What's New in Albion?
Make an Impact
Post-industrial dreams made real.
While many communities romanticize the idea of revitalization in a post-industrial America, the community of Albion is investing millions to make it happen. From lodging and food to business and entertainment, there has never been a better time to become involved in this exciting rebirth. Explore the many current projects below.
Albion Reinvestment Corporation
Investing in the future starts now.
Get involved
ARC Market Project
Fresh retail market adjacent to the Courtyard Marriott
Coming soon...
The Peabody Block
Eat, shop, work and live. Right downtown.
Learn more
Davis Athletic Complex
Brits win in world-class facilities.
Win here
Courtyard Marriott
The centerpiece of downtown Albion's renaissance.
Stay here
College-Community Theatre
A stage for both College and Community expression.
Perform here
Albion Malleable Brewing Company
3 local guys. 1 mission.
Socialize here
Stirling Books & Brew
It's more than a bookstore. It's a great place to meet for coffee, study, or catch a performance.
Read here
Superior Street
The heart of downtown, and the center for festivals, shopping, and community.
Shop here
Washington Gardner
A recently renovated and exclusive space for students to work out.
Exercise here
Harrington Neighborhood
We live where we work. This neighborhood is home to faculty and staff.
Live here
Harrington Neighborhood
Make an Impact
We live where we work, and invest in our community.
Thanks to a generous gift by Mike, ’85, and Judy, ’86, Harrington, faculty and staff have the opportunity to help revitalize the neighborhood connecting campus and downtown Albion. Through their gift, Mike and Judy have made it possible for Albion College to provide forgivable loans that will incentivize faculty and staff to live near campus. This will, in turn, support and enhance the true liberal arts experience.
"I think there's a compelling need to continue to bring the College and community together to advance the interests of both the College and the city… We've started to do it in the last couple of years. I think it's a powerful idea. It says that Albion is America—it resonates." - Mike Harrington, ’85
Read more about the gift announcement.
Community Profile
We’re part of something bigger.
Our campus is located in the city of Albion, Michigan. It’s small, it’s close, and it has a lot to offer. To start with, it’s charming—the handsome Victorian homes, redbrick main street, lovely Georgian buildings on the Albion College quadrangle.
And there’s lots to do. At night, students meet in a number of downtown hangouts over a slice of pizza or to listen to live music. On weekends, you’ll find opportunities to give back to your adopted community through service projects and outreach. And if you’re just looking for a way to pass a lazy afternoon, you can try your hand at a top-rated disc golf course or gaze out over the water in one of Albion’s many parks.
The scenic Kalamazoo River runs along the southern border of our campus, and canoeing is a big part of the Albion experience. Some of the best views of the area can be found with a paddle in hand and water dripping down your elbow.
Downtown has seen a tremendous post-industrial revitalization. The Bohm Theatre, The Food Hub, Stirling Books and Brew, plus many more attractions has Albion feeling like the classic American college town. Citizens, students, and visitors alike will be right at home. At the same time, all will be inspired by the vibrant initiatives by both city and college alike. We hope you’ll be a part of this story with us.
For many students, they've been members of the community, and have witnessed the vibrancy of our campus from young ages. In order to engage young minds in our community, Albion offers four-year tuition, room and board to as many as 10 first-year students from the Greater Albion Area in the Build Albion Fellows Program. In order to engage with students and community before college, Albion participates in The Big Read.
Community on Campus
Several campus departments and organizations provide services to the greater community. Interested individuals should contact each office directly for details about service availability and applicable fees.
Library access and borrowers' cards
The Stockwell-Mudd Libraries allow area residents to use the library collections and to check out materials with a community borrower's card.
Lodging, catering, and conferences
Dining and Hospitality Services offers overnight accommodations at College-owned properties. This office also coordinates summer conferences and caters events hosted on campus.
Nature center and trails
The Whitehouse Nature Center (right) features scenic nature trails in a 144-acre preserve. Trails are open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. Nature Center staff provide programming for school-age children as well as enrichment classes for adults.
Public computing lab
Information Technology welcomes members of the community to use its Mudd Library computer lab on a space available basis when the lab is staffed.
Student service organizations
- Alpha Phi Omega is a national co-educational service fraternity that brings together college students with a common interest in service. At Albion, the Alpha Gamma Lambda chapter has brought together students from a variety of student groups and backgrounds, from social Greek fraternities and sororities, members of Albion’s student government, music students, and more.
- Best Buddies matches college students with mildly mentally impaired community members as friends. Members make a commitment to spend time with their buddies on a weekly basis in addition to attending monthly group outings.
- Habitat For Humanity works in conjunction with the Greater Albion Habitat for Humanity to provide low-cost housing to families who display a need. This is done through the building and renovation of homes in Albion and the surrounding area.
- Students Together Raising Integrity, Values, and Excellence (STRIVE) consists of Albion College students and professors who work together throughout the year to facilitate and mentor small groups of Albion Middle School students.
- Student Volunteer Bureau (SVB) is composed of a student director and nine coordinators who are responsible for supporting and supplying services to existing volunteer programs and assisting in developing new ones. These programs extend into the community of Albion, as well as at the college itself.
Contact the Office of Campus Programs and Organizations for more information about group membership and activities.
