Hype for the Future 97/284: Colleges and Universities in the United States of America

Disclaimer

This post was initially intended to be scheduled for Thursday, February 5, 2026. However, a related post representing Canada has been uploaded to Patreon and is available as a one-time purchase for $5.00 ($7.50 on iOS) or for $7.00/month at the Advanced Tier on novaTopFlex Patreon until cancelled.

Overview

Distinctive costs, including tuition, room and board, textbooks, and related supplies, often represent the purposes and intentions of every college and university in question. For the United States of America, private colleges and universities are often deemed “superior” to public state and territorial institutions, the latter of which primarily provide in-state incentives for every such institution in question, in most cases.

Hype for the Future 96/284: State Universities of the Commonwealth of Virginia

Introduction

Within the Commonwealth of Virginia, a number of colleges and universities represents the Old South culture of the area. Though the College of William and Mary is the oldest in the Commonwealth and one of the colonial colleges, a number of locales elsewhere provide similar circumstances. Perhaps the most significant of the colleges beyond William and Mary is Thomas Jefferson’s University of Virginia (UVA), located firmly within the City of Charlottesville.

Colleges and Universities

Within the Commonwealth of Virginia, the public state colleges and universities span the entirety of the state, though distinctive cultural traits may also occur as each university influences the surrounding regions. Christopher Newport University (CNU) is located within the City of Newport News, while the historically-black Norfolk State University is located directly within the City of Norfolk.

George Mason University is located within the Northern Virginia (NOVA) region, just outside the City of Fairfax in the unincorporated community of George Mason in Fairfax County. James Madison University, slightly further south, is located within the City of Harrisonburg, while the University of Mary Washington is located within the City of Fredericksburg. As with the historically-black Virginia State University, Old Dominion University is also physically located within the Hampton Roads region and the City of Norfolk.

The southern and western portions of the Commonwealth of Virginia also contain notable colleges and universities, including Longwood University in the Town of Farmville, the University of Virginia in the City of Charlottesville, the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia Military Institute in the City of Lexington, Virginia State University in the Town of Ettrick, Virginia Tech in the Town of Blacksburg, and the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg.

Hype for the Future 95G: Notable Colleges and Universities in the State of Ohio

Introduction

The modern State of Ohio is largely determined by the colleges and universities scattered throughout the state. The Northwest Ordinance has been particularly influential, with Ohio University a clear descendant of the history of the Northwest Ordinance. The College Township has also been influential in the modern State of Ohio, eventually resulting in the formation of Miami University. The information in this post largely pertains to public four-year institutions and private institutions of elite and special interest in the mainstream:

Public Four-Year Colleges and Universities of Ohio

• Ohio University
• Miami University
• The Ohio State University
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Akron
• University of Toledo
• Kent State University
• Youngstown State University
• Bowling Green State University
• Wright State University
• Central State University

Notable Private Institutions of Ohio

• Xavier University
• Mount Saint Joseph University
• Capital University
• Ursuline College (soon to be merged with Gannon University of Erie, PA)
• Wilberforce University
• Wilmington College
• Oberlin College
• University of Dayton
• Defiance College
• Ohio Northern University
• Ohio Wesleyan University
• Kenyon College
• University of Findlay
• Cedarville University
• Wittenberg University

Hype for the Future 78Q: The Most Important College Locations in Every State

Introduction

The following information in this post intends to represent the distinct college and university locations attached to every state in the United States and, more specifically, some of the flagship locations (where they exist) or other locations typically representative of the entire state in question, though many may have multiple distinct systems.

Locations

• Alaska: College (a suburb of Fairbanks)
• Hawaii: Mānoa (Honolulu)
• Washington: Pullman
• Oregon: Corvallis
• California: Berkeley
• Nevada: Reno
• Idaho: Moscow
• Utah: Salt Lake City
• Arizona: Tucson
• Montana: Missoula
• Wyoming: Laramie
• Colorado: Boulder
• New Mexico: Albuquerque
• North Dakota: Grand Forks
• South Dakota: Brookings
• Nebraska: Lincoln
• Kansas: Lawrence
• Oklahoma: Stillwater
• Texas: College Station
• Minnesota: Minneapolis
• Iowa: Iowa City
• Missouri: Columbia
• Arkansas: Fayetteville
• Louisiana: Baton Rouge
• Wisconsin: Madison
• Illinois: Champaign
• Kentucky: Lexington
• Tennessee: Knoxville
• Mississippi: Oxford
• Michigan: Ann Arbor
• Indiana: West Lafayette
• Alabama: Tuscaloosa
• Ohio: Columbus
• Georgia: Athens
• Florida: Gainesville
• Maine: Orono
• New Hampshire: Durham
• Vermont: Burlington
• Massachusetts: Amherst
• Rhode Island: Kingston
• Connecticut: Mansfield
• New York: Buffalo
• New Jersey: New Brunswick
• Pennsylvania: State College
• Delaware: Newark
• Maryland: College Park
• West Virginia: Morgantown
• Virginia: Charlottesville
• North Carolina: Chapel Hill
• South Carolina: Columbia

Hype for the Future 70I: Public State University Systems with Flagships

Introduction

The following content will specifically refer to states containing public university systems, and only in the cases for which the university systems in question contain flagship campuses. University systems without a flagship campus will not be mentioned below; only the systems containing flagship campuses will be listed on a state-by-state basis on a single, comprehensive list:

