Strong Economy, Quality of Life, Cultural Offerings Draw Wichita Newcomers
Published Aug 17, 2009
The Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum collects, preserves and interprets materials on the history of the area.
When Dr. Zulma Toro-Ramos announced she was leaving the University of New Haven for greener pastures in 2005‚ her colleagues and friends in Connecticut were surprised to learn that she had chosen Wichita as her new home.
“Some people think this part of the country is all corn and wheat‚ but I have found Wichita to be an exciting and wonderfully livable city with a very diverse population‚” says Toro-Ramos‚ who is the dean of the College of Engineering at Wichita State University‚ which trains a lot of engineers who work in the city’s aviation industry. “It reminds me of the small town where I am from in Puerto Rico‚ where everyone is friendly and the quality of life is wonderful. I feel at home here.”
Wichita’s quality of life and low cost of living‚ says Toro-Ramos‚ is no longer the well-kept secret it once was. These attributes‚ along with attractive neighborhoods‚ a wide variety of restaurants and great shopping‚ are prompting additional newcomers to relocate to the area.
“A good number of my faculty tell me their relatives are moving to Wichita from other parts of the country because they visit and then want to stay‚”
Toro-Ramos says. “I’ve also noticed a growing number of people moving here for retirement.”
For Lynnette RauvolaBouta‚ who relocated to Wichita from Minnesota in 2004 for a senior management position at Via Christi Health System‚ the area’s cultural offerings and milder climate have been big bonuses of the southward move‚ particularly for her husband‚ Craig‚ who works as a golf professional.
“We have season tickets to the symphony and enjoy the city’s various museums and theaters on a regular basis. It’s a very convenient place to live‚” says RauvolaBouta‚ who lives in the historic Eastborough section of Wichita. “Everything you need is within a 10-minute drive‚ and my husband says it’s a great place for golf.”
Former Washington‚ D.C.-area resident Lou Woodson moved to Wichita with his wife‚ nanny‚ three children and two dogs more than two years ago when Woodson became the vice president of customer care at Cox Communications Inc.
“We have found that the quality of life in Wichita is far superior to where we lived in northern Virginia for our specific situation‚” says Woodson‚ who frequents the zoo and enjoys summer concerts at Bradley Fair with his family. “Housing is much more affordable‚ and we enjoy short commute times to work and to anywhere in the city. We have some medical needs given that our twins were born prematurely‚ and Wichita has far exceeded our expectations.”
Story by Valerie Pascoe
Photo by Michael W. Bunch
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