E&H Ranked Among Top 30 Liberal Arts Colleges in the Nation

Emory & Henry College ranks among the top 30 liberal arts colleges and universities in the nation, according to a ranking of colleges and universities published by the Washington Monthly.

The magazine ranks Emory & Henry at No. 21 on its annual list.

Its high ranking was the result, in part, of the College’s recent recognitions for its historic commitment to community service. In the article accompanying the rankings, Washington Monthly editors mention Emory & Henry’s dramatic rise, noting a national award the College received in March for service learning.

Emory & Henry was the only Virginia institution to make the top 30 list, which includes such colleges as Morehouse (No. 1) and Spelman (No. 8) in Georgia; Bryn Mawr (No. 2) and Swarthmore (No. 3) in Pennsylvania; Berea (No. 4) and Centre (No. 25) in Kentucky; and Amherst (No. 5) and Wellesley (No. 10) in Massachusetts.

Two Tennessee institutions made the Top 30 list: Rhodes College at No. 28 and Fisk University at No. 29.

"This is great news for Emory & Henry College and the region it serves," said Dr. Rosalind Reichard, president of Emory & Henry. "While other rankings continue to validate this institution’s strong reputation for excellence, this one points directly at what we do best – provide a high quality education that leads to lives of success, service and civic engagement."

The Washington Monthly ranking was the second recent ranking to show a rise for Emory & Henry.

Earlier this month, the College registered its third consecutive year of improvement in rankings published by U.S. News and World Report. The College ranked no. 144 on the list of national liberal arts colleges and was the only college in the Tri-Cities region to be ranked in the first tier of the prestigious national ranking (other Tri-Cities schools were ranked according to region).

Also Newsweek Magazine recently ranked Emory & Henry No. 4 in the nation in the category for the "Most Service Minded" schools. Emory & Henry was one of only 125 institutions -- out of more than 3,500 nationwide -- included in the 2010 Newsweek ranking.

In its rankings, Washington Monthly recognizes institutions that not only excel according to traditional measures – such as resources, reputation and selectivity -- but also in terms of a school's ability to transform under-achieving and economically disadvantaged students.

According to Washington Monthly: "A college president vying for rankings glory on our list … would have to enroll more low-income students, help them earn degrees, orient academic programs toward service, and invest in new scientific research. The country needs more of that kind of competition, not less."

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How do Colleges Develop Critical Thinkers?

By Alicia Jacobs, Excelsior Life News Staff--

Studies show course discussions and increased student engagement can impact a student’s learning experience, regardless of a traditional classroom or online setting. This is why institutions like Excelsior College place increased focus on critical thinking and both active and reflective learning to boost student success and retention.

With increasing number of companies today seeking employees equipped with both problem-solving and critical thinking skill sets, it is more important now than ever that colleges develop graduates to meet this demand.

But how are colleges developing graduates with critical thinking skills? And while we know that knowledge is lost when critical thinking skills aren’t applied, what exactly is critical thinking?

The dictionary defines critical thinking as “disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded, and informed by evidence.” At its core, an individual who questions statements and facts, to disclose or expose what we often take for granted, as erroneous or false; a superb questioner.

“In life, critical thinking should never cease,” said David Seelow, PhD, director of writing programs and online writing lab at Excelsior. “It is an ongoing thought process that promotes questioning, investigation, and analysis.”

With that in mind, it is not surprising the law is a common career path for the critical thinker. A trial lawyer questions every statement and every piece of evidence put before them.

But what about other career pathways? Excelsior Life recently sat down with Dr. Seelow to learn why critical thinking is important for college students and their future employers. Seelow has developed Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum, a critical thinking webinar series for Excelsior College that concludes on March 26. The webinar is being led by Dr. Daniel Rothbart of George Mason University.

Excelsior Life: Why should college students be concerned about critical thinking?
Seelow: In college, students should be concerned about critical thinking because it is how they become informed citizens. If things are just accepted as they are, change will never occur. Democracy depends on critical thinkers. Productive civic engagement requires it too. In Excelsior’s School of Liberal Arts, critical thinking is an outcome required of our capstone courses because we feel every student should graduate as a critical thinker.

Excelsior Life: What tools should colleges use for increasing critical thinking skills?
Seelow: To increase critical thinking skills, colleges use assessment tools. Professor Peter Faccione has identified six tools for critical thinkers: analysis, inference, explanation, interpretation, evaluation, and self-regulation. Educators recommend at least some of these skills should be stressed in all college courses.

For example, reading a poem closely requires analysis, interpretation, explanation, and judgment. In a science course, students should read and understand arguments based upon evidence. Students should be able to evaluate data including statistical studies, and understand the inferences developed from this data. Reasoning skills help students construct arguments based upon empirical evidence.

Explanation comes with interpretation. Evaluation is an assessment of research. Self-regulation comes from monitoring your own thinking.

Excelsior Life: What about case studies? Should they be incorporated into the curriculum? Seelow: To enhance critical thinking, it is recommended for colleges to incorporate case studies into curriculum. The case study provides a multidimensional approach to understanding. Harvard Business School has based its curriculum on the case study method since its founding.