University System Flagships

• University of Alabama: Tuscaloosa, AL
• University of Alaska: Fairbanks, AK
• University of Arkansas: Fayetteville, AR
• University of Colorado: Boulder, CO
• Colorado State University: Fort Collins, CO
• University of Hawai’i: Honolulu, HI
• University of Illinois: Urbana and Champaign, IL
• University of Southern Illinois: Carbondale, IL
• Indiana University: Bloomington, IN
• Purdue University: West Lafayette, IN
• Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College: Baton Rouge, LA
• Southern University: Baton Rouge, LA
• University of Maine: Orono, ME
• University of Maryland: College Park, MD
• University of Massachusetts: Amherst, MA
• Minnesota State University: Mankato, MN
• University of Minnesota: Minneapolis, MN
• University of Missouri: Columbia, MO
• Montana State University: Bozeman, MT
• University of Montana: Missoula, MT
• University of Nebraska: Lincoln, NE
• University of Nevada: Reno, NV
• University of New Hampshire: Durham, NH
• Rutgers University: New Brunswick and Piscataway, NJ
• University of North Carolina: Chapel Hill, NC
• University of Oklahoma: Norman, OK
• Oklahoma State University: Stillwater, OK
• University of Puerto Rico 🇵🇷: Río Piedras, PR
• University of South Carolina: Columbia, SC
• University of Tennessee: Knoxville, TN
• University of Houston: Houston, TX
• University of North Texas: Denton, TX
• The University of Texas: Austin, TX
• Texas A&M University: College Station, TX
• Texas Tech University: Lubbock, TX
• Washington State University: Pullman, WA
• West Virginia University: Morgantown, WV
• University of Wisconsin: Madison, WI

Hype for the Future 70H: Public University Systems in Indiana

Overview

Within the State of Indiana are the numerous public universities associated with the State, most notably the two public university systems anchored by Purdue University and Indiana University, with flagship campuses in West Lafayette and Bloomington, respectively.

Outside the Purdue and Indiana University Systems, however, the public universities separate from the system include Indiana State University in Terre Haute, the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, Ball State University in Muncie, and Vincennes University in Vincennes.

Hype for the Future 70G: Public Universities in Iowa

Overview

While the State of Iowa may often be overlooked in national discussions, especially as the State is part of the quintessential “flyover country” that represents much of the American Midwest and greater interior region, the State is actually home to three (3) distinct public universities, namely the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa State University in Ames, and the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.

Hype for the Future 70F: The University System of Ohio

Introduction

The campuses of the public state universities of the State of Ohio are all within a single state university system. The universities, not even including the Community College System of Ohio, are largely determined by the communities of Athens, Oxford, Columbus, Kent, Bowling Green, Toledo, Fairborn, Wilberforce, Akron, Youngstown, Cincinnati, and Portsmouth.

Universities

The following public state universities are associated with the State of Ohio:

• Ohio University (Athens)
• Miami University (Oxford)
• The Ohio State University (Columbus)
• Kent State University (Kent)
• Shawnee State University (Portsmouth)
• Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green)
• Cleveland State University (Cleveland)
• University of Akron (Akron)
• Youngstown State University (Youngstown)
• University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati)
• Wright State University (Fairborn)
• Central State University (Wilberforce)
• University of Toledo (Toledo)

Hype for the Future 69H: Town of Plymouth, New Hampshire

Overview

The Town of Plymouth is located in the eastern portion of Cheshire County, New Hampshire. Immediately off Interstate 93 in the eastern portion of the county, Plymouth is most notable for the historic Plymouth Town Common, Plymouth Meeting House, and Plymouth State University—all in effectively the same region of the State. Though the Tenney Mountain Ski Resort is located at the western edge of the Town, much of the resort area, including the official Tenney Mountain, are also identified with the Towns of Hebron and Groton located nearby. Within the nearby Town of Groton is the Sculptured Rocks Natural Area.

Hype for the Future 60E: The Claremont College System

Location

Unlike the Five College Consortium, located entirely in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, albeit on separate and noncontiguous campuses, the Claremont Colleges are located in Claremont in the extreme eastern section of Los Angeles County, California. Five colleges are located within the Claremont College Consortium, including Pomona College, Scripps College, Claremont McKenna College, Harvey Mudd College, and Pitzer College. Two graduate schools are also located within, though one of the grad schools is actually located separately from the main campus area.

Accommodations

Like the Five Colleges in Hampshire County, the Claremont Colleges allow opportunities for cross-campus socializing as well as fluidity of movement. While cross-enrollment may not be as fluid as in the Five Colleges, the Claremont Colleges offer similar services to the Five Colleges albeit in the West Coast region of the United States in Southern California (SoCal).

Overlap with the Six Colleges

Within the Claremont Colleges, Pomona College is often associated with the Five Colleges’ Amherst College, though also with Bowdoin, Carleton, Swarthmore, and Williams Colleges. These colleges effectively represent the Six Colleges, with Amherst being included in the cluster with Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, Smith, and UMass Amherst and Bowdoin being in the cluster with Colby and Bates also in its State of Maine.

Hype for the Future 59J: Colby, Bates, Bowdoin

The Central Maine Triad

The triad of elite colleges associated with the State of Maine—Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin—refer to a particular triad of such colleges in the New England region of the United States of America under private control that are culturally deemed similar to the Ivy League in providing liberal arts educational materials. The colleges are located in the communities of Waterville, Lewiston, and Brunswick, with each community providing a distinct backdrop related to the State. Waterville is located relatively close to the City of Augusta, the capital city of the State of Maine, but further upstream along the Kennebec River. Lewiston is the second-largest city in the State of Maine, with the City of Auburn across the Androscoggin River serving as the county seat and around the fifth-largest city in the State. Brunswick is somewhat more isolated, though still within proximity to the City of Portland and accessible via United States Route 1, which also provides access to the MidCoast in the opposite direction, including the notable community of Rockland, Maine.

