anon11
Junior member
Posts: 79
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« on: November 12, 2009, 12:30:48 PM » |
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Any thoughts about the University of St. Francis or the town? Contact with HR has been very cordial.
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kedves
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« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2009, 12:44:02 PM » |
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The only thing of interest I know about the area is that there is a large U.S. Forest Service Midwestern prairie restoration project on the site of the former Joliet Arsenal ( Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie), but I've never been to it. |
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what_else_can_i_do
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« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2009, 02:27:16 PM » |
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My cousin graduated from USF Sum Cum Laud many years ago.
My impression is that it is a decent catholic liberal arts school.
Joliet (pronounced with a hard O if you don't want to be laughed at) is a city unto itself and NOT a suburb of Chicago despite its proximity too. Its suburbs include Hillcrest, New Lenox, Rockdale, and a few other towns. Many of these used to be within the city limits of Joliet back in the 1950s.
Joliet also has one of the first junior colleges, Joliet Junior College. It is home to several Highschools, although I am uncertain how many of these are still independent. The dominant religion used to be Catholic, but I cannot say if this is still the case. There is also a catholic highschool there. The city had its hayday in the 1930s, with some of its decline beginning in the 1970s. Much of what was old downtown, like in many cities was empty when I left the city. In fact, many of the gangsters back in the days of Capone lived or visited Joliet on a regular basis. I would probably opt to live in the suburbs of Joliet rather than the city itself. Joliet has many grocery stores, and there used to be many restaurants. Is the Golden Bear still next to Jewel anyone??
I would not move back to Joliet area only because it has become far more urban than when I lived there. However, my parents and grandparents were proud long-time residents of Joliet, and much of my Dad's family were part of one of the older families in the city. So, maybe I have a set of biases. Some parts of Joliet can be pretty rough, other parts are very nice. They used to set off a wonderful fireworks display every year that you could watch from Jefferson Square, across from which there used to be a pizzaria that got closed down for putting dogfood on their pizzas....this was around 1977 or so. If you like quasi-urban, urban settings I cannot imagine you not liking Joliet. Also, you can ride the train (used to be the old Rock Island) right into downtown Chicago fairly quickly, or at least you used to be able to do this. My grandmother used to work at Joliet Federal Savings and Loan if they still exist. There are a lot of nice things to say about Joliet, and also a lot of not-so-nice things. :)
Most of my information is about a decade or more out of date, so you should certainly ask around, check out citydata.com for info on the town. Hope that helps.
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prytania3
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« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2009, 06:20:44 PM » |
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I haven't been to Joliet in years, but I hear it's pretty much the hood.
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Clowns, I tell you. Clowns.
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southern_outlier
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« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2009, 08:30:48 PM » |
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I interviewed at this school two years ago. Got an offer but turned them down because the public school system was not positive.
I liked the people very much, and declining the offer was difficult. If you can, ask for a community tour. Homes surrounding the college are nice, but the rest of the area was not.
The school was just about to hire a new VP. Their choice, a dean at the time of my visit, was a thoughtful and kind man. I was treated well while there.
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ehansman
New member
Posts: 1
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« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2009, 01:55:03 PM » |
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USF is a good school. I graduated from their online MSM program in 2002. My mother worked there as support staff for several years, and my father adjuncted there as well in their undergraduate and graduate business programs. Dr. Michael LaRocco is particularly wonderful - he was my advisor and mentor while I was there, and is really a great person. The school is highly ranked in US News and World Report (for what it's worth), and has a very strong nursing program. Facilities are nice, from what I recall. It's been a while since I've been on the campus. I grew up in Joliet (west side!) and agree to a certain extent to some of the previous comments regarding the city. Some neighborhoods are dicier than others, but if you're accustomed to urban living you'll be fine. It's just like any other large city. My parents moved to an area with a Plainfield address (Kendall county) in 2001, but my grandmother still lives on the west side in the same house she's owned (with my grandfather) since 1957. I personally tend to stay away from the east side, as that is where you tend to see more crime/gang activity. There is a lot of traffic in the city, particularly as you move towards the Kendall county line. Many, many new subdivisions and shopping centers...and a lot of congestion to go with it. You can still catch the train to Chicago downtown, or you can catch it in Naperville (which may be closer depending on where you ultimately live in Joliet). There are a lot of good places to eat - and the Italian beef can't be beat. There's also a local meat market in New Lenox to die for - every time I go back to mom and dad's for a visit I make sure we take a trip up there so I can stock up on homemade Polish sausage. Here's a link to the local paper in case you want to do some additional research: http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/index.html Maybe it's my bias showing, but I fiercely love my hometown. It may be a little gritty for some, but I wouldn't trade growing up there for anything. |
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bud04
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« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2009, 09:35:10 PM » |
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I haven't been to Joliet in years, but I hear it's pretty much the hood.
Pry is right. |
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anthroid
Annoying bad luck snails
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 16,002
No happy socks because nobody gets Manitoba.
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« Reply #7 on: December 01, 2009, 10:38:16 PM » |
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I haven't been to Joliet in years, but I hear it's pretty much the hood.
Pry is right. I've been in the vicinity more recently than Pry, and Pry is right. It's the hood. |
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Do you hail from Planet Hello Kitty? It's like an action movie, but boring.
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prytania3
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« Reply #8 on: December 03, 2009, 07:33:50 AM » |
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I haven't been to Joliet in years, but I hear it's pretty much the hood.
Pry is right. I've been in the vicinity more recently than Pry, and Pry is right. It's the hood. My stepbrother is in Bolingbrook and keeps us apprised of things. |
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Clowns, I tell you. Clowns.
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anthroid
Annoying bad luck snails
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 16,002
No happy socks because nobody gets Manitoba.
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« Reply #9 on: December 03, 2009, 02:48:23 PM » |
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I haven't been to Joliet in years, but I hear it's pretty much the hood.
Pry is right. I've been in the vicinity more recently than Pry, and Pry is right. It's the hood. My stepbrother is in Bolingbrook and keeps us apprised of things. Bolingbrook ain't the hood. But it's nearby. |
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Do you hail from Planet Hello Kitty? It's like an action movie, but boring.
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