Two Delaware County college campuses, less than 12 miles from each other off Interstate 476, were chosen in January by U.S. News and World Report to be among its 30 most beautiful college campuses, reports 95.7BEN FM.
Swarthmore College and Villanova University both made the list.
Swarthmore was recognized for Parrish Hall, a Reconstruction-era Victorian-style administration building.
The granite and slate building was constructed in 1869. It’s a campus centerpiece, overlooking a college quad.
The campus also hosts the Scott Arboretum, covering three-quarters of the campus acreage. It has more than 4,000 plant species.
U.S. News also appreciated an amphitheater with lawn-covered stone tiers, tulip trees, and numerous wooded areas across 425 acres.
Villanova was praised for its Gothic architecture and landscaping, with St. Thomas of Villanova Church as a stand-out.
U.S. News noted the native plants on the grounds and reported that areas like the Rowen Campus Green resemble a small suburban park.
“Campus planners hold the ideal of ‘a beautiful, amenable, and sustainable campus to support the Augustinian ideal of living and studying amongst friends,’” U.S. News wrote, per Centre Daily Times.
Villanova is expanding in 2028 through its acquisition of Rosemont College.
Read more about these two campuses at 95.7BEN FM.
