Gillian McComesky, gimccomesky@ursinus.edu
The U.S. News and World Report college rankings are out, and among liberal arts colleges Ursinus ranks 84th in the nation. It is tied for 11th in Pennsylvania. The Ursinus family is very excited and honored about the ranking. “The entire campus community should be incredibly proud of this recognition,” said Ursinus President Brock Blomberg in a press release. “Faculty, staff and students all play a role in making Ursinus one of the very best liberal arts colleges in the nation, and being recognized by our peers as such is immensely rewarding, particularly during a year impacted by a pandemic. Good news is especially welcome.” During such a difficult time, to hear that Ursinus is succeeding in its quest for student success is a big accomplishment — not just for faculty, but for students as well. When students found out about this ranking, some were proud of their decision to attend. Sophomore Shane McQuaid said, “I am happy that I chose Ursinus because I truly believe it was a good fit for me. I put a lot of thought into where I wanted to go to college. When I looked at colleges, one thing really stuck out to me: how good my education would be. I wanted a school that would assure me of a well-rounded education. And Ursinus just seemed to be a perfect fit for me. It’s small, close to home, and it’s a liberal arts college. Hearing that Ursinus was ranked so high made me so happy because it made it clear that I made the right decision attending Ursinus.” The U.S. News rankings take into account factors such as graduation rate, retention rates, undergraduate academic reputation, faculty resources, average alumni giving rates, student selectivity, financial resources, and graduate indebtedness rates. Ursinus was also recently recognized in the Philadelphia Inquirer for adopting “one of the most aggressive testing policies of area colleges.” Ursinus’s COVID-19 protocols include weekly testing, social distancing, remote classes, distributing PPE and cleaning supplies, setting up large indoor spaces reconfigured as classrooms, creating a student and faculty health corps, and setting precautions for commuters and on-campus students. To find more information regarding the title, visit: https:// www.ursinus.edu/live/ news/4977-nationalrankings-again-list-ursinus-as-a-top