U.S. News recognizes ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø for undergraduate teaching, best value

Rankings released today by U.S. News & World Report recognizes ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø as a top institution for undergraduate teaching among national liberal arts colleges. 

ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø was the only Illinois school recognized in this category, which highlights schools for excellence in undergraduate teaching. ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø moved up 19 spots, tying for 36th, along with six other schools among national liberal arts programs. ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø tied with Colby ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø, Colgate University, Dickinson ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø, Earlham ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø, Hamilton ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø and Sarah Lawrence ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø.

Additionally, ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø ranked 100th among national liberal arts colleges in this year¡¯s rankings, in a tie with six other schools. This category includes institutions that almost exclusively focus on undergraduate education and award at least 50% of its degrees in the arts and sciences.

ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø was once again recognized in the ¡°Best Value Schools¡± category, earning the 67th spot along with only four Illinois schools included in this category.

Provost Dr. Dianna Shandy said ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø is a relationship-rich institution with a long history of blending the traditional liberal arts with pre-professional programs. 

She said rising in the ranks as a top ¡°undergraduate teaching¡± college recognizes ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø¡¯s faculty who always put students and teaching at the center of all that they do. ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø maintains a 12:1 student-faculty ratio, and classes are taught by faculty, not graduate teaching assistants.

¡°We are an institution that teaches students how to learn,¡± said Dr. Shandy. ¡°This prepares them to navigate the world and a future career that will be filled with many twists and turns. ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø is always pushing itself to be at the forefront of meeting students¡¯ needs and providing them with an excellent and relevant education.¡±

Dr. Shandy said this approach is reflected in new academic programs ¨C including film, integrative medicine and medical humanities, and data analytics. She said ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø students successfully complete multiple majors while participating in a breadth of co-curricular activities, such as arts, music and athletics, and still graduate within four years. 

In addition to offering 100 majors and related areas of study, ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø is proud to award 183 ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø Possible grants to first-year students enrolled this fall. The innovative new program meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for qualifying students. ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø Possible removes financial barriers for high-achieving students with families with lower incomes to attend ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø, and many grant recipients are the first in their families to attend college.

¡°We are thrilled to be able to expand access to an ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø education, which allows us to provide transformational experiences to even more students,¡± Dr. Shandy said. 

This is the 39th ranking edition issued by U.S. News. The 2024 rankings evaluated nearly 1,500 colleges and universities on as many as 19 measures. The complete rankings are available at usnews.com/best-colleges.