Juniata College
Encyclopedia
Juniata College is a private liberal arts college
located in Huntingdon
, Pennsylvania
. It is named after the Juniata River
— one of the principal tributaries of the Susquehanna River
. In 1876 it became the first college founded by the Church of the Brethren
and has been co-educational since that time. Juniata has a current enrollment of approximately 1,500 students from 28 states and territories and 26 foreign countries.
was established by a young Huntingdon physician, Dr. Andrew B. Brumbaugh, and his two cousins, Henry and John Brumbaugh. Henry provided a second-story room over his local printing shop for classes while John lodged and fed the college's first teacher, Jacob M. Zuck, free for one year. Andrew was to "provide students and furniture".
Juniata's first classes were held on April 17, 1876 with Zuck teaching Rebecca Cornelius, Maggie D. Miller, and Gaius M. Brumbaugh, the only son of Andrew Brumbaugh. In 1879 classes moved into Founder's Hall, the school's first permanent building on the present day campus. The college was renamed "Juniata College" in 1893 for the nearby Juniata River
and its watershed
.
In 1895 Dr. Martin Grove Brumbaugh
, an 1881 graduate from Huntingdon Normal, took over the active presidency of Juniata until 1901 whereby he continued in name only until 1910. During and after his tenure, Brumbaugh remained intimately connected to the college, and reacquired the presidency in 1924.
M. G. Brumbaugh died unexpectedly in 1930 while on vacation in Pinehurst, North Carolina
and was succeeded in his presidency by a former pupil at Juniata, Dr. Charles Calvert Ellis.
The current president of Juniata College is Dr. Thomas R. Kepple Jr.
Silver building.
Other off-campus sites include the Baker Peace Chapel (designed by Maya Lin
) and the Raystown Field Station, a 365 acres (1.5 km²) reserve on Raystown Lake
. The "cliffs" also offer some beautiful scenery of the Juniata River. The college also owns the Raystown Field Station which includes a LEED
Gold building and two lodges for semester-long residential programs, often focused on environmental topics.
. Within a certain course framework, students choose and create their own Program of Emphasis and graduate with a degree in it. There are designated Programs of Emphasis that follow a set of courses (e.g. Environmental Science, Communication and Anthropology, etc.) or students may create their own with the approval of two faculty advisors.
The strong academic tradition of Juniata College is made apparent in the success of its students. The school touts an impressive graduation rate: 79% of all students entering Juniata graduate; of those, 96% do so within four years. Juniata also has a 95% acceptance rate to all postgraduate programs, including medical, podiatric, dental, occupational therapy, physical therapy, chiropractic, and law schools.
Since 2003, Juniata has produced eight Academic All-Americans, five American Physiological Society Undergraduate Research Fellows, four Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholars, seven Fulbright Scholars, seven Goldwater Scholars, two Pickering Fellows, eight St. Andrew's Society Scholars, and one Davies-Jackson Scholar. Juniata also perennially places at least one student as a Harvard Summer Research Scholar.
Nearly forty-five percent of Juniata students design their own program of emphasis, and Juniata offers study-abroad opportunities in 30 countries.
. Juniata athletes compete in the Landmark Conference except for volleyball and football. The Juniata Men's Volleyball Team competes in the Continental Volleyball Conference (formerly it competed in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association winning several titles under, both, Division I and Division III sanctioning). The Juniata Eagles Football Squad is a member of the Centennial Conference
. Juniata had a school record of five Academic All-Americans in 2004-2005 academic year and 38 All-American honors since 1998.
In addition, "College Hill" sports 2 National Championships in Women's Volleyball (2004 & 2006). Men's Volleyball boasts one EIVA Championship as an NCAA Division I exception (1992) and 6 National Championships as a Division III powerhouse (1998, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2009).
The Goal Post Trophy goes to the winner of the annual football game with rival Susquehanna University. It is a section of goal post from the post that was torn down after the 1952 Juniata-Susquehanna game. The visiting Indians (now Eagles) upset the Crusaders in Selinsgrove, and Juniata fans tore down the goal post after the game. At roughly 5 feet tall, it is one of the tallest trophies in college football..
's Colleges That Change Lives
; Kaplan, Inc.
