Dean College Named a 2023-2024 College of Distinction

Dean College has once again been recognized for its commitment to providing a high-quality undergraduate education that focuses on hands-on learning, strong student-teacher relationships, a vibrant campus life, and successful outcomes by Colleges of Distinction, a unique guide for college-bound students. This is the eighth consecutive year that the College has earned this honor.

This year, Dean is also one of fewer than 150 institutions selected as an Affordable College of Distinction for its commitment to affordability and return on investment. Dean also received Colleges of Distinction badges for Business (seventh consecutive year) and Career Development (fifth consecutive year).

“Dean College is proud of our excellence at transforming students and providing social mobility, and we continue our path toward even greater contributions,” said Dean College President Kenneth Elmore, J.D. “We are what it looks like when you allow multiple stories to live and thrive. Our community is full of different thinkers: artists; the neuro-diverse; people from perspectives we rarely see highlighted in popular media; people with disabilities; people who are the first of their generation to experience an education beyond high school; and high achievers. Our excellence, at Dean College, is in placing graduates into the world who beat the odds that may have been set by the status quo. We believe in our students and know that they deserve the opportunity to discover and exceed their greatest aspirations – we are an organization that uses our partnerships, collaborations and resources in service to society. Our campus is the embodiment of The Dean Difference and a College of Distinction: great teaching for engaged and successful students within a vibrant community.”

Colleges of Distinction’s selection process comprises a sequence of in-depth research and detailed interviews with the schools, accepting only those that adhere to the Four Distinctions: Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Community and Successful Outcomes. As a College of Distinction, Dean has shown excellence in each of these areas, providing its students with a well-rounded, practical education that prepares them for successful careers and lives. This evaluation process differs from those of popular college rankings publications, whose formulas grade institutions based on things like faculty salaries, endowment size and peer opinion.

“We don’t rank our schools,” said Tyson Schritter, Chief Operating Officer at Colleges of Distinction. “Every student has individual needs and flourishes in a specific environment. We prefer to focus on the innovative ways that colleges all around the country are providing an enriching undergraduate experience.”

Schritter continued, "We are deeply inspired by how Dean College immerses students in their academic pursuits, fostering a welcoming community that provides unwavering support throughout their college years and beyond."

To learn more about Dean College, visit www.dean.edu. To learn more about Colleges of Distinction, visit https://collegesofdistinction.com/.