centers, green space and recreational facilities and gyms. If you’re looking for the cream of the crop, take a look at the The Department of Wellness and Recreational Sports at the University of Texas-Pan American.
Located in Edinburg,Texas, the impressive center is 88,320 square feet- that’s 4.4 square feet per student of its population of 20,000. The space cost an estimated $26 million to build and also is home to the highest indoor climbing wall (35 feet) in the state of Texas. Also found there are a juice bar, an indoor soccer facility, a lap pool, a lazy river, and an indoor track.
It’s nice to have the option of both a leisure pool and one for swimming. Students also enjoy a variety of fitness classes in addition to the typical gym set up, such as salsa classes. The center features marked courts for indoor soccer and three indoor racquetball courts with viewing areas.
If you had any reason to doubt the caliber of this set up, rest easy knowing that it won the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA): Outstanding Sports Facilities Award in 2009.