Excelsior Life: How do traditional and online class discussions, impact grades and critical thinking?

Seelow: Class discussion impacts critical thinking regardless of the setting. In a traditional classroom, discussions show student comprehension of presented material.

Online courses have an advantage with critical thinking. In an online class discussion, students have more time to reflect on responses and practice critical thinking, even though it may lack the spontaneity of the traditional classroom. Another benefit is in the online class every student participates, not just the eager few of a traditional class. Finally, the online student has plenty of time to ponder his or her classmates responses to a question.

Excelsior Life: Why is critical thinking so important to employers?
Seelow: Two of the most essential skills necessary for success in a business are decision making and problem solving. Critical thinking is the fountain head of informed decisions and the ability to systematically solve problems. When business leaders are asked skills most desired among new graduates, the answers are most commonly good communication skills (written and oral) and critical thinking.

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Flagler College ranks 10th on U.S. News list of Best Regional Colleges in the South

September 13, 2011

Flagler College ranked 10th in the south for Best Regional Colleges in U.S. News and World Report's new 2012 edition of "Best Colleges." The widely-used college guide includes rankings on more than 1,600 schools nationwide.

The guidebook will be available on newsstands Sept. 20.

"I am very pleased with our ranking by U.S. News and World Report," said Dr. William T. Abare, Jr., president of Flagler College. "It is a significant achievement for Flagler to be ranked among the top regional colleges in the south by this prestigious national publication."

The Best Regional Colleges category includes schools whose focus is almost entirely on the undergraduate experience and who offer a broad range of programs in the liberal arts, as well as fields such as business, nursing and education. The 371 colleges in the category draw heavily from nearby states and are divided into four regions.

The Best Colleges guide compares the quality of schools based on "indicators of excellence" such as freshman retention, graduation rates and the strength of the faculty. Colleges and universities are sorted into categories that the publication bases on the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

In August, Flagler was also included in the Princeton Review's annual college guide, "Best 376 Colleges – 2012 Edition."

View the original article here

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E&H Ranked Among Top 30 Liberal Arts Colleges in the Nation

Emory & Henry College ranks among the top 30 liberal arts colleges and universities in the nation, according to a ranking of colleges and universities published by the Washington Monthly.

The magazine ranks Emory & Henry at No. 21 on its annual list.

Its high ranking was the result, in part, of the College’s recent recognitions for its historic commitment to community service. In the article accompanying the rankings, Washington Monthly editors mention Emory & Henry’s dramatic rise, noting a national award the College received in March for service learning.

Emory & Henry was the only Virginia institution to make the top 30 list, which includes such colleges as Morehouse (No. 1) and Spelman (No. 8) in Georgia; Bryn Mawr (No. 2) and Swarthmore (No. 3) in Pennsylvania; Berea (No. 4) and Centre (No. 25) in Kentucky; and Amherst (No. 5) and Wellesley (No. 10) in Massachusetts.

Two Tennessee institutions made the Top 30 list: Rhodes College at No. 28 and Fisk University at No. 29.

"This is great news for Emory & Henry College and the region it serves," said Dr. Rosalind Reichard, president of Emory & Henry. "While other rankings continue to validate this institution’s strong reputation for excellence, this one points directly at what we do best – provide a high quality education that leads to lives of success, service and civic engagement."

The Washington Monthly ranking was the second recent ranking to show a rise for Emory & Henry.

Earlier this month, the College registered its third consecutive year of improvement in rankings published by U.S. News and World Report. The College ranked no. 144 on the list of national liberal arts colleges and was the only college in the Tri-Cities region to be ranked in the first tier of the prestigious national ranking (other Tri-Cities schools were ranked according to region).

Also Newsweek Magazine recently ranked Emory & Henry No. 4 in the nation in the category for the "Most Service Minded" schools. Emory & Henry was one of only 125 institutions -- out of more than 3,500 nationwide -- included in the 2010 Newsweek ranking.

In its rankings, Washington Monthly recognizes institutions that not only excel according to traditional measures – such as resources, reputation and selectivity -- but also in terms of a school's ability to transform under-achieving and economically disadvantaged students.

According to Washington Monthly: "A college president vying for rankings glory on our list … would have to enroll more low-income students, help them earn degrees, orient academic programs toward service, and invest in new scientific research. The country needs more of that kind of competition, not less."

View the original article here

Read More

E&H Ranked Among Top 30 Liberal Arts Colleges in the Nation

Emory & Henry College ranks among the top 30 liberal arts colleges and universities in the nation, according to a ranking of colleges and universities published by the Washington Monthly.

The magazine ranks Emory & Henry at No. 21 on its annual list.

Its high ranking was the result, in part, of the College’s recent recognitions for its historic commitment to community service. In the article accompanying the rankings, Washington Monthly editors mention Emory & Henry’s dramatic rise, noting a national award the College received in March for service learning.

Emory & Henry was the only Virginia institution to make the top 30 list, which includes such colleges as Morehouse (No. 1) and Spelman (No. 8) in Georgia; Bryn Mawr (No. 2) and Swarthmore (No. 3) in Pennsylvania; Berea (No. 4) and Centre (No. 25) in Kentucky; and Amherst (No. 5) and Wellesley (No. 10) in Massachusetts.

