Dayton

Dayton is a city known for its ties to aviation, starting with the births of powered flight inventors, the Wright Brothers, and continuing with its hosting of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the National Museum of the United States Air Force. In recent years, the city as well as the state of Ohio, have worked to make Dayton a leader in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) research and manufacturing. In addition to its aerospace ties, Dayton’s economy is fueled by industrial and technological research and its insurance, legal and healthcare sectors. In an attempt to revitalize the city after the decline of heavy manufacturing in the area, the city has invested in a development project intended to bring technology based firms to the city. The intent is to bring together businesses, academia, including Dayton colleges, and government to increase technological growth in the area.
Colleges in Dayton include two major private universities and many smaller public and private universities and colleges. In 2006 there were over 104 thousand students enrolled in Dayton Colleges. Forbes recently ranked the Dayton area as 10th best metropolitan area to pursue higher education, thanks in part to factors such as the variety of degrees offered and college options for local residents. Dayton colleges include highly ranked matriculation options in law, medicine, biomedical research, broadcasting, medical massage, and sponsored research.
Students of colleges in Dayton also have many entertainment options. Out of 373 metropolitan areas surveyed, Dayton recently ranked 33rd in arts and culture. The city offers more arts organizations than 79% of similarly sized cities in the US. Programs include several museums, performing arts centers, dance companies, a philharmonic orchestra and the Dayton Art Institute which ranks in the top 3% of art museums in the US. Another entertainment option is the annual Vectren Dayton Air show, one of the largest in the US.