Hype for the Future 59I: Amherst, Bowdoin, Carleton, Pomona, Swarthmore, Williams

Locations

The Six Colleges of prestigious liberal arts are scattered throughout much of the United States, with locations in Massachusetts, Maine, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and California. Two of the colleges—Amherst and Williams—are located in Massachusetts, though Amherst is located further east in the Pioneer Valley and Williams further west in the region known as the Berkshires. Bowdoin is located nearby to Portland in the community known as Brunswick, Maine, slightly north and approaching the Rockland area. Swarthmore is located within the Swarthmore community and the Greater Philadelphia area, while Carleton and Pomona are located elsewhere in the United States, significantly outside the Northeastern United States and the Northeast Megalopolis.

Pomona is located in the Los Angeles area nearby to Pomona in the community of Claremont, California, on the opposite side of the nation from the five other listed institutions. Even Carleton is a significant distance west from the Northeast Megalopolis, located in the low-key area known as Northfield, Minnesota, somewhat to the south of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

Hype for the Future 59H: The Public Universities of the New England States

University Systems

Each of the six New England states contains at least one (1) public state university, even though an entire university system may not necessarily exist. The exact number of institutions is related to the cultural and historical settlement patterns of each state and specific region, though general patterns include density for a college or university and the existence of a community in more remote zones. Therefore, the following should be considered:

Maine

• University of Maine (Orono — Main Campus)
• University of Southern Maine (Gorham and Portland)
• University of Maine Augusta
• University of Maine Farmington
• University of Maine Fort Kent
• University of Maine Machias
• University of Maine Presque Isle

New Hampshire

• University of New Hampshire (Durham — Main Campus)
• Plymouth State University
• Keene State College

Vermont

• University of Vermont (UVM, Burlington)
• Vermont State University Castleton
• Vermont State University Johnson
• Vermont State University Lyndon
• Vermont State University Randolph
• Vermont State University Williston

Massachusetts

• University of Massachusetts (UMass, Amherst — Main Campus)
• University of Massachusetts Boston
• University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
• University of Massachusetts Lowell
• University of Massachusetts Global
• Bridgewater State University
• Fitchburg State University
• Framingham State University
• Salem State University
• Westfield State University
• Worcester State University
• Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (North Adams)

Rhode Island

• Rhode Island College (RIC, Providence)
• University of Rhode Island (Kingston)

Connecticut

• University of Connecticut (Storrs/Mansfield, Main Campus)
• Central Connecticut State University (New Britain)
• Eastern Connecticut State University (Willimantic/Windham)
• Southern Connecticut State University (New Haven)
• Western Connecticut State University (Danbury)

Hype for the Future 59F: UMaine and the UMaine System

Overview

The University of Maine System is comprised of the colleges and universities named “University of Maine” as well as the University of Southern Maine, albeit not the community colleges nor the Maine Maritime Academy. The locations for these colleges include campuses in Orono (home to the flagship campus of the University of Maine), Gorham (home to the University of Southern Maine), and the UMaine campuses located in Farmington, Fort Kent, Presque Isle, Machias, and Augusta. Of these locations, Fort Kent is located along the Saint John Valley that defines the Canadian border, while Presque Isle is located further south along United States Route 1 just west of the easterly border of the state. Machias is located in Washington County and is the county seat; Farmington is located in Franklin County and is the county seat; and Augusta is both the county seat of Kennebec County and the state capital city.

Hype for the Future 57B: Massachusetts and Connecticut Compared

Population

Massachusetts is the largest of the six states comprising the New England region of the United States of America, while Connecticut has a somewhat lower population count. In either case, however, population densities are on the high end, with Massachusetts ranked third and Connecticut ranked fourth (only New Jersey and Rhode Island have higher population densities). The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is interestingly also within the top ten most forested states, with protected natural areas even in the eastern portion of the Commonwealth, a stark contrast from the seemingly endless suburbanization that defines the State of Connecticut north from the Long Island Sound.

Geography

The Appalachian Mountains occur within the western portion of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in which case the chief mountain range is the Berkshire Mountains with the geologically separate Taconic Mountains located further west. Further south is the Northwest Hills of Connecticut, as mountains do not get nearly as dramatic as at Mount Greylock, the highest point in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. On the contrary, however, the State of Connecticut is largely restricted to the Long Island Sound while the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is notable for the Massachusetts Bay, Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket.

Though most of the Narragansett Bay is claimed by the State of Rhode Island, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts also contains a brief coastline on the bay. However, the Blackstone River Valley is somewhat more important to defining the region further west, largely south of Worcester until Pawtucket, Rhode Island. To the west of the Blackstone River Valley is the true area in which Massachusetts and Connecticut are most reasonably identified as similar, with economic partnerships occurring in numerous communities along the Connecticut River Valley, especially north of Hartford into Springfield, Northampton, and Greenfield, all along the immediate area of the river.

The Housatonic River also determines the culture of the region, more specifically in the westernmost areas of either state. While the river begins in Pittsfield and the watershed does not extend into Vermont or even the northern reaches of the Berkshires, the river actually determines numerous cultural traits within the extreme western portion of the State of Connecticut, including a few towns such as Kent immediately adjacent to the State of New York to the west.

