Sonoma State Named One of Nation's Most Beautiful Campuses

Sonoma State University has earned high marks from a popular college ranking website for its aesthetically pleasing campus.

The state university was recently rated one of the country's most beautiful college campuses on www.thebestcolleges.org, ranking 34th out of 50 schools. According to the site, the campus made the list for its green building practices that were incorporated into its 59,000 square-foot student center, which is equipped with UV-ray paneled roofing, reclaimed water pumping and a recycled rubber indoor track and other recycled materials.

The school also ranked highly due to its natural setting, with its close proximity to Redwood trees and miles of walking and running trails, according to the site. A school spokeswoman said the ranking came from a poll of college alumni who reported higher satisfaction with their overall college experience because of their school's "beautiful campus."

Sonoma State outranked UC Santa Cruz, UC San Diego, Northwestern University and Wellesley College. Elon University in North Carolina was named number one, followed by Kenyon College in Ohio and Sewanee in Tennessee at second and third.

-Bay City News.