Man chalks up 500th college visit

By Charlotte Hsu

Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008 | 5:30 p.m.

Summerlin resident Steve Lake returned home from Texas this week an accomplished man.

On Monday, he reached his goal of visiting 500 colleges by touring the campus of Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio.

"It's a sense of relief, almost," said Lake, 58, who once visited 40 colleges in one week. "Accomplishment and relief."

In Texas, students carrying balloons greeted Lake at the airport. To commemorate his visit, Our Lady held a ceremony that included the singing of the national anthem and remarks from the university president.

Lake, a casino floor supervisor, spoke to students in a business communications class on topics including how to get publicity — something Lake knows how to do.

Over the years, news organizations across the country have documented Lake's stops at various campuses. The Associated Press was among outlets that reported on his Monday visit.

Lake began his mission in 1984 of visiting hundreds of colleges after seeing the campuses of Harvard University and other East Coast schools during his New England honeymoon with his wife Caroline.