Notable Universities

Within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the following public universities are identified within the UMass and Massachusetts State University Systems within the mainstream:

• UMass Amherst: Flagship Campus
• UMass Boston
• UMass Dartmouth
• UMass Lowell
• Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts: North Adams
• Bridgewater State University
• Fitchburg State University
• Framingham State University
• Salem State University
• Westfield State University
• Worcester State University

For Connecticut, the institutions are primarily associated with the UConn and Connecticut State University Systems, with the following notable public colleges and universities:

• UConn (Main Campus): Storrs (Town of Mansfield)
• Eastern Connecticut State University: Willimantic (Town of Windham)
• Central Connecticut State University: New Britain
• Western Connecticut State University: Danbury
• Southern Connecticut State University: New Haven

While each of the above universities listed is public, the notable private universities also maintain a significant footprint on defining the culture of either state:

• Ivy League Colleges
  • Harvard University: Cambridge, MA
  • Yale University: New Haven, CT
• “Six Colleges” (Elite Liberal Arts)
  • Amherst College: Amherst, MA (not to be confused with UMass Amherst, the public university in the Five College Consortium)
  • Williams College: Williamstown, MA
• “Five Colleges”
  • Hampshire College: Amherst, MA
  • Mount Holyoke College: All-female in South Hadley, MA
  • Smith College: All-female in Northampton, MA
• Brandeis University: Waltham, MA
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): Cambridge, MA
• Tufts University: Border of Somerville and Medford, MA
• Boston College
• Boston University
• University of Hartford
• University of New Haven
• Trinity College: Hartford, CT
• Quinnipiac University: Hamden, CT
• Fairfield College: Fairfield, CT
• Bay Path University: Longmeadow, MA
• Western New England University: Springfield, MA
• College of Our Lady of the Elms (Elms College): Chicopee, MA
• American International College: Springfield, MA

Notable Rivers

Within the State of Connecticut, the Long Island Sound is the most notable mouth of the associated rivers of the State, thus the geographic similarities that extend into the Pioneer Valley and even into Vermont and New Hampshire. The most notable of rivers include the Mystic River defining Mystic, the Thames River defining the New London area, the Connecticut River associated with Saybrook and Hartford settlements, the Quinnipiac River of the New Haven area, and the Housatonic River of the extreme west of the State.

Within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Connecticut River is largely identified as the mouth of the Westfield and Deerfield Rivers, both of which give names to associated communities within the Commonwealth. Even the Hoosic River and the Kinderhook Creek are related to the Hudson River, and thus to New York Harbor, albeit by way of the geologically distinctive Taconic Mountains west of the Berkshires proper.

Hype for the Future 56K: Closure of the Vermont Studio Store

Overview

The Vermont Studio Store has just announced the unfortunate necessary to close the store located in the Town of Johnson, Lamoille County, Vermont. While the State of Vermont is often known for taking pride locally and refusing to worship corporate powers.m, the capitalist reality has resulted in numerous unforeseen circumstances. Such unforeseen circumstances may have included government tracking secrets on the money supply as well as the performative incentives associated with capitalism.

Anticapitalist Perspective

Unfortunately, the Vermont Studio Store has been located in the Town of Johnson, Lamoille County, Vermont, home to a campus of Vermont State University and former campus of Northern Vermont University. As a university town, the impacts of the loss of the Studio Store shall be felt across all of town, but especially at the university level, as Vermont State University has operated on a very similar ethos within its campuses located in the Towns of Castleton, Johnson, Lyndon, Randolph, and Williston.

While capitalism has naturally resulted in the closures of numerous small businesses across the nation, the State of Vermont has prioritized the preservation of such businesses, even indirectly, by way of prioritizing the natural environment and resources of the scenic Green Mountain State. Even in spite of the localist cultural ideology of the State, Vermont remains vulnerable to capitalist downfalls as with any other community.

Hype for the Future 55G: College Towns in New England

Vermont

Within the State of Vermont, the second-smallest state by total population and a state that often feels even smaller than the smaller Wyoming, is only a few colleges and universities dispersed throughout. Most notably are the public institutions of UVM in Burlington and Vermont State in Castleton, Johnson, Lyndon, and Randolph. Apart from the public institutions, Middlebury College is perhaps at a similar level, albeit with a significantly heightened perception of prestige, in Addison County.

New Hampshire

Within the State of New Hampshire, there exists only three public state universities, including the University of New Hampshire (Durham), Keene State College, and Plymouth State University. Though numerous other institutions, largely private, also exist, the most important of the private institutions is Dartmouth in Hanover, New Hampshire, located just north of Lebanon along the Connecticut River.

Maine

Though Maine is not an Ivy League state, Bowdoin is an Ivy-adjacent university under private control, focusing on liberal arts in a fashion relatively similar to Amherst and Williams in Massachusetts, Carleton in Minnesota, Pomona in California, and Swarthmore in Pennsylvania. The public state university system is also of significance, with the flagship university located in Orono, near Bangor, Penobscot County, Maine, though numerous additional colleges, both public and private, are scattered throughout the State.

Massachusetts

Though the most urbanized of urban areas in the New England region, Greater Boston, contains numerous colleges and universities, many of which are private, the college and university towns more associated with such labels include Williamstown (Williams College), North Adams (Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts), Amherst (Amherst College, Hampshire College, and University of Massachusetts Amherst), Northampton (Smith College, all-female), South Hadley (Mount Holyoke College, all-female), Worcester, and Fitchburg, just to name a few. In many of the college towns and associated communities, there exists at least a moderate presence of arts and music, especially around Northampton, a widely recognized countercultural hub in Hampshire County, Massachusetts.

The public state universities associated with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are themselves often located in college towns, with the notable exception of UMass Boston, as Boston is more or less a global city and not directly tied to any particular college or university community. The other institutions are UMass Amherst, UMass Dartmouth, UMass Lowell, and state universities located in Bridgewater, Fitchburg, Framingham, Salem, Westfield, and Worcester. The communities of Bridgewater and Dartmouth are typically identified as further south, with Dartmouth considered part of the official South Coast region of the Commonwealth.

