MSU Among Washington Monthly’s Top 100

STARKVILLE, Miss.–Mississippi State once again is listed among the top 100 in Washington Monthly magazine’s College Guide and Rankings.

In a report released Monday [Aug. 26], the university is 71st in the annual ranking of national universities, based on contributions to the public good in the three categories of social mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and doctoral degrees) and service (encouraging students to give something back to their country).

Jackson State University, the only other Mississippi institution on this year’s list, is No. 80.

In 2005, MSU was on the publication’s list at No. 95.

Washington Monthly was established in 1969 to be “an independent voice in politics, culture and the pursuit of good government.” In introducing the 2013 rankings, its editors point out how their survey is different from others.

“Unlike U.S. News and World Report and similar guides, this one asks not what colleges can do for you, but what colleges are doing for the country,” they write.

The publication’s leaders emphasized that their publication allocates high marks to institutions embracing low-income students, bringing in significant research dollars and demonstrating a commitment to public service in how they teach and encourage students to enter service-focused careers.

“Our rankings aim to identify institutions that are acting on behalf of the true public interest,” the editors added.

The Washington Monthly report comes on the heels of a recent National Science Foundation study that ranked Mississippi State among the nation’s top research universities, placing 91st overall among public and private institutions based on $226.1 million in total research and development expenditures.

Last year, MSU also was named to the 2012 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, an annual ranking sponsored by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service to recognize “colleges and universities for exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs.”

Additionally, the university has operated for some years a Promise Program to assist college freshmen and community college transfers enrolling from low-income backgrounds. To those who qualify, the program aids with tuition expenses and provides institutional support needed to ensure educational success.

To view the Washington Monthly’s complete 2013 rankings, click “The Magazine” link at the top of the www.washingtonmonthly.com web page.