April 25, 2024

Fiske College Guide Names UMW Among Nation’s Best

July 11, 2013 by
For the fourth consecutive year, the University of Mary Washington is the only institution in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia named as a “best buy” in the prestigious Fiske Guide to Colleges. Mary Washington is among 41 public and private institutions designated as a “best buy,” delivering outstanding academics and the most reasonable prices. The selective guidebook features more than 300 colleges and universities. The listing was based on questionnaires sent to administrators and a cross-section of students. UMW is among 21 public and 20 private schools singled out as “best buys” in the 2014 edition of the guide. “Mary Washington has gained a reputation as one of the premium public liberal arts colleges in the country and continues to attract bright students from around the globe,” according to the Fiske Guide, which has been compiled for the past 30 years under the direction of Edward B. Fiske, former education editor of the New York Times. The Fiske Guide is available in bookstores and as an iPad app on iTunes and a web app on CollegeCountdown.com. For more information, visit http://www.collegecountdown.com/.

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News release prepared by: Brynn Boyer  
Filed Under: Academics, Newsletter Latest News, Newsletter Top Story, Top Stories Tagged With: , ,

UMW Receives Accolades for Affordability

May 14, 2013 by
The University of Mary Washington is listed among the top colleges and universities for affordability in two new online rankings. AffordableCollegesOnline.org (ACO) includes UMW in its 2013 rankings of the 50 “Most Affordable Colleges with a High Return on Investment (ROI)” and EducatedQuest.com named UMW to its list of 2013 “Best Buy Public Colleges and Universities.” ACO used data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and the Carnegie Classification to rank four-year, non-profit institutions based on cost and estimated ROI. UMW is No. 44 on the list. The online resource Educated Quest based its ranking of colleges and universities on several criteria, including freshman retention rate, six-year graduation rate, in-state and out-of-state tuition rates, and student indebtedness levels. UMW is one of 17 institutions on the list.
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Peace Corps Ranks UMW Among Top-Producing Small Colleges

February 5, 2013 by

Once again, the Peace Corps has ranked the University of Mary Washington among the nation’s top-producing colleges for alumni now serving as Peace Corps volunteers.

UMW ranks third on the Peace Corps’ list of small schools or institutions with less than 5,000 undergraduates. Currently, UMW has 21 alumni serving around the world, the Peace Corps announced on Feb. 5.

Chad Chadbourn ’06 (right) taught a small business course to high school students as part of his Peace Corps service in Costa Rica

Mary Washington has been named to the Peace Corps’ list of 25 top-producing small schools for the 10th consecutive year. In 2012 and 2011, the university placed No. 1 among schools in the same category, with 30 and 32 alumni serving in the Peace Corps, respectively.

In all, 230 Mary Washington alumni have served the 27-month commitment around the world since the Peace Corps’ inception in 1961.

For Chad Chadbourn ’06, who was a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica from 2006 to 2008, UMW fosters values and skills that fit well with the Peace Corps’ mission.

“Mary Washington really encourages students to go about developing a better global mindset,” said Chadbourn, a 2013 MBA candidate at the College of William & Mary’s Mason School of Business. “The personal initiative, interpersonal skills and communication skills through the writing and speaking intensive courses really enhance one’s ability to be a Peace Corps volunteer.”

Bethany Farrell ’11 currently serves in Morocco as a youth development volunteer.

Bethany Farrell ’11 (first row, third from right) is currently serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco

“I learned so much about myself and about the world during my time at Mary Washington, and I use that education all the time here,” Farrell said. “There are so many tolerant, respectful and open-minded people at Mary Washington, and I try to demonstrate those qualities each and every day of my service.”

For any interested students currently enrolled at UMW, the Peace Corps will hold an information session on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 5 p.m. in Lee Hall, Room 411.

The Peace Corps ranks its top volunteer-producing schools annually according to the size of the student body. The rankings are calculated based on fiscal year 2012 data as of September 30, 2012, as self-reported by Peace Corps volunteers. A complete list of colleges and universities can be viewed at Peace Corps’ Top Colleges.

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News release prepared by: Marty Morrison and Brynn Boyer

Filed Under: Newsletter Top Story, Top Stories, UMW News Tagged With: ,

Kiplinger’s Magazine Rates UMW Among Nation’s Best Values

December 27, 2012 by

The University of Mary Washington is listed among Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine’s “100 Best Values in Public Colleges” for 2013.