's Insider's Guide to the 328 Most Interesting Colleges; Peterson's Competitive Colleges; Miriam Weinstein's Making A Difference College Guide: Outstanding Colleges to Help You Make a Better World; Barron's Best Buys in College Education; Leland Miles' Provoking Thought: What Colleges Should Do for Students; Elle Girl
Magazine: Top 50 colleges that Dare to be Different; Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges; and Don Asher's Cool Colleges. In 2009, Forbes
rated it 75th of America's Best Colleges
.
The college was listed as 1 of 13 "best performing" colleges according to a 2004 study by the Teagle Foundation. It was noted as an "overachieving college" based on an "exceptionally high graduation rate" and "has a high percentage of students who go to earn doctoral degrees and achieves those numbers through efficient use of resources."
Liberal arts colleges in the United States
Liberal arts colleges in the United States are certain undergraduate institutions of higher education in the United States. The Encyclopædia Britannica Concise offers a definition of the liberal arts as a "college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general...
located in Huntingdon
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
Huntingdon is a borough in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Huntingdon County. It is located along the Juniata River, west of Harrisburg, about halfway between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, in an agricultural and fruit-growing region, with valuable forests and deposits of...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. It is named after the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
— one of the principal tributaries of the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
. In 1876 it became the first college founded by the Church of the Brethren
Church of the Brethren
The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination originating from the Schwarzenau Brethren organized in 1708 by eight persons led by Alexander Mack, in Schwarzenau, Bad Berleburg, Germany. The Brethren movement began as a melding of Radical Pietist and Anabaptist ideas during the...
and has been co-educational since that time. Juniata has a current enrollment of approximately 1,500 students from 28 states and territories and 26 foreign countries.
History
The Huntingdon Normal SchoolNormal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
was established by a young Huntingdon physician, Dr. Andrew B. Brumbaugh, and his two cousins, Henry and John Brumbaugh. Henry provided a second-story room over his local printing shop for classes while John lodged and fed the college's first teacher, Jacob M. Zuck, free for one year. Andrew was to "provide students and furniture".
Juniata's first classes were held on April 17, 1876 with Zuck teaching Rebecca Cornelius, Maggie D. Miller, and Gaius M. Brumbaugh, the only son of Andrew Brumbaugh. In 1879 classes moved into Founder's Hall, the school's first permanent building on the present day campus. The college was renamed "Juniata College" in 1893 for the nearby Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
and its watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
.
In 1895 Dr. Martin Grove Brumbaugh
Martin Grove Brumbaugh
Martin Grove Brumbaugh, A.M., Ph.D. was Pennsylvania's 26th Governor, a Republican. He is frequently referred to as M.G. Brumbaugh, as is common in the Brumbaugh family.-Biography:...
, an 1881 graduate from Huntingdon Normal, took over the active presidency of Juniata until 1901 whereby he continued in name only until 1910. During and after his tenure, Brumbaugh remained intimately connected to the college, and reacquired the presidency in 1924.
M. G. Brumbaugh died unexpectedly in 1930 while on vacation in Pinehurst, North Carolina
Pinehurst, North Carolina
Pinehurst is a village in Moore County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 9,706 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the Pinehurst Resort, venue of the 1936 PGA Championship, the 1951 Ryder Cup. The host site for the 1999, 2005,& 2014 U.S. Open Golf Championships, the 2008 U.S....
and was succeeded in his presidency by a former pupil at Juniata, Dr. Charles Calvert Ellis.
The current president of Juniata College is Dr. Thomas R. Kepple Jr.
Campus
The main campus area is 110 acre (0.4451546 km²), and the college manages a 315 acres (1.3 km²) Baker-Henry Nature Preserve. The college has discussed building a retirement community on the site. Two new buildings since 2000 include the Von Liebig Center for Science and the Suzanne von Liebig Theatre. The newest building project on the campus is the renovation of Founders Hall, which was the first building on campus. Construction was finished in the summer of 2009 and uses underground geothermal energy to heat and cool the building. This building will be recognized as a LEEDLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
Silver building.
Other off-campus sites include the Baker Peace Chapel (designed by Maya Lin
Maya Lin
Maya Ying Lin is an American artist who is known for her work in sculpture and landscape art. She is the designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.-Personal life:...
) and the Raystown Field Station, a 365 acres (1.5 km²) reserve on Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake is a reservoir in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. The largest lake that is entirely within Pennsylvania, it was created by the United States Army Corps of Engineers around 1913 by the damming of the Raystown Branch Juniata River which created a shallow lake in the river valley. ...