Additional private universities of interest within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are generally more urban, though the campuses themselves are often not intrinsically of urban value. Such institutions include Western New England University and American International College in Springfield, Bay Path University in Longmeadow, the College of Our Lady of the Elms (Elms College) in Chicopee, Brandeis University in Waltham, Tufts University split between Medford and Somerville, and the numerous colleges and universities more closely associated with Cambridge, most notably Harvard and MIT.

Rhode Island

Similar to Massachusetts, the State of Rhode Island prides itself on a massive college and university-level heritage. However, unlike Massachusetts, Rhode Island has only two (2) public state universities: the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College. Numerous private universities also exist, including Brown University of the Ivy League.

Connecticut

The southernmost of the six states of New England, the State of Connecticut takes pride in both public and private institutions, including UConn, whose main campus is located in Storrs, as well as the state universities of Central Connecticut, Eastern Connecticut, Southern Connecticut, and Western Connecticut. Central is New Britain, Eastern Willimantic, Southern New Haven, and Western Danbury. Additional notable colleges exist under the community college system for primarily two-year degrees as well as under private control. The most notable of the private universities include Yale (in the Ivy League), as well as Quinnipiac University, Trinity College, the University of Hartford, and the University of New Haven.

Hype for the Future 51W: Additional Events of Importance

Preamble

While the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds is already renowned for hosting around one million people at the annual Ohio State Fair over the course of twelve (12) days every year, the State Fair does not actually represent the complete story of the City of Columbus or even the area around the Fairgrounds. Though numerous street addresses are identified with the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds, the most commonly represented (and technically accurate) of the addresses is 717 East 17th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43211. As with most state fairs across the nation, the vast majority of the festival goers are from in-state, though every corner of the State of Ohio is typically represented at such fairs.

Networking

At the Ohio State Fair, since most of the educational institutions statewide are about to finish break, networking opportunities are very broad, though socialization may get particularly difficult because of the diverse age brackets and the inclusion of different stages of development. The novaTop community is currently attempting the age bracket between 18 and 29 years of age, though as novaTopFlex grows older, the age bracket shall be expanded as appropriate, and the new rule shall be 21 years and above.

Although not all educational institutions in terms of colleges and universities may be represented at the lesser events of the fairgrounds, the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair often attracts individuals and communities associated with every college and university located within the State of Ohio, including, but not limited to, the public institutions of Ohio University, Miami University, The Ohio State University, Cleveland State University, the University of Akron, the University of Toledo, the University of Cincinnati, Central State University, Wright State University, Shawnee State University, Kent State University, Youngstown State University, and Bowling Green State University. Numerous private institutions are also typically represented in various forms, including Marietta College, Wilmington College, Wilberforce University, Capital University, the University of Findlay, Ohio Wesleyan University, Case Western Reserve University, Ohio Northern University, Defiance College, Walsh University, the University of Dayton, the campuses of Bryant and Stratton College, Xavier University, Mount Saint Joseph University, Ashland University, Tiffin University, and Oberlin College.

Satellite campuses of numerous institutions, unsurprisingly, are also expected to be represented regularly from the perspective of the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds, particularly at the time of the State Fair over the summer when longer distances are often more feasible. While access from out of state is theoretically possible for the fairgrounds, the satellite campuses of numerous universities are often more typical to the demographic makeup of the State Fair. Such satellite campuses include the Ohio State University satellites in Lima, Mansfield, Marion, and Newark; the Firelands Campus of Bowling Green State University in Huron; the Kent State University satellites in Ashtabula, Burton, East Liverpool, Jackson Township, New Philadelphia, Salem, and Warren; the Miami University satellites in Hamilton, Middletown, and West Chester Township; the Ohio University satellites in Chillicothe, Saint Clairsville (Eastern), Lancaster, Ironton (Southern), and Zanesville; the branch campuses of the University of Akron in Lafayette Township (Medina County), Orrville (Wayne), and Lakewood; the University of Cincinnati branch campuses in Batavia (Clermont) and Blue Ash; and the Lake Campus of Wright State University located in Celina.

Hype for the Future 49CIN → Cincinnati Metropolitan Area

The Cincinnati Metropolitan Area is the largest metropolitan area associated with the State of Ohio, though not necessarily the largest within Ohio itself (that title is likely more accurate to the Cleveland-Akron-Canton Combined Statistical Area per the 2020 United States Census). Apart from Ohio, the inner urban area also extends over the Ohio River into the Commonwealth of Kentucky to the south. The outer fringes of the area also extend into the State of Indiana, thus creating a tri-state region centered at Cincinnati, formerly known as Losantiville.

Historically, the City of Cincinnati was located within the Northwest Territory, originally as part of an unorganized portion of the Territory. As of 1788, Cincinnati would not have been considered part of any county territory at all, as Washington County had not extended west of the Scioto River, nearer Chillicothe, which would later become the original state capital of the State of Ohio. As of 1790, when Hamilton County was first formed, much of the Cincinnati area and even the Dayton area would eventually become part of the County, though the northwestern portion of the area, including the Indiana section as well as the Oxford area in Ohio, would become associated with Knox County, which would evolve separately into the county home to Vincennes, the oldest European settlement in the modern State of Indiana. In 1800, when Clermont County was formed out of the southeastern portion of Hamilton County, the outer east side of Cincinnati had been split off of the inner city area as a result. The next significant split to define the Cincinnati area would occur in 1803, when the counties with Hamilton and Lebanon had split off of Hamilton County to form Butler and Warren Counties, respectively. At the time, much of the extreme eastern side of the Cincinnati area toward Chillicothe and to the south of Columbus had been associated with the Counties of Adams, Ross, and Scioto. Of the counties in question, Adams County is along the Ohio River to this day, with Scioto River further upstream and Ross County somewhat further to the north.