The university ranks fifth among Virginia’s best values and 53rd out of 100 four-year public institutions nationwide when comparing tuition costs, according to the February 2013 issue of Kiplinger’s. The list is available online at www.kiplinger.com/links/college.

UMW students study for final exams outside the Woodard Campus Center

“We applaud this year’s top 100 schools for their efforts to maintain academic standards while meeting the financial needs of their students,” said Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.

The magazine selects the best values from a pool of nearly 600 public four-year colleges and universities, using data provided by Peterson’s. The editors rank the schools based on measures of academic quality, including admission and retention rates, student-faculty ratios and four- and six-year graduation rates, as well as on cost and financial aid.

Other Virginia schools on the in-state “best-value” list include the University of Virginia (2), the College of William and Mary (4), James Madison University (20) and Virginia Tech (28).

UMW has appeared consistently on Kiplinger’s best value list since 2006, and continuously ranks high in selective college guidebooks.

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UMW Lauded for Efficiency in New U.S. News List

December 10, 2012 by
U.S. News & World Report has recognized the University of Mary Washington among the top universities for its efficient use of resources and ability to provide a high quality education. Using the operating efficiency measure, the university ranks third among universities in the “Regional Universities – South” category. The listing was announced in a recent online edition of the magazine. U.S. News & World Report took into account how much a school spends per student on instruction, research, student services and related educational expenditures. The list is based on operating efficiency, defined as a school’s 2011 fiscal year financial resources per student divided by its overall score in the 2013 Best Colleges rankings. “Schools that are featured on this list are doing a good job in managing their financial resources relative to other schools that may have larger state funding, higher tuition, or larger endowments,” according to the U.S. News & World Report website. UMW ranks sixth among public southern universities in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2013 edition of America’s Best Colleges, and 16th among all southern universities in the same category. Mary Washington has been ranked in the top 20 among southern universities each year for more than five consecutive years. For the full list, visit http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-rankings-blog/2012/12/06/which-highly-ranked-universities-operate-most-efficiently.
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Washington Monthly Ranks UMW Among Top Master’s Universities

August 27, 2012 by

The University of Mary Washington has been rated 12th among master’s universities in the nation by the Washington Monthly magazine.

In its annual “College Guide and Rankings,” the publication ranks schools based on their contribution to the public good. The criteria includes social mobility that encompasses recruiting and graduating low-income students; research that produces cutting-edge scholarships and Ph.D.s; and service that encourages students to give back to their country.

For the full news release, please visit http://www.umw.edu/news/2012/08/27/washington-monthly-ranks-umw-among-top-masters-universities/.

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Forbes Names UMW to America’s Top Colleges List

August 9, 2012 by

For the fifth year in a row, the Forbes.com online news magazine has recognized the University of Mary Washington as one of the nation’s top universities.

In the annual list of “America’s Best Colleges,” UMW ranks 66th out of 100 institutions that Forbes deems “The 100 Best Buy Colleges.” Overall, UMW ranks 243rd out of the 650 undergraduate institutions that the magazine considers the nation’s best. UMW rose more than 45 spots from last year’s overall ranking of 291.

The list is compiled in conjunction with the Center for College Affordability and Productivity (CCAP), which rates the undergraduate institutions based on the quality of the education provided and how much their students achieve. The CCAP ranks only the top 15 percent of the nation’s more than 4,000 colleges and universities.

According to Forbes.com, the list is based on the following five categories: post graduate success, which evaluates alumni pay and prominence; student satisfaction, which includes professor evaluations and first-year retention rates; debt, which penalizes schools for high student debt loads and default rates; four year graduation rate; and competitive awards, which rewards schools whose students win prestigious scholarships.

The full list is available at http://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/.

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UMW Named “Best Buy” in Fiske Guide to Colleges

August 1, 2012 by

For the third consecutive year, the University of Mary Washington is the only institution in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia named as a “best buy” in the prestigious Fiske Guide to Colleges.

“We long have known that University of Mary Washington offers a tremendous return on investment, and we’re glad the rest of the world is recognizing the value of the educational experience here,” said UMW President Richard V. Hurley. “You can’t find a better buy in higher education today — rigorous academics combined with a rich array of out-of-classroom activities, all of which comes with a relatively moderate price tag.”

