By Scott Cushman, director of digital communication
For the twelfth consecutive year, Union College has earned a place in the top tier of U.S. News and World Report’s annual college rankings.
“This an affirmation of our quality and a recognition of the amazing faculty, staff and students here at Union,” said Dr. Vinita Sauder, Union College president. “The unique, engaging experiences that add up to a Union College education aren’t easily measured. But as we work to implement our vision for Adventist education, it’s encouraging to see what we’re achieving also aligns with the priorities expressed by the U.S. News methodology.”
Areas in which Union College particularly stands out include student retention, small class sizes, a low student-to-teacher ratio, and a high rate of alumni giving.
Union College was also mentioned in two lists compiled by U.S. News outside of the rankings: the most diverse schools in the Midwest and those hosting the most international students in the Midwest. Union enrolls the eighth highest percentage of international students in our category, and has the fifth highest diversity score.
“When you look at the diversity and international statistics, the Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities all rank at or near the top of our categories,” said Sauder. “It’s truly a reflection how global our faith is. We believe that diversity in an educational setting is very important for learning how to appreciate a variety of racial and ethnic cultures.”
Published since 1983, the U.S. News rankings are the most comprehensive and well known tool for parents and prospective students to directly compare American colleges and universities. This year, 324 regional colleges are included in the report and Union College ranked 31st in the Midwest region. The regional college category includes institutions with an undergraduate focus that grant fewer than 50 master’s degrees each year and offer a range of degrees in professional fields such as business, journalism, nursing and education with liberal arts degrees accounting for fewer than half of the bachelor’s degrees conferred.