The Byline: PR and Marketing Insights from Eiler Communications

Growing up in a liberal, tree-hugging college town is all I’ve ever known. My childhood was characterized by football Saturday traffic (although I missed the games to attend ballet class) getting treated to fantastic Indian, Arab and seafood fare, and plenty of long bike rides through Gallup Park or other bike trails in a green city I call home.

While I can admit growing up I may have taken my Ann Arbor’s assets for granted, going to college in a different state and reading plenty of headlines about my hometown’s national recognitions has got me thinking: do people know what they’re really missing by not living in Ann Arbor?

Here are some plausible credits that Ann Arbor’s recently snatched up: Money Magazine ranked Ann Arbor 46th in its’ 2010 list of “America’s 100 Best Small Cities.” The magazine coined Ann Arbor as a college town but with perks of a bigger city, boasting plenty of arts and culture. I couldn’t agree more. What would Ann Arbor be without the annual Art Fair, Hash Bash, and our year-round offering venues, such as the Michigan Theater, the Hands-On Museum and The Ark?

Ann Arbor isn’t just college-student friendly. Parenting Magazine ranked Ann Arbor fourth in its compilation of “10 Best Cities for Families.” In its list, the Magazine emphasized the “braininess” of Ann Arbor and it’s efforts to educate youth. According to the magazine, the city’s high school graduation rate is 94 percent and more than 64 percent of Ann Arbor residents have four or more years of college under their belts. In fact, the Ann Arbor School system isn’t too shabby, either. In it’s “America’s Best High School’s List,” BusinessWeek named Huron High School the school with the best overall academic performance in Michigan. I guess you could say I received a decent high school education.

Ann Arbor’s population is educated. We’re not a huge city, but we have flare. We’re eco-friendly. And we know how to dine well. What more could we ask for?

Rachel Krasnow

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