Even though the modern State of Ohio was first settled nearer Marietta, the county formation had actually been more developed nearer Cincinnati even in 1803. For instance, Athens County, a modern county adjacent to Washington County, had not yet been formed, though Clermont, Butler, and Warren Counties had already been formed and in full force. Even Franklin County had been formed in 1803, somewhat prior to the formation of Athens County. Although Ohio University (OU) in Athens was the first university to be established in the State of Ohio, Miami University in Oxford was the second and remains located in Butler County to this day. More recent university formations within the Ohio portion of the Greater Cincinnati area include the following, with years of establishment, control, and status for each higher educational institution:

• University of Cincinnati (UC) (1809, public)
• Cincinnati State Technical and Community College (1969, public community college)
• Athenaeum of Ohio (1829, private Catholic) ← Cincinnati
• Xavier University (1831, private Catholic) ← Cincinnati
• Art Academy of Cincinnati (1869, private special focus)
• Wilmington College (1870, private)

Within the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the general south side of Cincinnati, including the mouth of the Licking River that Losantiville was partially named for, was entirely located within Kentucky (also spelled “Kentucke” at the time) County under the Commonwealth of Virginia as of 1776, with the county becoming effective in 1777. When the three original Kentuckian counties of Jefferson, Fayette, and Lincoln were formed in 1780, the Northern Kentucky area was entirely associated with Fayette County. In 1785 (effective 1786), the eastern third of the Northern Kentucky area would become part of the then-newly-formed Bourbon County, which today uses Paris as the county seat and is associated with the Bluegrass region. The western two-thirds of the Northern Kentucky area remained under Fayette County, which today uses the significantly larger City of Lexington as the county seat. In 1788 (established 1789), county governance in the Northern Kentucky region would be transferred from Fayette County to Woodford County in the west and from Bourbon County to Mason County in the east. Woodford County today uses Versailles, approximately midway between Franklin and Lexington, as the county seat, while Mason County uses Maysville as the county seat and is directly along the Ohio River further upstream. Once Kentucky had separated off from Virginia in 1792, much of the Woodford County portion of the area, including the Northern Kentucky section, has become the northern end of Scott County, which uses Georgetown as the modern county seat and is in the direct path between Lexington and Cincinnati, approximately midway. In 1794 (effective 1795), following the formation of Harrison County using Cynthiana as the county seat, was the formation of Campbell County, which would cover the entirety of the Northern Kentucky area as well as much of the area directly to the north of Georgetown, including modern-day Pendleton and Grant Counties. At the southeastern end of the county would become Bracken County as of 1796 (effective 1797); following the split of Bracken County between Campbell and Mason Counties, the Northern Kentucky region proper would become split again with the formation of Boone County, established 1798 and effective 1799, named for Daniel Boone. Also around the time of the Boone County formation was the formation of Pendleton County further south, splitting the aforementioned area to the north of Georgetown from Northern Kentucky.

Deeper down into Kentucky, yet still occasionally in the broader definition of Northern Kentucky, was the formation of Owen County from Scott, Franklin, Gallatin, and Pendleton Counties in 1819 followed by the formation of Grant County from western Pendleton County in 1820. While numerous minor exchanges in county boundaries were established throughout the next several years, the most significant of the changes was the addition of the Glencoe area and further east to Gallatin County from Boone County in 1837. While Gallatin County would later split in 1838 with Carroll County formed to the west, including from Henry and Trimble Counties, the final addition to the county map that would define Northern Kentucky was the incorporation of Kenton County as an independent county from the western part of Campbell County. With just a few minor tweaks, the approximate county boundaries have remained very similar to the original boundaries following the Kenton County formation of 1840.

Though the Commonwealth of Kentucky lacks the university-friendly traditions that had defined the Northwest Territory through the Northwest Ordinance and especially within the State of Ohio, the Northern Kentucky region actually has Northern Kentucky University (NKU), located in Highland Heights, Kentucky. Though NKU is the only public Kentucky university to be associated with the Greater Cincinnati area, numerous private institutions may be associated with the indirect Cincinnati area within the Commonwealth. The private liberal arts college of Georgetown College is located in Georgetown, which is in Scott County, though the area is more appropriately identified as the north side of Lexington. Thomas More University is located in Crestview Hills, which is definitely identified with Northern Kentucky as the university is firmly located within the orbit of Cincinnati, significantly detached from the Lexington and Bluegrass regions. For health education, Beckfield College is a private for-profit college located in Florence within the region. The community college serving the Northern Kentucky region is the Gateway Community and Technical College, serving classes in Covington, Edgewood, and Boone County.

Though the Ohio and Kentucky portions of the area already cover the vast majority of the tri-state area, the smaller portion of Indiana does not contain a significant influence on the culture of the Cincinnati region, with many residents identifying more rurally or with the smaller communities of the region. For instance, residents of Liberty, Indiana, could identify either with proximity to Richmond or to Oxford, Ohio, or the residents of the surrounding area in Union County (typically more associated with Dayton) may identify with the rural traditions locally. The only colleges or universities that could reasonably identify with the Cincinnati area within the State of Indiana are private: Hanover College in Hanover (typically more associated with Louisville) and Veritas Baptist College in Greendale.

