Lipscomb University ranked among top 18 universities in the South by <em>U.S. News</em>
Kim Chaudoin |
Lipscomb progresses in almost every category in 2011 rankings
With 16 new graduate programs, a new doctoral program in education, $40 million in construction and record enrollments since 2006, Lipscomb has jumped 10 spots in the U.S. News & World Report’s rankings in the past five years.
“At a time of tremendous challenge for academic institutions throughout the country we are very pleased to make progress in nearly every category this year. It is gratifying to see that national leaders and educators acknowledge the results of this community’s investment in new academic and service programs and developing a 21st century learning environment and recognize Lipscomb University as the vibrant, innovative, serving institution it is today,” said Lipscomb President L. Randolph Lowry.
Lipscomb’s education innovative has resulted in rapid growth. In fall 2009, the university achieved a record enrollment of more than 3,400, including a 42 percent increase in graduate enrollment. Graduate enrollment is expected to jump again this fall due to the addition of a new graduate program in human resources and a new doctorate in education.
“We believe the schools on this list offer the reassurance that whatever their historical reputation (or lack of it), they’re firmly focused on improving the job they’re doing today—at least in the judgment of their peers,” states the U.S. News’ “America’s Best Colleges Guidebook.”
During the past year, Lipscomb has continued to be recognized nationally for the quality of its programs and the success of its students. Highlights of the past 12 months include:
• Race to the Top vendor. Lipscomb will play a key role in Tennessee’s K-12 education as an approved Race to the Top vendor for professional development and leadership training for the state’s school districts. Tennessee was selected as one of two states to receive federal education grants in President Barack Obama’s Race to the Top competitive grants program.
• Coach of the Year honors. Lady Bison softball coach Kristin Ryman was named the 2010 A-Sun Coach of the Year. The Lady Bisons advanced to the NCAA regional for the first time in May.
• Society of Automotive Engineers’ Baja East Competition. In June, Lipscomb came in 12th overall in the 2010 Baja SAE Rochester off-road racing competition in New York, placing better or comparably with long-standing and respected engineering programs across the nation. SAE collegiate design competitions draw more than 4,500 students from 500 universities on six continents.
• Atlantic Sun All-Academic trophy. Lipscomb boasted seven spring teams with at least 70 percent of the student-athletes achieving at least a 3.0 grade-point average helping the Bisons win their first-ever Atlantic Sun Conference All-Academic Trophy.
• President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. Lipscomb University was listed in the 2009 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll that was released in February 2010. This is Lipscomb University’s third consecutive year listed among schools that show commitment to service-learning initiatives. The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, launched in 2006, recognizes colleges and universities nationwide that support innovative and effective community service and service-learning programs.
• Students in Free Enterprise “Rookie of the Year Award.” The Lipscomb University College of Business SIFE team earned the “Rookie of the Year Award” at the SIFE national championship in June. Lipscomb’s SIFE team is one of only two rookie teams across the nation to win its regional championship in April and proceed to the national competition, where Lipscomb was then chosen as the national rookie of the year.
• Lead education partner for Nashville Medical Trade Center. Lipscomb University has been selected the lead education partner for Nashville’s Medical Trade Center, one of the first of it’s kind in the world. Lipscomb will develop a National Center for Health Care Education and Innovation, an entity that will play a leading role in developing and administering comprehensive educational programs conducted with the NMTC.
• TVA Investment Challenge winner. A team of Lipscomb finance students beat the bank in the 2009 TVA Investment Challenge with a 62.29 percent return on their stock portfolio, outperforming the S&P 500 return by nearly 36 percent. The S&P 500 returned 26.46 percent for the year.
• "Ethisphere’s" Most Influential People in Business Ethics. Lipscomb College of Business Dean Turney Stevens was named one of 2009’s Most Influential People in Business Ethics by Ethisphere. He was also a keynote speaker at the 2010 Global Ethics Summit, hosted by Dow Jones and Ethisphere, in New York City earlier this year.
In U.S. News criteria, the university improved in average freshman retention rate, average graduation rate, overall score, peer assessment, percent of classes under 20, percent of classes more than 50, SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile, freshmen in Top 25% of class and acceptance rate.