FROM STAFF REPORTS

MONTEVALLO–For the third consecutive year, the University of Montevallo has been named a College of Distinction. Montevallo is the only public university in Alabama to receive this recognition for 2014-2015.

Founded in 1999, Colleges of Distinction is a web-based guide for high school juniors and seniors seeking a school that is nationally recognized and highly recommended by professionals in the field of education. Colleges and universities are nominated for participation by high school counselors and must excel in four distinctions: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant communities and successful outcomes.

The methodology to select a school includes both qualitative and quantitative information. Interviews are conducted with college admission experts, faculty and staff at each accepted college, administrators at other colleges and high school counselors. Also considered are graduation rates, classroom size and other statistics that reflect the four distinctions.

“Montevallo was selected for providing an innovative, teacher-centered undergraduate education with a strong record of preparing its graduates for real-world success,” stated Colleges of Distinction Founder Wes Creel in a letter noting UM’s inclusion for 2014-2015.

In order to engage students, the University of Montevallo offers a variety of learning experiences such as undergraduate research, study abroad and study away, internships and more. Learning is frequently hands-on, and faculty work with students to develop not only as scholars, but also as responsible and productive citizens.

Graduates of Colleges of Distinction are recognized both by graduate schools and employers as being well prepared for the next step in their careers, and placement records are high. Alumni also tend to remain engaged long after graduation.

“We are very pleased to be included in this prestigious ranking,” stated UM President John W. Stewart III. “In their deliberations, Colleges of Distinction assigns tremendous weight to the enterprise of teaching and learning. Many of the institutions they include are elite, private colleges. As Alabama’s public liberal-arts university, Montevallo stands as a unique model for quality and affordability in higher education, offering a small, private-college experience for the cost of a state institution.”