Something to Talk About
In his 2008 inaugural address, Ohio Wesleyan University President Rock Jones, Ph.D., encouraged the campus to dedicate itself anew to the noble ideas “that an education makes a difference in the life of an individual, that educated citizens make a difference in the life of the world, and that a liberal education grounded in … practical idealism has a singular opportunity in this age to raise up a new generation of moral leaders for a global society.”
Two years later, Ohio Wesleyan continues to be recognized in ways that reflect the power and realization of this vision.
In its September/October edition, Washington Monthly ranks Ohio Wesleyan as No. 51 among 252 U.S. liberal arts institutions based upon OWU’s contribution to the public good in the categories of social mobility (defined broadly as recruiting and graduating low-income students), research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and Ph.D. recipients), and service (encouraging students to give something back to their country).
Borrowing and recalculating Washington Monthly’s service data, Newsweek this week ranks Ohio Wesleyan as No. 22 among the nation’s 25 most service-minded schools in its first-ever rankings of “The Best Schools in America.” (Newsweek analyzed data for 510 public and private schools to create its ranking.)
According to Washington Monthly’s editors, they wanted to rethink the traditional concept of school rankings for their new college guide: “Instead of asking what a college could do for you, we asked, ‘What are colleges doing for the country?’ ”
“[C]olleges and universities do as much to shape the future as any institutions you can think of,” the editors state. “They conduct cutting-edge research that drives economic growth, provide upward mobility to people of humble birth, and mold the characters of tomorrow’s leaders. … Colleges should be judged not just on who they enroll and how many graduate but on what students do with their lives after they leave.
“The nation is badly in need of cutting-edge research, wise and knowledgeable citizens and workers, and a renewed focus on service,” the editors conclude. “Our top-ranked colleges are poised to deliver.”
Ohio Wesleyan also was recognized for its extraordinary commitment to service in February, when it was selected as one of three colleges nationwide to receive a Presidential Award for Excellence in General Community Service. The award recognized OWU students for completing more than 45,000 hours of community service during the 2008-2009 academic year.
Other recent recognitions of Ohio Wesleyan’s excellence include:
- U.S. News & World Report: Ohio Wesleyan is ranked in Tier 1 as one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges in the magazine’s 2011 list of “America’s Best Colleges.”
- The Princeton Review: Ohio Wesleyan is listed in the 2011 edition of the nation’s “Best 373 Colleges.” According to the publication: “With world-class facilities, small class sizes, and ample one-on-one time with their professors, students have a surprising number of options … In this student-oriented environment, students feel well-prepared to meet their educational goals, as well as their dreams for post-college life. … A freshman marvels, ‘The intellectual atmosphere exceeds anything I could have dreamed of.’ ”
- The Fiske Guide to Colleges: Ohio Wesleyan is included in the 2011 edition of this guide, an independent publication that highlights the nation’s “best and most interesting institutions.” The 2011 edition includes more than 300 schools, and assesses each institution in terms of academics, social life, student body, and financial aid.
- The Daily Beast: This Web-based media outlet founded by Tina Brown, former editor of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, lists Ohio Wesleyan one of the decade’s “hottest colleges.” Ohio Wesleyan ranks sixth of the list of 15 colleges, all of which are described as “new class of first-choice schools.”
- Unigo.com: Based on interactive student reviews, this online college information source calls Ohio Wesleyan University one of the “Top 10 Schools That Fly Under the Academic Radar—but Shouldn’t.” More than 30,000 students participated in the rankings.
Congratulations to everyone at Ohio Wesleyan who helps the University to fulfill its high calling and noble aspirations!