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When Ryan Hall ’22 first visited the University of New 51���� for an , she says she immediately knew it was where she belonged. She says faculty, staff, and students created a warm and welcoming environment that made her excited to be a Charger.

The experiences of Hall and her classmates embody why the University is included in , with the top 800 colleges and universities – out of more than 4,300 – across the country. The University was rated especially high in its environment assessment that examines the learning atmosphere, the diversity of the community, and the experiences of international students. The University’s assessment ranking was in the top 40 percent of all schools rated.

The rankings use 15 metrics, including graduation rate, faculty per student ratio, and student engagement, grouped into four “pillars.” These criteria are chosen to help answer questions that prospective students may have throughout their search process.

"What makes this recognition most rewarding is the gratifying ways in which our students describe their educational and co-curricular experiences and the inclusive atmosphere we foster," said President Steven H. Kaplan, Ph.D. "We take great pride in being a destination school where students find a diverse and welcoming community where they can excel.”

Created to focus on graduate success and student learning, the 2021 rankings include data from sources such as the Times Higher Education’s U.S. Student Survey, which explored factors such as students’ interaction with professors and overall satisfaction, and public data. They included feedback from more than 170,000 students from all ranked universities.

The University was ranked in the 501-600 band of schools, shortly after welcoming one of its largest incoming classes at the start of the semester. The University also officially opened the multi-disciplinary Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation, a cutting-edge facility featuring the most technologically advanced collaborative classrooms, engineering and science labs, video production studios, a makerspace, and an esports training and competition space.

Hall, the health sciences major, says she is especially grateful for the meaningful experiences she has had in and out of the classroom. She is looking forward to observing a licensed speech therapist later this semester as part of her “Introduction to Speech Language Pathology” course.

“I have gotten to explore both the clinical and administrative aspects of public health,” she said. “I am fortunate to be involved in a program where the professors and advisors truly act in the best interest of all students.”