by Nicole Hackett, Student Public Relations Writer
Cedarville University has a commitment to high student engagement. This was shown last fall when The Wall Street Journal ranked Cedarville third in the nation for student engagement.
Now, it is confirmed again by the results of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE).
The most recent NSSE found that 100 percent of Cedarville seniors participated in some type of high-impact learning practice, such as service learning, research with faculty, an internship, studying abroad or a capstone project. The perfect rating is 31 percent higher than the average of all 943 U.S. universities and colleges surveyed. The report showed that 92 percent of the students participated in two or more of the experiences.
“Cedarville is committed to providing academically rigorous programs to its students, because it is committed to preparing graduates for vocational distinction,” explained Dr. Thomas Mach, vice president for academics and chief academic officer. “At Cedarville, vocational distinction is a gospel-driven concept where we seek to prepare students to be representatives of Christ, in every and any field in which they work. They cannot represent Christ or his gospel well in their fields if they do not demonstrate excellence in what they do.”
— Thomas Mach
“As a result, Cedarville intentionally incorporates ‘high-impact learning practices’ into its programs,” continued Mach. “Most of our programs offer the opportunity to have some type of professional experience or internship before graduation and many require it. All of our programs have some form of a senior capstone project.”
NSSE results compared Cedarville to 17 similar schools including Anderson University, John Brown University, Taylor University and Wheaton College.
According to first-year students, Cedarville scored in the top 10 percent of the schools surveyed for effective teaching practices of faculty and a supportive campus atmosphere. Seniors also placed Cedarville in the top 10 percent for a supportive campus environment and for collaborative learning.
“College students want to ensure that they spend their time and money on an education that provides the proper skills for their life and vocation,” noted Dr. Randall McKinion, assistant academic vice president. “As students leave Cedarville and enter their chosen fields, they will have been prepared with a quality education that was worth the time, effort and money they put into it.”
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,193 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.