posted on 8/7/08
The Princeton Review Honors SJC for Fifth Consecutive Year as "Best Midwestern College"
The Princeton Review, a company dedicated to assisting students with standardized test preparation and the college selection process, recently included Saint Joseph's College in its annual "Best Midwestern College" listing on www.PrincetonReview.com. SJC is an institution highlighted for the region for the fifth year in a row and is one of 159 schools on the site receiving the "Best in the Midwest" designation.
"The annual update of our 'Best Midwestern College' profiles generates a surge of attention, awareness and discussion of colleges featured as the best in the nation, from both the news media and the highly coveted audience of parents and students," said Publisher and Editorial Director for The Princeton Review Robert Franek.
Colleges and universities are chosen initially based on data obtained by The Princeton Review. Students from each school are then surveyed to validate their findings. Questions cover such topics as academic curriculum, admissions selectivity and campus life.
The 159 colleges The Princeton Review chose for this year's "Best in the Midwest" designations are located in twelve states: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The Princeton Review also designated 212 colleges in the Northeast, 120 in the West, and 139 in the Southeast as best in their locales on the company's 2009 Best Colleges: Region by Region section on its site. The 630 colleges named "regional best(s)" represent only about 25% (one out of four) of the nation's 2,500 four-year colleges.
Avriel Mullett, a 2008 graduate of SJC, praises the College for its outreach. "Giving back to the community is a big part of what makes Saint Joseph's so special. We do not just care about our involvement on campus; we also care about our involvement in the overall community." Eric Fleming, a 2007 graduate of SJC, said, "I am a more well-rounded person thanks to SJC."
SJC President Ernest R. Mills III was happy to receive the news. "It is always a pleasure to see the College recognized for its excellence in higher education," he said. "Saint Joseph's is truly a community of scholars-both students and faculty. It is gratifying to see that recognized nationally."
The Princeton Review is just one of several distinctions received by SJC; it was honored by "U.S.News & World Report" as being a top bachelor-degree-awarding "Midwestern Comprehensive College." In addition to being named a "character-building college" by the Templeton Foundation, SJC is nationally recognized for excellence in the areas of Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Communities and Successful Outcomes by Colleges of Distinction.
Saint Joseph's College, named a "character-building college" by the Templeton Foundation and a "best Midwestern college" by the Princeton Review, is a four-year, Catholic, liberal arts college offering 75 major, minor and pre-professional programs. Founded and sponsored by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, SJC is located in Rensselaer, Ind., approximately 90 minutes from both Chicago and Indianapolis, on a park-like campus of 180 acres and has an enrollment of over 1,000 students.