Western State
Western State university in the Spearfish Lake universe is a is a smaller school located in the town of Athens and thus adjacent to the bigger, better known Athens University. Western State provides a Athens university experience, without the bigger price tag.
- Lori Mattson and Alison Blevens went to Western State in 1984. Lori dropped out to marry Bob Watson. It is unknown if Alison completed her degree there before her string of serial marriages.RM11
- Ken Sorensen and Judy Niven transferred to Western State in 1984 after a year at Hinckley Junior College.TNG8 Judy roomed with Jennifer Savage for one unpleasant semester before she and Ken got married and found an apartment together off-campus. They dropped out after the spring of 1985.
- Josh Archer was uncertain of college and considered going to Western State to be near his friends, but "he'd informed Amy ... that not only was he not going to join Marsha and Danny and her at Western State down in Athens, he wasn't going to college at all"RM1
Real World Note
There is a real Western State University College of Law in Fullerton, California (southeast of Los Angeles). It is a private, for-profit institution.
Western State Colorado University is a four-year public liberal arts college located in Gunnison, Colorado. The college was originally founded as The Colorado State Normal School for Children in 1901. In 1923, the college's name was changed to Western State College. In 2012 the name became Western State Colorado University .
Missouri Western State University is in St. Joseph, Mo. Originally founded as St. Joseph Junior College in 1915, Missouri Western was transformed into a four-year college in 1969. Missouri Western received university designation and changed its name to Missouri Western State University in 2005.