Defiance College receives U.S. News ranking in top tier of Midwest baccalaureate colleges

Defiance College is once again listed among the top tier of baccalaureate colleges in the Midwest in the 2009 edition of U.S. News and World Report’s Best Colleges.

“It is again gratifying to see the outstanding talent and dedication of our faculty and staff confirmed and honored by an external source,” said Dr. Charles Warren, interim president. “We remain extremely proud of the integrated and innovative approaches to learning, scholarship, and service carried out by our faculty and students on campus, nationally, and across the globe.”

Dr. Catharine O’Connell, provost, noted, "Defiance College is committed to academic excellence through and in conjunction with active community and civic engagement. We are gratified to receive external recognition of our educational approach. We know it to be effective in educating students for professional success and responsible global citizenship."

Schools in the Baccalaureate Colleges designation must focus on undergraduate programs with a variety of professional and pre-professional subject offerings available.  A total of 319 baccalaureate colleges comprise the North, South, East and Midwest regions. The Midwest region includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.  

Rankings are based on a formula including several indicators of quality such as student/faculty ratio, student selectivity, student retention, financial resources, and alumni giving. U.S. News and World Report publishes the rankings as a tool for prospective students and parents in their college search process.

Defiance College is an independent, liberal arts institution offering more than 40 undergraduate majors as well as graduate programs in education and business. The Princeton Review features Defiance College in Colleges with a Conscience:  81 Great Schools with Outstanding Community Involvement. The College is also recognized in The Templeton Foundation’s Honor Roll for Character-Building Colleges and was named with distinction to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts, Hurricane Katrina relief, and service to disadvantaged youth.

Posted August 26, 2008