Attractions

The Northern Kentucky and Eastern Cincinnati regions are generally regarded as more historically significant, with both located approaching the Appalachian Mountains further to the south and east. Clermont County, Ohio, is often regarded as Appalachian by culture as well as by nature, though the extent of the cultural influence may not nearly be as significant as in the backcountry regions of Virginia or North Carolina.

Hype for the Future 46B: Gateway to the Berkshires

The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, located in the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts in the City of North Adams, is more than just a museum—it is also a gateway to a cultural script largely associated with the Berkshire Mountains (i.e. the Berkshires). Though not a traditional private college or university, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art provides functions to support artists in young adult years and across age groups, as well as provisions for multigenerational support, a feature not typically associated with higher educational institutions nor associated opportunities.

Within the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art campus, the Porches Inn serves as a place of lodging as well as a partially communal gathering space that also contains the associated Studio 9 concert venue. Additional sites associated with the museum include the Lickety Split café, the Casita restaurant, and a surprising plethora of related restaurants, cafés, and even bar areas all in one. While the buildings may initially seem separated on the map, every building within the museum is actually connected not at the first floor but at the second floor. The museum also contains a third floor area, though not nearly as significant as the first or second floor areas.

Hype for the Future 45J: University of Vermont (UVM)

Located within the City of Burlington, the smallest largest city of any state in the nation, the University of Vermont provides a surprisingly clear distinction between university and general population lifestyles, while also upholding the moral and ethical values of academic honesty and merit, as represented by the abbreviation reading “UVM” instead of “UVT,” a tribute to the Latin version of the university name.

Hype for the Future 45I: Vermont State University Campuses

The State University System of Vermont consists of five campuses, but no flagship campus. While the VTSU system has only been around in the current arrangement since around 2023, the five (5) campuses each offer unique perspectives and opportunities regarding life and lifestyle choices. The locations are in five distinct regions of the State, and no two locations exist within the same county. The counties with locations of VTSU are Chittenden, Rutland, Orange, Caledonia, and Lamoille. The Williston Campus is in Chittenden County, while the Castleton Campus is in Rutland County, the Randolph Campus is in Orange County, the Lyndon Campus is in Caledonia County, and the Johnson Campus is in Lamoille County. Relative to the county seats for each county, Williston is directly east of Burlington, Castleton west of Rutland, Randolph west of Chelsea, Lyndon north of St. Johnsbury, and Johnson north of Hyde Park.

Hype for the Future 42A: More about BosWash

The Northeast Megalopolis is largely determined by Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington. However, additional smaller cities also play a role in the BosWash corridor, sometimes suburban, sometimes satellite cities, other times by way of being independent in their own right. Occasionally included are northern and southern extensions of the Northeast Megalopolis to cover Portsmouth, Portland, and Bangor to the north; and Richmond and Hampton Roads to the south. Regardless of definition, however, the Northeast Megalopolis is defined by a nearly continuous string of urbanized and suburbanized areas, and travel particularly within the Boston to Washington corridor rarely involves traveling through rural areas. Even in broader definitions, the extent of the corridor ranges significantly within more urban areas, though Virginia, New Hampshire, and Maine offer breaks from the consistent urban grind. For Virginia, the only truly urban areas, many of which are clearly separated by rural territory, are Northern Virginia (NOVA), Fredericksburg, Richmond, Williamsburg, and Hampton Roads communities. In the case of Northern New England, the extent of the Megalopolis in New Hampshire may also deviate from the coast, with Manchester serving the role of the largest city in the State and Concord the capital city—all while the region remains under the orbit of Boston.

The Vermont Question

If the Northeast Megalopolis stretches toward Richmond, Williamsburg, and Hampton Roads, then logically, the next question is, “what about Vermont?” While the State of Vermont has no obvious answer as only smaller communities exist within this second-least-populated US state, perhaps the most correct of correct answers would be that the State should not be considered part of the Northeast, as the rural pass-through areas in Virginia are gateways and the State of Vermont is off the direct corridor path. Possible communities to consider as part of the Northeast Megalopolis may include the following:

• Burlington, VT — Largest City in the State of Vermont
• Brattleboro, VT — Strong Cultural Connections to Hartford and the Pioneer Valley
• Bennington, VT — A University Town in Southwestern Vermont

Apart from the three communities in Vermont listed above, the cultural characteristics of Vermont are clearly distinct from the other New England states in even the more rural areas elsewhere in Northern New England, so Vermont may not actually be considered part of the Megalopolis. If Burlington were considered, then the next question would be, “what about Plattsburgh?” If Plattsburgh is included, next is the idea that the Megalopolis may extend into Canada by way of Montréal, but in reality, the Northeast definition is only accurate to within the United States.

Smaller Cities within the Northeast Megalopolis

Smaller cities are also of major national importance within the Northeast Megalopolis region of the United States. Such regions include cities located in between the major cities and can be located anywhere in the direct path of the region, with notable core urban communities including Providence, Newport, Hartford, New Haven, Springfield, Albany, Poughkeepsie, Schenectady, Newark, Jersey City, Trenton, Camden, Wilmington, Dover, and Annapolis, just to name a few.

Satellite Cities within the Northeast

Within the Northeast Megalopolis, satellite cities are often prevalent in proximity to some of the largest cities in the region and nation alike. Such communities include Massachusetts include, but are not limited to, Framingham, Worcester, Leominster, Fitchburg, Brockton, Plymouth, Salem, Beverly, Peabody, New Bedford, Fall River, Attleboro, Taunton, Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, Holyoke, Chicopee, Amherst, Northampton, North Adams, and Pittsfield. Within Connecticut, these communities may include Meriden, New Britain, Storrs, Willimantic, Windsor, Windsor Locks, New London, Fairfield, Stratford, Bridgeport, Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, and Danbury. Rhode Island communities such as Warwick, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, and Westerly may be included in the regional definition, along with Little Compton nearer the Newport area.

