Lewis-Clark State College

Lewis-Clark State College is located in Lewiston, Idaho, home to almost 3500 students. LCSC was founded in 1893 as "Lewiston State Normal School." The Class of 1896 were the first to graduate from the newly-built school, with only 46 graduating students. The college became a four-year institution in 1943, only to be closed in 1951 due to the outbreak of the Korean War. In 1955, it was reborn as "Lewis-Clark Normal School" and served as a branch of the University of Idaho. As its roots suggest, it was still existed solely to educate elementary school teachers. In fact, it held the record for being the last "normal" college in America. Finally, in 1963, the Idaho legislature restored its independence and it has since become a high-performing liberal arts college.

Despite its small size, LCSC ranks surprisingly high in academics. LCSC was named the top public college in the 'Comprehensive - Bachelor's Degree' catagory in the 2002 U.S. News & World Report publication. Students study in a variety of fields, but nursing and education remain the largest programs. It does offer several unusual disciplines, including classes for learning the Nez Perce language. The classes are smaller than at most colleges or universities, so students get more one-on-one interaction with professors.

LCSC is also very diverse, boasting students from "more than 20 countries, 30 states, and every corner of the State of Idaho." The college maintains a particularly strong population of Japanese foreign exchange students.

The LC Warriors baseball team are well-known for being the hosts and champions of the 2003 NAIA World Series. The Warriors have won the World Series 13 times since 1984. Lewis-Clark State College, while being primarily known for its baseball, also features teams in everything from golf to basketball to rugby.

When students aren't playing sports or studying, they are likely enjoying the temperate weather. The Clearwater and Snake Rivers converge at Lewiston, so water recreation is highly popular. In the winter, many students ski or snowboard in the nearby mountains. One of the most appealing factors of LCSC is the beautiful campus, ornamented with blooming dogwood trees, and the comfortable size of the Lewis-Clark valley--small enough to retain its charm, but large enough to provide ample entertainment for students.