Salve Regina’s ranking among the best institutions of higher education in the United States climbed eight places from a year ago to 23rd, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best Colleges survey in its Regional Universities – North category. The University was also recognized nationally for best undergraduate teaching, as a best value school, as a top performer on social mobility and as a best bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program.

The publication’s 2022 Best Colleges rankings, made public today, assessed 1,466 bachelor’s degree-granting institutions in the United States on 17 measures of academic quality — such as student-faculty ratio, graduation and retention rate, academic reputation, faculty resources, financial resources per student, alumni giving and more.

Salve Regina faculty were collectively designated among the best in the Undergraduate Teaching category based on a peer assessment survey of college presidents, provosts and admissions deans. Salve Regina was among the colleges receiving the most “top 15” nominations for featuring faculty and administrators who are committed to teaching undergraduate students in a high-quality manner.

Best Value institutions are academically high performing schools that also cost considerably less as a result of financial aid, particularly in the form of need-based grants and scholarships that do not need to be paid back. Ranking factors include the percentage of all undergraduates receiving need-based scholarships or grants, the average discount from the university’s total “sticker price,” the ratio of academic quality to cost and the percent of students receiving need-based aid.

As a Top Performer on Social Mobility, Salve Regina was assessed to be more successful than other universities in enrolling and graduating students who have been awarded Pell Grants. Students receiving these grants typically come from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000.

Salve Regina’s bachelor of science in nursing program (BSN) was ranked among the best as a result of the average of scores received from surveys of top academics and officials at nursing schools or departments from across the country. These officials rated the overall quality of undergraduate BSN programs they were familiar with on a 1-5 scale.

While assessments of non-academic characteristics at universities are not included in the U.S. News rankings data, such feedback is provided by students, parents, alumni, staff and others on USNews.com. Of these respondents, 100 percent stated they would recommend Salve Regina to a friend.

“I love attending Salve Regina,” one student wrote. “The campus is very nice and there are lots of programs to choose from. The classes are interactive and challenging. The city of Newport is awesome — there is always something new happening, and so many great places to eat and hang out. The dorms and dining areas are nice and clean. There are lots of on-campus activities — clubs, sports, volunteering — and lots of opportunities to do internships and gain experience in your field of study.”

Salve Regina’s ranking in the U.S. News survey comes two weeks after the University was selected as a “Best in the Northeast” by The Princeton Review.

James Fowler, vice president for enrollment management at Salve Regina, said today’s students are seeking an education that not only educates and prepares them for future success, but also one that offers a meaningful, transformational experience that will allow them to make a positive impact on the world.

“This is the type of education that Salve provides and our growing reputation reflects the fact that the University is excelling in offering our students an environment where they can become their best selves,” Fowler said.

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As Salve Regina recognizes the 20^th anniversary of September 11, 2001, the University acknowledges that this date is often a time of great pain for those who remember the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Some of the community’s students and staff were directly affected by Sept. 11, losing loved ones and witnessing the aftermath in deeply personal ways.

The University also recognizes that many of today’s college students were not yet born, and that Sept. 11 is known to many students only through history books. With this in mind, Salve Regina would like to recognize the significance of September 11 by sharing thoughts about this historic day from faculty and staff.

Salve Regina’s community remembers Sept. 11

Thomas Flanaghan, associate professor of business and economics, was in a meeting when someone interrupted it to tell everyone that planes had crashed into the Twin Towers.

“I went to Ochre Court in my office,” Flanagan described. “I had a large screen TV in there, and I turned it on. We watched the Twin Towers in disarray with everything falling down, and the next thing I knew the office was filled with people crying …. For the rest of the day, I had people sitting on the floor crying, watching the television.”

The general atmosphere was one not only of sadness but “total dismay,” according to Flanagan. “That particular day was a day in which everyone in this institution, from the staff to the faculty to the students, were in total shock,” he said.

Kristine Hendrickson, associate vice president and chief communications officer, was also in Ochre Court that day, watching the television.

“Despite being a media person with a crisis background, I found myself unable to stay and watch,” Hendrickson said. “I heard about the second plane and a deeper sense of dread and sadness came over me …. Everyone was impacted and everyone seemed to have a connection. Even in the unknown details at the time, there was a seemingly recognized sense that the losses that day would have a far-reaching impact.”

In typical Salve Regina fashion, everyone began asking how they could help, according to Hendrickson. One student lost his father, and many others on campus had relatives, friends or other connections to individuals not only in New York, but also Washington, Boston and Pennsylvania. There was a vigil and a remembrance wall created in Miley Hall, where community members could post thoughts and prayers, photos and other items to share their intentions. Students even created a T-shirt to honor the lives lost, including a Salve Regina parent.

On the 10^th anniversary of Sept. 11, there was a beautiful candlelight vigil with speakers and music, as well as a procession. Like the remembrance wall ten years earlier, the University had opportunities for students, faculty and staff to share their thoughts and reflect on the day.

“We learned of students, just children at the time, who had lost family members,” said Hendrickson. “Again, the far-reaching impact can be seen.”

While the personal impacts of Sept. 11 reverberated throughout the years, Sept. 11 impacted so much culturally about the U.S., too. While the wars on Afghanistan and Iraq are clear examples, Paul Joyce, assistant professor and chair of administration of justice, reflected on just how much changed in the mindset of Americans post-Sept. 11.

“The unprecedented terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, changed the culture of security in the United States and ushered in the homeland security era,” Joyce said. “Over the past 20 years, the concept of homeland security has grown to include not only terrorism, but also emergency management, cybersecurity, public health, critical infrastructure and climate change.”

Flanagan also added that a rise in intolerance and racism could be seen after Sept. 11 as well, and this tide of racism has continued to strengthen and play out today in greater ways, with ripple effects in politics and policies.

“If you were a Muslim, you suddenly became the enemy in the world even though you were American,” Flanagan said. “It was a moment where there was an opportunity for the world to come together, but we became a world of vengeance.”

Despite the grief of Sept. 11 and long aftermath of its legacy, Salve Regina’s mercy mission remains clear in protecting the most vulnerable—both in American and across the world—creating a more harmonious, just and merciful world.

“In the darkest hours of Sept. 11, we saw suffering, despair, and sorrow, but we also saw grit, sacrifice, and perhaps most importantly, love and mercy,” Cody Morris, graduate program director and assistant professor of applied behavior analysis, concluded. “Tough times bring adversity, and adversity brings us the opportunity to show the world who we really are and what we value. As we approach the anniversary of Sept. 11, I hope we can channel the love and mercy displayed by those who helped others in need at that time and seek to do the same at this time.”

Virtual roundtable event on Sept. 13.

If anyone is interested in discussing the 20^th anniversary of Sept. 11 with fellow faculty, staff and students, the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy is hosting a virtual roundtable on Monday, Sept. 13, at 11:45 a.m. It will last one hour, and it will be a chance to reflect on the day’s legacy and meaning. RSVP to the Pell Center by emailing pellcenter@salve.edu.

Mercy Week runs Sept. 21 through Sept. 29. It will feature a vigil for peace on Sept. 21, which will also include a remembrance for Sept. 11. More information on Mercy Week will be forthcoming.

Featured image by Getty Images/Nodar Chernishev

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