Our Town

There’s something about Bowling Green, Ohio, that makes students feel warm, welcome and safe.

The community is wrapped around the campus of BGSU and greets students and their families with open arms, making them feel like they never left home. Ask BGSU alumni about the years they spent in Bowling Green and most will tell you about their favorite nostalgic spot...their favorite restaurant for pizza or ethnic food, the best watering hole to get a drink with friends, the downtown store where they found the perfect gift, or the quietest place to get coffee and study.

Financial website WalletHub has named Bowling Green one of the “Best College Towns in America.” Bowling Green was ranked 28th out of 280 cities and towns on the list and is the second highest ranked city in the state. The website looked at 23 key metrics including the quality of higher education, crime rates and the cost of living. But for those who live and work in Bowling Green, what makes it a great college town is much more than that.

“It’s the community culture,” said Jamie Sands, supervisor and tourism marketing coordinator at the Bowling Green Visitors Center.

Sands manages the center located at the Wooster Street entrance to campus from I-75. Two years ago, BGSU collaborated with the Bowling Green Convention and Visitors Bureau to manage the Visitors Center. The building used to be a place where visitors could get a parking pass and campus map. Today, it offers brochures, pamphlets, Internet access and a staff member who welcomes people to Bowling Green.

“We have people who are college hunting come by, and they are delighted that there’s a welcome center,” Sands said. “We get to be cheerleaders for BGSU and Bowling Green and showcase all the wonderful things happening in our community.

“From activities for your children, to adult classes, all of the athletic events, art, theatre and music, there’s always something at the University that community members can be a part of, any given week,” said Wendy Chambers, director of the Bowling Green Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Similarly, students have many opportunities for connecting with the community.

“One of the great things about the University is that they really encourage volunteerism,” said Barbara Ruland, executive director of Downtown Bowling Green. “So the students get a chance to get to know the town, and it ties them into the community and makes them feel like they belong.”

Ruland’s organization depends on student volunteers who help at events like the Farmers Market, held every Wednesday afternoon from May through October, and the BG Cruise Night car show, held every Monday night from May through September.

With a population just shy of 32,000 and a quaint downtown that provides a picturesque and safe place for leisure activities, Bowling Green is the quintessential college town. Opportunities and a sense of vitality have increased during the last several years as downtown has been infused with significant investments in new restaurants, boutiques and specialty stores.

Students, friends and neighbors throughout the area also enjoy numerous festivals and events such as the annual Black Swamp Arts Festival in the fall,the Community Tree Lighting and Downtown Dollars Day in November, and Winterfest in February. This summer, the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure will make a stop in Bowling Green. Likewise, there are plenty of affordable places to visit throughout the area such as the Bowling Green Wind Farm, Wood County Historical Center, Snook’s Dream Cars, the National Construction Equipment Museum, the Slippery Elm Trail and Portage Quarry.

The city’s parks provide something for everyone. Carter Park features an 18-hole disc golf course, sand volleyball courts, a softball complex and playground. Wintergarden/St. John’s Nature Preserve provides miles of hiking trails through forests and prairie meadows.          

“It’s important to create an atmosphere where the community of Bowling Green is not seen as ‘off-campus,’ but as an integrated part of attending and working at BGSU,” said Mazey.

“Our mission is to create a town-gown relationship that enriches the lives of the citizens of Bowling Green and the students, faculty, staff and alumni of BGSU,” said Edwards.

There are similarly strong community partnerships for other initiatives such as Not in Our Town, where BGSU and the city came together to affirm their commitment to social justice, equity and inclusion as well as to celebrate diversity. Other collaborations include events scheduled at the Stroh Center, the new Falcon Health Center that is operated by the Wood County Hospital to serve the campus and surrounding community, and many co-ops that are available locally for students.

“If someone is looking for an educational opportunity that’s more like a bridge between the academic and the real world, they can get that right here in Bowling Green,” said Sands.

Beginning this summer, Downtown BG, the Bowling Green Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce are all moving into a landmark 1920s bank building (former Huntington Bank) downtown. The combined resources under one roof will make it even easier for people to find what they’re looking for.

“With a continued commitment from the University and the community to foster a strong and sustainable town-gown relationship, the ‘Best College Town’ designation is certainly here to stay!” said Mazey.