In the Mid-Atlantic region, notable satellites and major suburban areas may include the following communities:

• In New York: Kingston, Middletown, Port Jervis, Newburgh, Catskill, Hudson, Coxsackie, Mahopac, Carmel, Yonkers, White Plains, Henpstead, Oyster Bay, Riverhead, Southold, Southampton, Montauk, Orient, Rensselaer, Troy, East Greenbush
• In New Jersey: Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, Elizabeth, Hackensack, Morristown, Newton, Vernon, Princeton, Trenton, Camden, Somerville, Freehold, Shrewsbury, Asbury Park, Flemington
• In Pennsylvania: Allentown, Reading, Lancaster, Bethlehem, Easton, West Chester, Media, Norristown, Doylestown, Upper Darby (Township), Swarthmore, Gwynedd, Levittown (an early modern suburb), Manheim, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Valley Forge (historically within the modern region)
• In Delaware: Wilmington, Newark. New Castle, Smyrna, Dover, Camden (suburban), Wyoming (suburban), and the following even smaller town communities:
  • Georgetown
  • Milford
  • Lewes
  • Rehoboth Beach
  • Fenwick Island
  • Delmar
• In Maryland: Annapolis, Frederick, Glen Burnie, Silver Spring, Towson, Elkton, Havre de Grace, Bel Air
  • Usually, the Eastern Shore, part of the Delmarva Peninsula, would not be included within the definition of the Northeast Megalopolis as the region is predominantly rural. However, the region is home to Ocean Pines, Ocean City, Easton, Cambridge, and Salisbury, along with numerous smaller communities scattered throughout the region.
• In Virginia:
  • Definitely included: Arlington County (not an incorporated city, town, or otherwise), Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, Manassas Park
  • Included by association: Leesburg/Purcellville (Loudoun County), Washington (Rappahannock County, though extremely rural), Culpeper, Madison (rural county), Orange
  • Sometimes Included: Fredericksburg, Richmond, Williamsburg, Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth, and surrounding communities

North Carolina, while rarely considered in the definition of the Northeast Megalopolis, may suffice within the area around Elizabeth City in Pasquotank County. Located in Pasquotank County, North Carolina, this community is within relative proximity to the Hampton Roads region, chiefly located over the line in Virginia. Similarly, due to outlying locations and distance, Pittsburgh, Erie, Charlottesville, Roanoke, Lynchburg, Hagerstown, Buffalo, Rochester, and similar Appalachian and surrounding communities should not be classified as Northeastern, though cultural traits in more university-oriented communities further west, such as Cornell in Ithaca, New York, may be more akin to the Megalopolis back east.

Hype for the Future 21/284: More on Massachusetts

The State University System of Massachusetts contains higher educational institutions located in Bridgewater, Fitchburg, Framingham, Salem, Westfield, and Worcester. Bridgewater is the furthest south, Salem the furthest north, and Westfield the furthest west. Located more directly to the west of Boston is Framingham, while Worcester is the most centrally located within the Commonwealth (with Fitchburg nearby to the northwest, adjacent to the non-college community of Leominster). Additional colleges and universities associated with the State University System include art and design in Boston, liberal arts in North Adams, and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay.

The University of Massachusetts (UMass) system also exists within the Commonwealth, containing the Chan Medical School in Worcester, as well as UMass Global, providing UMass educational resources online from Aliso Viejo, California. The flagship campus is in Amherst; however, additional physical locations also exist in Boston, Dartmouth, and Lowell, with the School of Law also in Dartmouth.

Hype for the Future 19A: What about Bay Path?

Bay Path University is located in Longmeadow, Hampden County, Massachusetts, immediately to the south of Springfield along the Connecticut state line. The university is all-female, as with Mount Holyoke and Smith, yet surrounding colleges and universities also influence Bay Path into a common role in the Knowledge Corridor. Located along U.S. Route 5, Bay Path is positioned almost exactly in between Hartford and Springfield, with Northampton and Amherst to the north and Meriden and New Haven each further south.

Hype for the Future 18E: The novaTop Travel Itinerary, Unleashed

Three links exist to different sections of the novaTop Travel Itinerary, based on when each listed location is identified to begin with:

List 1: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QNNxGZ1erQ5yAdcD7

List 2: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Z5HaK23v788fsQEMA

List 3: https://maps.app.goo.gl/5jXMAcm9Q252TZJv7

While the overall horizons are no longer expanding for novaTopFlex, the novaTop Travel Itinerary is continuing to grow out and now make the research official for the ultimate novaTop experience.

Hype for the Future 8C: Oxford, Ohio

Officially, the Main Campus of Miami University is located in the eastern section of Oxford, Butler County, Ohio, historically associated with College (later Oxford) Township at the northwest corner of the county. Within Miami University, notable infrastructure exists for community members in addition to the Miami student body, including the Hefner Museum of Natural History, the Limper Geology Museum, and the McGuffey House and Museum. Additionally, the Langstroth Cottage and Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum locations are located at the eastern edge of Miami University campus grounds (additional satellite campuses exist throughout Butler County, by the way). Even further east, outside of campus boundaries, is the Dewitt Log Home. However, numerous amenities also exist for community members within the Uptown area of Oxford, and surrounding nature is largely dominated by the Hueston Woods State Park, at least partly in Preble County, to the north.