...one of the most beautiful college settings in the nation. The SIUC campus lies at the edge of the 270,000 acre Shawnee National Forest amid lakes, cliffs, rivers, and picturesque countryside. There is much outdoor activity including canoeing, mountain climbing, hiking, horseback riding, fishing, boating, and more, many offered through the campus Rec. Center which houses a weight gym, fitness and cardio equipment, an Olympic size pool, hand ball courts, basketball courts, an indoor track, and areas for aerobics, martial arts, boxing, ping pong, social dance lessons, and other recreational and physical activities. Giant City State Park is 20 minutes from campus. Crab Tree Orchard Lake and Park is at the East edge of town.

There are an amazing number of festivals and community events in Carbondale and the surrounding towns of Marion, Herrin, DeKalb, Anna, Makanda and Murphysboro. Try a Google search for the towns’ chamber of commerce event listings.

There is also a thriving music scene with more than 15 venues within walking distance of the campus. Venues book local, regional, and major touring bands.

The University events calendar is packed with an international variety of clubs, organizations, social opportunities, films, world renown speakers, guest lecturers, and cultural events most at no or little cost to SIUC students. The Annual Big Muddy Film Festival brings in the best of cutting edge and new indy films.

The University Mall and nearby shops to the East and West of the central downtown area offer most everything you could need or want. There are two commercial film houses nearby with a total of some sixteen screens.

Information about things happening in town can be found on the website of one of the area papers, Nightlife (weekly, entertainment and music website: Carbondale Rocks.com - but the paper offers much more than beer and bands) or the Southern Illinoisan (daily, news and events website: southernillinoisan.com). The campus has its own daily paper , the Daily Egyptian to help keep you up to date on national, international and university issues, and the SIUC website has calendar listings of events, appearances and meetings.

A car is useful, a mo-ped, scooter, or motorcycle work great, even a bike can get you around town depending on how far you are from campus. There is a reasonably reliable low cost, The Saluki Express, bus service that operates until the evening at regular schedules. The bus offers transportation from University Housing to stops around the Campus, the Downtown Area, and the shopping areas on the East Side of town. Traffic is generally light; a drive of town from end to end may take fifteen minutes.

SIUC offers a wonderful mix of international culture, urban go and the ease of life in Southern Illinois.

Carbondale is 2 hours to St. Louis, 5.5 hours to Chicago, and 4.5 hours to Memphis.