University scores accolades for innovation, teaching, veteran support and more
For the 10th consecutive year, Belmont University has again achieved a Top 10 regional ranking with today’s release of U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 edition of America’s Best Colleges. This year Belmont landed at No. 6 in the South region where the University remains the highest ranked in Tennessee in the category. In the publication released today, Belmont also appears as the only Tennessee institution from any category noted as being a “Most Innovative School,” landing on the list for the 11th year in a row due to the University’s ongoing commitment to “making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities.”
Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “Great universities don’t just happen. They are built through the dedication of faculty, staff and supporters who devote time and energy to creating challenging academics, state-of-the-art facilities, a welcoming environment and pioneering approaches to education. Belmont’s consistent presence near the top of its category, along with 11 straight years of being recognized for innovation, indicate we are fulfilling our mission to equip students to transform their communities and the world at large.”
Moreover, Belmont won the praise of its peers as it was included on a number of additional U.S. News lists that rate institutions on areas critical to student opportunities and success:
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- Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching (No. 4 in the South): The strong commitment to undergraduate teaching ranking is determined via a survey of peer institutions, who cite their fellow institutions who best reflect that quality.
- Best Colleges for Veterans (No. 4 in the South): To be included, institutions must be ranked in the top half of their overall category, be certified for the GI Bill and participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program with 20 or more veterans/active service members enrolled.
- Best Value (one of only 66 institutions recognized in the Southern region): The listing takes into account a school’s academic quality and net cost of attendance for a student who received the average level of need-based financial aid. The higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal.
- Top Undergraduate Business Programs: Each year, U.S. News ranks only those undergraduate business programs that have achieved accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Belmont is ranked in the top half of all schools nationally and is the top private business program in Tennessee.
- Most Innovative School (one of only 19 recognized in the South)
Maintaining its momentum for growth and innovation, Belmont began the Fall 2018 semester with a series of significant announcements, including:
- A record-breaking enrollment number for the 18th consecutive year – reaching a total of 8,318 students on campus
- The opening of Tall Hall, the largest residence hall in University history that now houses more than 600 upperclassmen
- The unveiling of plans for a new 1,700 seat Belmont University Performing Arts Center designed to be “the finest music performance hall on any college campus in the world”
The U.S. News analysis places Belmont in a premier position among the 165 public and private institutions included in the South region, an area that covers Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana.
