Augustana College has once again gone up in the national ranking for liberal arts schools. Augustana has climbed up from 96 to 92 in the newest report of college rankings from U.S News & World Report. 

Augustana also holds high rankings in subcategories, such as No. 32 in Most International Students, No. 41 in First-Year Experiences, No. 42 in Most Innovative Schools, No. 55 in Undergraduate teaching, No.65 in Best Value Schools and No. 92 in Top Performers on Social Mobility, according to Augustana’s ‘Rankings and Recognition’.

Kirby Stockwell, social media public relations specialist, monitors the school rankings and often publishes them.

“We cannot put all of our weight on rankings, even though they look at a lot of things, they don’t look at everything,” Stockwell said. “What the rankings do tell us though is that the work we are doing in specific areas is being noticed, and that really helps us know we’re on the right track and we’re doing the right things.” 

Augustana excels in the sub category “innovation” due to the new transfer student insurance program, the Lindberg center and the other renovations around campus.

“We feel strongly that we are a very innovative school. Being in the top 100 of national liberal arts colleges affirms to us that we are the institution we believe we are,” Stockwell said. 

Stockwell is not the only person proud of the rankings. Melinda Pupillo, the new pastor who began working at Augustana in January 2021, feels that she definitely made the right choice to work here; the rankings confirm those feelings.

“It does give me a point of pride to work at an institution that is so highly respected,” Pupillo said. “Along with the rankings, we got really high praise on the way we handled the pandemic last year too. Even medical institutions looked at us as an example. It’s nice to know that other institutions and respected organizations look up to us, and it makes me proud to be a part of it.”

The students at Augustana also feel a sense of pride with the rankings. 

Junior Ben Grafe, the student in charge of the Augustana Instagram, believes Augustana is deserving of its rankings, especially in light of the new renovations and buildings.

“Augustana has a commitment to its students, and it’s very strong,” he said. “…They genuinely care and the resources they have are the best they can be. Augustana continues to do more everyday to deserve these rankings.”