Your parents may recall the slogan "Virginia is for Lovers." That enormously poplar and successful motto was used for years in the Commonwealth's advertising campaigns. Seems like an odd choice for the birthplace of several founding fathers and the capital of the Confederacy. Perhaps the tourism board felt the need to create a more romantic profile by distancing the state from a staid historical image and concentrating on beautiful beaches and stunning views from Skyline drive. What I've come to realize after living in Central Virginia for more than a decade, is that both images can not only coexist, but thrive together. For this reason, Virginia is a great place to live and go to college.

Let's start with Richmond, home to Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Richmond, and Virginia Union University. Richmond is also in close proximity to a number of other two-and four-year schools. The University District, Carytown, and The Fan are filled with shops, restaurants, and concert venues. Second Street was once known as the "Harlem of the South" and hosts an annual festival to celebrate that heritage. The James River runs through Richmond providing class-four rapids and a wealth of recreational activities. On a bluff overlooking the James is a beautiful, rambling cemetery that contains the graves of three presidents and rivals any similar setting you'll find in Savannah or Charleston. Richmond also boasts several world-class museums.

Moving south to Petersburg is Richard Bland College. In August of 2008, this two-year public college will be one of the first in the country to offer on-campus housing. The units will provide spacious apartments with all the amenities. Richard Bland, like all of Virginia's community colleges, has established transfer agreements with the Commonwealth's four-year schools. Old Petersburg is undergoing an architectural rebirth. The buildings along the cobbled streets are being restored and renovated to create a retail center that is already drawing out-of-town visitors.

Virginia's Tidal Basin hosts four public colleges each with a different mission and personality. William and Mary, Norfolk State University, Christopher Newport University, and Old Dominion University have one thing in common, beautiful settings near the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay. The College of William and Mary and its Virginia Institute of Marine Science is one of several institutions that take advantage of location to offer hands-on learning in aquatic sciences.

As you move west across Virginia the rolling hills melt into the Blue Ridge Mountains. These mountains provide breathtaking views and hundreds of miles of hiking trails. Scattered in the valleys and ridges of Western Virginia are several colleges including James Madison University, Washington and Lee University, and Virginia Military Academy. The students who attend these schools feel a sense of community on campus that goes beyond ordinary school spirit. Perhaps because of the somewhat isolated locations of their schools, these students bond with their classmates and graduate with a sense of pride and place that is echoed throughout generations of alumni.

Residents often say there are really two Virginias, North and South. In a way that is true. Northern Virginia, home to George Mason University and several community colleges, has the hustle and bustle of an urban setting. This region has the benefit of being close to Washington, D.C. with all the Nation's Capital has to offer. Along with museums, entertainment venues, and restaurants, the D.C. area also offers an abundance of opportunities for internships and jobs.

No matter where you go in Virginia there is one common factor, a profound belief in higher education as a way to better yourself. Since William and Mary was established in 1693, Virginia has shown a commitment to and support of its colleges and universities. There are now 15 public four-year colleges and universities, 24 public two-year colleges, and dozens of excellent private schools within Virginia's borders. No matter what your area of interest, Virginia is for College.