The City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s capital, is located in the heart of the midstate, within easy access of the East Coast’s major metropolitan areas. Its vast array of professional, cultural and recreational opportunities has prompted such prestigious periodicals as Forbes Magazine to characterize it as one of the most livable cities in the United States. For the past twenty years, it has been home to one of Widener University School of Law’s two campuses.
Professional OpportunitiesThe Harrisburg campus is located only minutes from the city’s Capital Complex. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives, the State’s Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth Courts, and numerous administrative agencies co-exist in a convenient and accessible cluster in the hub of the city. A number of prominent law firms, as well as a wide range of national and international corporations, including Armstrong, Rite Aid, Hershey and Harley-Davidson, have established permanent residence in Harrisburg and its surrounding areas. As the seat of the state government, with a robust and stable economic climate, Harrisburg presents countless career opportunities in both the public and private sector. This same environment facilitates the development of a broad panoply of internships and
externships that serve as invaluable complements to the theoretical base provided by the law school’s rigorous classroom instruction and clinical programs.
Cultural Opportunities
A number of important historical sites including the
National Civil War Museum and the battlefields and museums of
Gettysburg and
Valley Forge are easily accessible.
The Whitaker Center, located in downtown Harrisburg, houses a science center and IMAX theater, and the
Sunoco Performance Theater. For those with an interest in independent or foreign films, the
Midtown Cinema offers the opportunity to see movies that might otherwise be hard to find outside of major urban areas. The capital region also offers art exhibits at several venues, including the
Art Association of Harrisburg and the
Susquehanna Art Museum; local theater productions at the
Theatre Harrisburg; and a regional symphony orchestra, the
Harrisburg Symphony. Baltimore, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia are all within two hours of Harrisburg, enabling convenient visits to the
Baltimore Aquarium, the
Maryland Science Center,
Independence Hall, the nation's capital or any of myriad cultural and historic sights of these East Coast cities. New York City is only slightly further by train or car and is ideal for a weekend getaway.
RecreationSouth-central Pennsylvania has an abundance of recreational activities insuring there is something to suit everyone’s tastes. Boating on the
Susquehanna River, hiking along the
Appalachian Trail, or trout fishing on local rivers and streams represent a few of the many outdoor activities readily available. Four major state parks are located within an hour of the city. The sports enthusiast can cheer on Harrisburg’s AA baseball team (the
Senators), the
Hershey Bears hockey team, recent back-to-back Calder Cup champions, or the local soccer team (the
City Islanders). Leisure hours can also be spent catching a touring Broadway show at the
Hershey Theater, riding the roller coasters of
Hershey Park, or listening to national stars in concert at the
Giant Center, or local jazz, blues, and folk musicians in area clubs.
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