. The "cliffs" also offer some beautiful scenery of the Juniata River. The college also owns the Raystown Field Station which includes a LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
Gold building and two lodges for semester-long residential programs, often focused on environmental topics.
Program of emphasis
Juniata College features a "Program of Emphasis" rather than the common Academic majorAcademic major
In the United States and Canada, an academic major or major concentration is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits....
. Within a certain course framework, students choose and create their own Program of Emphasis and graduate with a degree in it. There are designated Programs of Emphasis that follow a set of courses (e.g. Environmental Science, Communication and Anthropology, etc.) or students may create their own with the approval of two faculty advisors.
Areas of Study
Juniata is a liberal arts institution. It has strong programs in a variety of areas, from the natural sciences to the arts, social sciences, and humanities. Many students who enter Juniata for the strong science programs, however, find that they enjoy world culture, international programs, peace studies, politics, or a variety of other disciplines. This varied combination allows students to explore different facets of the world.The strong academic tradition of Juniata College is made apparent in the success of its students. The school touts an impressive graduation rate: 79% of all students entering Juniata graduate; of those, 96% do so within four years. Juniata also has a 95% acceptance rate to all postgraduate programs, including medical, podiatric, dental, occupational therapy, physical therapy, chiropractic, and law schools.
Since 2003, Juniata has produced eight Academic All-Americans, five American Physiological Society Undergraduate Research Fellows, four Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholars, seven Fulbright Scholars, seven Goldwater Scholars, two Pickering Fellows, eight St. Andrew's Society Scholars, and one Davies-Jackson Scholar. Juniata also perennially places at least one student as a Harvard Summer Research Scholar.
Nearly forty-five percent of Juniata students design their own program of emphasis, and Juniata offers study-abroad opportunities in 30 countries.
Athletics
Juniata is a Division III collegiate sports institution. It is well known for its volleyball program (Men's and Women's) and is also a charter member of the Landmark ConferenceLandmark Conference
The Landmark Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Member institutions are located in the eastern United States in the States of Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Washington, D.C....
. Juniata athletes compete in the Landmark Conference except for volleyball and football. The Juniata Men's Volleyball Team competes in the Continental Volleyball Conference (formerly it competed in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association winning several titles under, both, Division I and Division III sanctioning). The Juniata Eagles Football Squad is a member of the Centennial Conference
Centennial Conference
The Centennial Conference is an athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member teams are located in Maryland and Pennsylvania....
. Juniata had a school record of five Academic All-Americans in 2004-2005 academic year and 38 All-American honors since 1998.
In addition, "College Hill" sports 2 National Championships in Women's Volleyball (2004 & 2006). Men's Volleyball boasts one EIVA Championship as an NCAA Division I exception (1992) and 6 National Championships as a Division III powerhouse (1998, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2009).
The Goal Post Trophy goes to the winner of the annual football game with rival Susquehanna University. It is a section of goal post from the post that was torn down after the 1952 Juniata-Susquehanna game. The visiting Indians (now Eagles) upset the Crusaders in Selinsgrove, and Juniata fans tore down the goal post after the game. At roughly 5 feet tall, it is one of the tallest trophies in college football..
Annual events
Juniata College has a tradition of campus-wide events dating back to its founding days.- Mountain DayMountain DayMountain Day is a traditional student celebration in which classes are cancelled without prior notice, and the student body heads to the mountains or a park.The day chosen is often a beautiful, crisp day when the fall foliage is in full color...
, Established: 1896 — Mountain Day is the oldest tradition at Juniata and occurs on an unannounced fall day. The specific date of Mountain Day is not known to students nor faculty until the morning of the event; however, its possible date is a constant source of campus speculation. On Mountain day, all classes are canceled and both students and faculty are shuttled to one of the state parks in the area. The day includes a picnic lunch, nature walks, crafts, music, tug-of-war, and a faculty/staff vs. seniors co-ed flag footballFlag footballFlag football is a version of Canadian football or American football that is popular worldwide. The basic rules of the game are similar to those of the mainstream game , but instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier to end...
game.
- HomecomingHomecomingHomecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
Weekend, Established: 1923 — Homecoming features alumni reunion activities, sporting events, and a class spirit competition. One of the highlights of the class spirit activity is the Lip Sync Competition, during which each class performs a medley of songs, complete with costumes, props, and sets. A unique aspect of Juniata's Homecoming celebration is the presentation of the Community Contribution Awards during half-time of the football game rather than having a Homecoming king and queenHomecomingHomecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
. The award recognizes students who have made outstanding community service contributions, both on-campus and in their local communities.
- Family Weekend, Established: 1936 — Usually occurring on a weekend in September, Family Weekend is a chance for students' parents and families to visit the campus. The weekend is filled with activities such as picnics, sporting events, cultural events, tours, etc.
- Storming of the Arch, Established: Mid-1940s — Storming of the Arch takes place on the second Wednesday of fall semester and is optional for any new freshmen. Freshmen gather on North Lawn with the intention of charging the Cloister Arch and making it through to the other side, a mission complicated by a group of upperclassmen - "defenders" of the Arch. Freshmen charge the Arch until they are all knocked down or someone gets through the gauntlet of upperclassmen. To date, no freshman class has made it through the Arch successfully. Storming of the Arch was canceled in the mid-90's due to the number of students being injured but was reinstated by several officers of the Men's rugbyRugby footballRugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
team who reorganized it as a charity event.
- Madrigal dinnerMadrigal dinnerA Madrigal Dinner or Madrigal Feast is an American form of dinner theater often held by schools and church groups during the Christmas season. It is set in the Middle Ages and is generally comedic in nature. The meal is divided into courses, each of which is heralded with a traditional song...
, Established: 1970 — Madrigal Dinner is one of the most popular traditions, with 600-700 students attending, and occurs on the last Saturday of fall semester. This holiday tradition starts with a meal served to the students by the faculty and staff of their choosing. After dinner, guests are entertained with performances by members of the campus community and the group participates in a holiday carolCarol (music)A carol is a festive song, generally religious but not necessarily connected with church worship, and often with a dance-like or popular character....
sing. This sing-along culminates with the singing of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" with various sections of the dining hall acting out the different parts of the song. Tickets for the sections are sold first-come first-serve and students camp out during the week(s) prior in order to acquire their desired section (the "Five Golden Rings" section is very popular). The Madrigal "line" is typically an elaborate tent city on the lawn around the campus center. It is tradition for some to play pranks on the "line." These pranks in past years have included; blowing air horns throughout the night, water balloons, flooding the lawn where the tents are located, spreading empty beer cans around tents, playing recorded animal sounds, and glueing tent zippers shut.
- Pig Roast, Established: 1986 — Pigroast is an annual barbecue held at Raystown Lake and is sponsored by the Men's rugby team with the support of the Women's Rugby team. This barbecue also serves as an opportunity for the men's rugby club to play a match against the alumni who return for the event. It started as a replacement activity after the school banned the annual Raft Regatta, another event held by the notorious rugby teams. This event is marked by the mass consumption of beer. Popular unofficial activities include keg stands and a keg toss. [note: although Pig Roast is very popular, it is not officially sponsored by the college]
- Lobsterfest, Established: 1988 — Lobsterfest is held at the end of the first week of fall semester classes and welcomes students back to campus after summer break. Lobsterfest is a picnic that features small, watery lobstersAmerican lobsterThe American lobster, Homarus americanus, is a species of lobster found on the Atlantic coast of North America, chiefly from Labrador to New Jersey. Within North America, it is also known as the northern lobster or Maine lobster. It can reach a body length of , and a mass of over , making it the...
as the main course and live entertainment. In addition, the Student Organization Fair is held during Lobsterfest during which new students have the opportunity to see and sign up for campus clubs.
- Mr. Juniata Pageant, Established: 1997 — Sponsored by Circle K, the Mr. Juniata Pageant is a tongue-in-cheekTongue-in-cheekTongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
spoof of beauty pageants with men from each class competing for the coveted Mr. Juniata crown. The categories include take-offs of formal wear, talent, and interviews.
- All Class Night, Established: NA — For All-Class Night, each class performs an original production spoofing campus events and personalities. A professor serves as the MC and a panel of faculty and staff judge performances. The winning class takes home the All-Class Night Cup. Occasionally, the faculty and staff present a performance as well. Performances have included live sheep "show" on stage, students roller-skating down aisles, demonization of Staci Weber and William J. von Liebig, and the president of the college in dark sunglasses belting out a Blues Brothers song.