Mary Washington is among 41 public and private institutions designated as a “best buy,” delivering outstanding academics and the most reasonable prices. The selective guidebook features more than 300 colleges and universities. The listing was based on questionnaires sent administrators and a cross-section of students.

UMW is among 20 public and 21 private schools singled out as “best buys” in the 2013 edition of the guide.

“Mary Washington has gained a reputation as one of the premium public liberal arts colleges in the country and continues to attract bright students from around the globe,” according to the Fiske Guide, which has been compiled annually under the direction of Edward B. Fiske, former education editor of the New York Times. “‘The courses are challenging and engaging,’ says a senior, and they ‘push students out of the classroom and into experiential opportunities.’”

The Fiske Guide is available in bookstores and as an iPad app on iTunes and a web app on CollegeCountdown.com. For more information, visit http://www.collegecountdown.com/.

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UMW Listed Among Top 150 “Best Value Colleges”

February 9, 2012 by

The University of Mary Washington has been named to the Princeton Review’s 150 “Best Value Colleges: 2012 Edition.” The list of best value colleges, announced Tuesday, Feb. 7 on the Princeton Review website and in USA Today, features 75 public and 75 private colleges and universities.

Mary Washington is listed among the nation’s 75 “Best Value Public Colleges.” The Princeton Review bases its rankings on surveys of administrators and students at 650 institutions it identified as having excellent academics. The selection criteria examined more than 30 factors in the areas of academics, cost of attendance and financial aid, using data from surveys conducted from fall 2010 through fall 2011.

“We are delighted that once again the University of Mary Washington has been recognized for delivering a top quality education while providing a great value,” said President Richard V. Hurley. “An investment in a UMW education is an investment in innovative teaching and development of intellectual curiosity. Our students are exposed to rigorous academics that prepare them for the real world. In a time when it is so important to seek the greatest return on our investments, Mary Washington’s place on the Princeton Review list reaffirms this commitment to our students.”

Other Virginia public schools on the list include Christopher Newport University, the College of William & Mary, James Madison University, Longwood University, the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.

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Peace Corps Again Ranks UMW First in Nation Among Top Producing Small Colleges

January 25, 2012 by

For the second year in a row, the Peace Corps has ranked the University of Mary Washington No. 1 in the nation among small universities for alumni now serving as Peace Corps volunteers.

Jennifer Davis '08 served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali

Currently, UMW has 30 alumni serving around the world, the Peace Corps announced on January 20.

“I am delighted that our civically minded students and alumni continue to be nationally recognized for their global service,” said UMW President Richard Hurley.

Mary Washington has been named to the Peace Corps list of 25 top producing small schools for the ninth consecutive year. In 2011, the university placed No. 1 among small schools or institutions with less than 5,000 undergraduates, with 32 alumni serving in the Peace Corps. In 2010, UMW ranked No. 2 in the same category, with 23 alumni volunteering for the Peace Corps.

In all, 245 Mary Washington alumni have served the 27-month commitment around the world since the Peace Corps’ inception in 1961.

The Peace Corps ranks its top volunteer-producing schools annually according to the size of the student body. The rankings are calculated based on fiscal year 2011 data as of September 30, 2011, as self-reported by Peace Corps volunteers.

“The Peace Corps is actively and successfully engaged in 76 countries, and our successes, both this year and during the last five decades, are directly attributable to the outstanding support we have received from the University of Mary Washington,” said Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams in a letter to President Hurley. “These volunteers are applying the skills and knowledge they acquired during their time at the University of Mary Washington to help improve the lives of people across the globe. They are making important contributions to grass-roots projects in agriculture, education, the environment, health and HIV/AIDS education and prevention, small business development, and youth development.”

Ryan Marr ‘11 is following that Peace Corps tradition. He received notice today that he will leave for Benin, Africa.

An English major and French minor, Marr was active in global service at UMW. In 2009, he traveled to Honduras with the Students Helping Honduras.

“The Peace Corps always has been in the back of my brain since I was a freshman,” he said. “It’s probably one of the most exciting things I’ve ever had to think about.”

Since its founding, more than 200,000 volunteers have helped promote a better understanding between Americans and the 139 countries where volunteers have served. Volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age.

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