By Erin McElwee Staff writer
Earlier this month Susquehanna was honored in the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education in a ranking of more than 1,000 colleges and universities nationwide.
The ranking placed Susquehanna at number 170 out of more than 1,000 higher education institutions.
The ranking focuses on many factors of student learning and post-graduation success among students.
The factors that are used to create the rankings are measured in four key areas: resources, engagement, outcomes and environment.
A large portion of the ranking comes from the post-graduate outcomes, including graduation rate, graduate salary, loan repayment rate and school reputation.
Susquehanna’s success in this ranking is largely due to the faculty and student work that has paved the way for student success.
First-year biochemistry major Colleen Walsh said seeing this ranking made her proud of the place she chose to further her education.
“It makes me feel pride in where I go to school,” Walsh said. “I also think it makes me feel like I am getting the best out of my education by being here because I know that my degree will be worth more than the average school,” she added.
It is the factors similar to the ones included in the survey that attracted Walsh to Susquehanna and ultimately helped her in her decision to attend.
She said she was interested in the opportunities to do research and get an internship during her time here.
She was also drawn to the school because of what she will be able to do in the future after graduation.
“I really liked that Susquehanna had a reputation for putting students into good grad programs because that is what I wish to do at some point, so I felt more confident in choosing this university,” Walsh said.
“I think the university provides so many resources in order to succeed in not only getting an education, but using that education to get a quality job beyond my four years here,” she added.
It is not only what students can do in their time here, but also after graduation that excites first-years and seniors alike.
Senior early childhood education major Caroline Henderson said the ranking made her happy that she spent the last four years here preparing for her education career.
“Coming to Susquehanna, I had no clue what I wanted to do after college,” Henderson said. “With our resources here I was able to discover my passion for children and education, and I have grown so much in my time here,” she added.
The ranking also included a student survey of over 100,000 current undergraduate students.
Students gave their feedback on the satisfaction with their experience and if their education was worth the cost.
Henderson said she has found her experience at Susquehanna to fit these factors, as Susquehanna has prepared her well for her upcoming post-graduate life.
“Having spent my undergraduate years here, I take pride in Susquehanna receiving this honor,” Henderson said.
“Susquehanna has provided me with tools to fulfill my passion, and I am excited to see what the future holds,” she added.
This award is not the first time Susquehanna has been recognized for its outstanding qualities. In September, the school was ranked as the 59th best value college in the United States by the 2017 Educate to Career College Rankings Index. Susquehanna has also been recognized in the past for its study abroad programs.