Two Tennessee institutions made the Top 30 list: Rhodes College at No. 28 and Fisk University at No. 29.

"This is great news for Emory & Henry College and the region it serves," said Dr. Rosalind Reichard, president of Emory & Henry. "While other rankings continue to validate this institution’s strong reputation for excellence, this one points directly at what we do best – provide a high quality education that leads to lives of success, service and civic engagement."

The Washington Monthly ranking was the second recent ranking to show a rise for Emory & Henry.

Earlier this month, the College registered its third consecutive year of improvement in rankings published by U.S. News and World Report. The College ranked no. 144 on the list of national liberal arts colleges and was the only college in the Tri-Cities region to be ranked in the first tier of the prestigious national ranking (other Tri-Cities schools were ranked according to region).

Also Newsweek Magazine recently ranked Emory & Henry No. 4 in the nation in the category for the "Most Service Minded" schools. Emory & Henry was one of only 125 institutions -- out of more than 3,500 nationwide -- included in the 2010 Newsweek ranking.

In its rankings, Washington Monthly recognizes institutions that not only excel according to traditional measures – such as resources, reputation and selectivity -- but also in terms of a school's ability to transform under-achieving and economically disadvantaged students.

According to Washington Monthly: "A college president vying for rankings glory on our list … would have to enroll more low-income students, help them earn degrees, orient academic programs toward service, and invest in new scientific research. The country needs more of that kind of competition, not less."

View the original article here

Read More

Flagler College ranks 10th on U.S. News list of Best Regional Colleges in the South

September 13, 2011

Flagler College ranked 10th in the south for Best Regional Colleges in U.S. News and World Report's new 2012 edition of "Best Colleges." The widely-used college guide includes rankings on more than 1,600 schools nationwide.

The guidebook will be available on newsstands Sept. 20.

"I am very pleased with our ranking by U.S. News and World Report," said Dr. William T. Abare, Jr., president of Flagler College. "It is a significant achievement for Flagler to be ranked among the top regional colleges in the south by this prestigious national publication."

The Best Regional Colleges category includes schools whose focus is almost entirely on the undergraduate experience and who offer a broad range of programs in the liberal arts, as well as fields such as business, nursing and education. The 371 colleges in the category draw heavily from nearby states and are divided into four regions.

The Best Colleges guide compares the quality of schools based on "indicators of excellence" such as freshman retention, graduation rates and the strength of the faculty. Colleges and universities are sorted into categories that the publication bases on the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

In August, Flagler was also included in the Princeton Review's annual college guide, "Best 376 Colleges – 2012 Edition."

View the original article here

Read More

E&H Ranked Among Top 30 Liberal Arts Colleges in the Nation

Emory & Henry College ranks among the top 30 liberal arts colleges and universities in the nation, according to a ranking of colleges and universities published by the Washington Monthly.

The magazine ranks Emory & Henry at No. 21 on its annual list.

Its high ranking was the result, in part, of the College’s recent recognitions for its historic commitment to community service. In the article accompanying the rankings, Washington Monthly editors mention Emory & Henry’s dramatic rise, noting a national award the College received in March for service learning.

Emory & Henry was the only Virginia institution to make the top 30 list, which includes such colleges as Morehouse (No. 1) and Spelman (No. 8) in Georgia; Bryn Mawr (No. 2) and Swarthmore (No. 3) in Pennsylvania; Berea (No. 4) and Centre (No. 25) in Kentucky; and Amherst (No. 5) and Wellesley (No. 10) in Massachusetts.

Two Tennessee institutions made the Top 30 list: Rhodes College at No. 28 and Fisk University at No. 29.

"This is great news for Emory & Henry College and the region it serves," said Dr. Rosalind Reichard, president of Emory & Henry. "While other rankings continue to validate this institution’s strong reputation for excellence, this one points directly at what we do best – provide a high quality education that leads to lives of success, service and civic engagement."

The Washington Monthly ranking was the second recent ranking to show a rise for Emory & Henry.

Earlier this month, the College registered its third consecutive year of improvement in rankings published by U.S. News and World Report. The College ranked no. 144 on the list of national liberal arts colleges and was the only college in the Tri-Cities region to be ranked in the first tier of the prestigious national ranking (other Tri-Cities schools were ranked according to region).

Also Newsweek Magazine recently ranked Emory & Henry No. 4 in the nation in the category for the "Most Service Minded" schools. Emory & Henry was one of only 125 institutions -- out of more than 3,500 nationwide -- included in the 2010 Newsweek ranking.

In its rankings, Washington Monthly recognizes institutions that not only excel according to traditional measures – such as resources, reputation and selectivity -- but also in terms of a school's ability to transform under-achieving and economically disadvantaged students.

According to Washington Monthly: "A college president vying for rankings glory on our list … would have to enroll more low-income students, help them earn degrees, orient academic programs toward service, and invest in new scientific research. The country needs more of that kind of competition, not less."

View the original article here

Read More