The College has risen 51 spots over the past two years in recognition of the Best National Liberal Arts Colleges. The rankings are determined by a formula weighting data across 15 metrics of academic excellence, including graduation rates and first-year retention, faculty and financial resources, peer assessments, student excellence and alumni giving.
While 60 people in one class may not register as a large class at a state university, it’s one of the biggest classes on a campus of just over 1,000 students.
The College checked in at no. 156 overall, which ranks in the top 25 percent of all liberal arts colleges nation-wide and among the top six schools in the Pacific Northwest.
Nelson said all RAs go through an application and vetting process that includes group interviews and one-on-one interviews as well. All are trained in conflict resolution, diversity and inclusion, suicide awareness, emergency situations, and are CPR/first-aid certified.
The College is one of just 127 colleges in 15 western states to receive the “Best in the West” acknowledgement in its website feature “2020 Best Colleges: Region by Region.”