Wilkes University
- Local Atmosphere

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Wilkes University - Local Atmosphere - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler1.93

Local Atmosphere

Quick Stats

Fun Local Trivia
  1. HBO debuted in Wilkes-Barre, and the city is dubbed home of modern cable TV.
  2. Wilkes-Barre was a stop on the Underground Railroad.
  3. Open grate, in-home coal burning was first discovered in Wilkes-Barre.
  4. Wilkes-Barre is the birthplace of Planters Peanuts.
  5. NBC's The Office is set in nearby Scranton. But the Chili's they go to often is modeled after the Wilkes-Barre Chili's.
Notable Natives
  • Ben Burnley – Breaking Benjamin
  • Raghib Ismail – former NFL player and Heisman Trophy runner-up
  • Qadry Ismail – former NFL player for the Baltimore Ravens
  • Edward B. Lewis – winner of the 1995 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine
  • Jay McCarroll – winner of Bravo's first "Project Runway"
  • Mary McDonnell – Academy Award–nominated actress, "Dances with Wolves"
  • Jason Miller – actor, best known for "The Exorcist"
  • Kelly Monaco – "General Hospital" and "Dancing with the Stars"
  • Mike Munchak – professional football coach of the Tennessee Titans and former pro-football player for the Houston Oilers
  • Amadeo Obici – founder of Planters Peanuts
  • William Daniel Phillips – winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics
  • Michael Schoeffling – actor who played Jake Ryan in '80s classic film "Sixteen Candles"
Local Slang Heyna: "You think?" or "Do you agree?" For example: Today's a nice day, heyna?

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Wilkes University is nestled in Northeast Pennsylvania, just above the Pocono Mountains in the city of Wilkes-Barre. Wilkes-Barre is the county seat of Luzerne County, and has a population of about 50,000 people. Wilkes University is not the only college in the Wyoming Valley. King’s College is located a few blocks away. College Misericordia and Penn State Wilkes-Barre are located in Dallas, in the Back Mountain area. Also, Luzerne County Community College is in neighboring Nanticoke. Aside from drinking (covered in another section), there is much to do when it comes to arts and entertainment. There are large and small venues, and the theater-type venues bring musicals, plays, comedians and other events aside from concerts. Skiing, camping, hiking, and boating are just 20 minutes away. For sports fans, there is hockey (the Penguins), baseball (the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Yankees), and football (the Pioneers). Even though Public Square and the rest of downtown is growing again, after business hours it is still mostly a ghost town. There are often bums, drug dealers, prostitutes, and other riff-raff that hang around the streets of downtown. Many would advise not going downtown alone after dark. Crime has been a focus of the new administration, and the local papers are seeing more arrests than ever—a very good thing. As well, the addition of a new movie theater and street lights has lit up Main Street a bit more and made the area feel safer. Nonetheless, there are still reports of petty to violent crimes occurring in the areas just off campus.

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Wilkes Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Local Atmosphere at Wilkes University

jason12394

Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences '18

4.6
A

Very Comfortable and Small

The neighborhood is small yet comfortable and is perfect because you get an opportunity to know everyone in the area.

Apr 17, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at Wilkes University

tonyedge50

Education '14

3.5
B

Wilkes Atmosphere

Campus is pretty safe, nice people. Things are always going on throughout the campus so meeting new people is easy. Many gyms are open on campus which is free to the public for certain hours.

May 25, 2011

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Local Atmosphere at Wilkes University

Anonymous

Wilkes University Student

Wilkes-Barre is an interesting...

Wilkes-Barre is an interesting town. It is small enough for many neighbors on a street to know each other in depth, but also is large enough (and in a desireable location) to have a growing crime problem. In my belief, Wilkes-Barre has been quiet for so long that the crimes currently being committed are being blown out of proportion as compared to cities of similar size, but the fact remains that a crime problem exists. Most of the city suburbs are very nice neighborhoods that do not face the same crime issues as the center city itself. Wilkes-Barre has a growing recreational aspect as well, with the recent construction of an arena, downtown revitalization, and a nationally recognized amphitheater just minutes away (by car) in Moosic. There is a Catholic college just down the street from Wilkes, and at least four other institutions of higher learning within 15 miles or so. Nightlife is growing, but still needs time to catch up to demand.

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User rating for Wilkes University - Local Atmosphere is 4.6 out of 5 based on 14 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers
  • Arena Hub Plaza
  • East End Shopping Center
  • Gateway Shopping Center
  • Shoppes at Montage
  • Westside Mall
  • Wilkes-Barre Township Commons
  • Wyoming Valley Mall
Major Sports Teams
  • Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins: minor league hockey
  • Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers: arena football
  • Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Yankees: minor league baseball
City Web Sites
Distances to Nearest Major Cities
  • New York City: NY: 2 hours, 20 minutes
  • Philadelphia: PA: 2 hours

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

Cinemark at Moosic
40 Glenmaura National Blvd.
(570) 961-5922

Garden Drive-In (seasonal)
Route 11
Hunlock Creek
(570) 735-5933

R/C WIlkes Barre Movies 14
24 E. Northhampton St.
(570) 825-4444

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Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Nicole Frail
Hometown
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Major
Communications

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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