Located in the heart of the famous Bluestem Region of the Flint Hills (consisting of the northeast quarter of Kansas), Emporia is considered an outstanding location for a university because of its proximity and easy access to the three major metropolitan areas of Kansas -- Wichita, Topeka and Kansas City. The Emporia State University campus has grown from its original twenty acres to over 200.

Emporia State provides undergraduate educational opportunities designed to meet the broad goals of basic skill development and general education, as well as the more specific goals of a variety of programs in art and sciences, business, education, and library and information management. Graduate programs serve needs and provide leadership within the region, the state and the Great Plains area. The university offers programs of national distinction in Education and Library and Information Management and offers a Ph.D. in Library and Information Management.

The city of Emporia is located on the Kansas Turnpike, Interstate Hwy. 35, U.S. Hwy. 50, and Kansas Hwy. 99. Emporia is the seat of Lyon County and the largest city in a seven-county area. With a population of nearly 30,000 people, Emporia serves as a trade area for over 65,000 members of the town and surrounding area.

Emporia has cultural, educational, and recreational facilities including two libraries, a museum, nine public schools, a technical college, a community recreation center, golf courses, a zoo, sports fields, a 1200-acre park system, and seven nearby lakes and reservoirs. Organizations such as the Emporia Arts Council, Emporia Sports Promotion, Inc., and the Emporia Recreation Commission provide many special events.