People
Notable alumni of Juniata include:- Chuck KnoxChuck KnoxCharles Robert "Chuck" Knox is a former American football coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He is best remembered as head coach of three National Football League teams, the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills, and the Los Angeles Rams, serving two separate stints with...
, 1954, former National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
head coach, Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Seattle SeahawksSeattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, also the NFL's fifth winningest coach - Wayne M MeyersWayne M MeyersWayne M. Meyers, MD, PhD is an American physician, microbiologist, chemist, humanitarian, and medical missionary. He pioneered new medical techniques, discovered new infectious agents, unraveled the pathogenesis of many scourges of mankind, and trained countless researchers and scientist...
, 1957, President of the International Leprosy Association, physician, researcher, medical missionary, author of hundreds of peer-reviewed medical articles, books, and book chapters, and humanitarian - William Phillips, 1970, atomic physicist, National Institute of Standards and TechnologyNational Institute of Standards and TechnologyThe National Institute of Standards and Technology , known between 1901 and 1988 as the National Bureau of Standards , is a measurement standards laboratory, otherwise known as a National Metrological Institute , which is a non-regulatory agency of the United States Department of Commerce...
, jointly awarded Nobel Prize in PhysicsNobel Prize in PhysicsThe Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded once a year by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895 and awarded since 1901; the others are the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Peace Prize, and...
in 1997 for his contributions to laser cooling. - John KuriyanJohn KuriyanJohn Kuriyan is currently Chancellor's Professor at the University of California Berkeley in the departments of Molecular and Cell Biology and Chemistry. He is also a Faculty Scientist in Berkeley Lab's Physical Biosciences Division, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, and a member of...
, 1980, 2005 winner of the Richard Lounsbery Award for extraordinary scientific achievement, Howard Hughes Investigator and Chancellor's Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at the University of California Berkeley. - Michael TrimMichael TrimMichael Trim is an artist most famous for illustrating the cover of Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, which depicts a Martian tripod striking down the heroic Thunder Child...
, 1976, producer and cinematographer for the Showtime original series WeedsWeeds (TV series)Weeds is an American television comedy created by Jenji Kohan and produced by Tilted Productions in association with Lionsgate Television. The central character is Nancy Botwin , a widowed mother of two boys who begins selling marijuana to support her family after her husband dies suddenly of a...
.
In the press
Juniata College is mentioned in the following publications: 2006 Princeton Review's Best 361 Colleges; Loren PopeLoren Pope
Loren Brooks Pope was an American writer and independent college placement counselor.In 1965, Pope, a former newspaperman and education editor of The New York Times, founded the College Placement Bureau, one of the first independent college placement counseling services in the United States...
's Colleges That Change Lives
Colleges That Change Lives
Colleges That Change Lives is a college educational guide by Loren Pope. It was originally published in 1996, with a second edition in 2000, and a third edition in 2006...
; Kaplan, Inc.
Kaplan, Inc.
Kaplan, Inc. is a for-profit corporation headquartered in New York City and was founded in 1938 by Stanley Kaplan. Kaplan provides higher education programs, professional training courses, test preparation materials and other services for various levels of education...
's Insider's Guide to the 328 Most Interesting Colleges; Peterson's Competitive Colleges; Miriam Weinstein's Making A Difference College Guide: Outstanding Colleges to Help You Make a Better World; Barron's Best Buys in College Education; Leland Miles' Provoking Thought: What Colleges Should Do for Students; Elle Girl
Elle Girl
Elle Girl was the largest older-teen fashion and beauty magazine brand in the world with 12 editions and supplements worldwide. Launched in August 2001, it was the younger sibling to Elle magazine, and similarly focused on beauty, health, entertainment and looked at daring fashion—its slogan: "Dare...
Magazine: Top 50 colleges that Dare to be Different; Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges; and Don Asher's Cool Colleges. In 2009, Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
rated it 75th of America's Best Colleges
Forbes Magazine's List of America's Best Colleges
In 2009 Forbes Magazine, along with The Center for College Affordability and Productivity, compiled a list of America's Best Colleges based on "the quality of the education they provide, the experience of the students and how much they achieve".- 2009 List :...
.
The college was listed as 1 of 13 "best performing" colleges according to a 2004 study by the Teagle Foundation. It was noted as an "overachieving college" based on an "exceptionally high graduation rate" and "has a high percentage of students who go to earn doctoral degrees and achieves those numbers through efficient use of resources."