Champlain Named 'Most Innovative School' in North For Third Year by U.S. News 2018 'Best Colleges'

College Known for Cutting-Edge Majors is a Top 100 Regional University

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BURLINGTON, VT (09/12/2017) Champlain College has been named a "Most Innovative School" in the North for the third year in U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" 2018 publication released today.

Champlain is also a top 100 Regional University in the North, among more than 650 institutions providing graduate and unundergraduate education

U.S. News's 2018 rankings looks at colleges in four regional categories of institutions that focus on undergraduate education and offer a range of degree programs in the liberal arts and professional fields. The North regional ranking includes all colleges and universities in New England, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

"Champlain's strong position in the rankings reflects well upon our commitment to a college education dedicated to relevant professionally-focused majors, integrated core liberal learning, and co-curricular life skills in career development and financial sophistication," said Laurie Quinn, Champlain College Provost & Senior Vice President for Academics.

Champlain earned its "Most Innovative School in the North" title for the third year in a row. "The Most Innovative" designation comes from a peer assessment survey in spring 2017 that was sent to college presidents, provosts and admission deans who were asked to nominate up to 10 colleges or universities that are making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities, according to Robert Morse, director of data research for U.S. News. A college had to receive at least seven nominations to be listed in this category.

Since 1878, Champlain College has provided career-focused education to students from its hilltop campus in Burlington. Champlain offers a traditional undergraduate experience and more than 60 online undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates. Champlain students can study abroad at its campuses in Montreal, Quebec and Dublin, Ireland, or across the globe through its international partnerships.

New this year, Champlain was included in the "A+ Schools for B Students" list which identifies schools who admit a meaningful proportion of applicants whose test scores and class standing are academically solid and who have the opportunity to be accepted and thrive at an innovative professionally-focused college.

Lisa Bunders, Vice President for Enrollment Management, noted that Champlain continues to gain notice in national college guides. Champlain College is included in the Princeton Review's "The Best 382 Colleges: 2018 Edition, and featured in the "2018 Fiske Guide to Colleges" as one of the "best and most interesting schools" in the United States, Canada and Great Britain, and is a 2018 College of Distinction for "excellence in undergraduate education." The Princeton Review also named Champlain one of the "Top Schools to Study Video Game Design" in 2017 and is included in its Guide to 353 Green Colleges.

College officials agree that rankings are one of several ways for students to learn about a school. "We have found that prospective students are able to make the best decisions about their educational choices after visiting the campus, talking with faculty, meeting other students, touring the facilities and using that knowledge to determine if a school is the right fit for their interests and career choices," said Chris Perlongo, Director of Admissions.

Champlain College will hold two fall on-campus Open Houses for high school seniors, juniors and transfer students on Saturday, Oct. 14 and Oct. 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Each day offers an information program designed for prospective students and their families with student-led campus tours and opportunities to meet with faculty and talk with current students. For more information about registering for one of the Open Houses or to arrange an individual campus visit, go to https://www.champlain.edu/visit.

Champlain also offers "Champlain Discovery Sessions," a series of regional receptions that allow students and families to meet with admission counselors and representatives of the College closer to home. Check out the web page for the full schedule.

"Champlain is all about helping students find their academic and career passions and developing them to their highest potential and this recognizes that ongoing effort. Preparing students for the opportunities and challenges of an increasingly competitive world is not negotiable for us. When a student graduates from Champlain College, they can be confident that they are not only career-ready but also life-ready," Perlongo added.

The U.S. News & World Report 2018 "America's Best Colleges" represents a comprehensive look at how more than 1,400 accredited four-year colleges compare on a set of 15 widely accepted indicators of excellence. Among the many factors weighed in determining the rankings, the key measures of quality are: peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving, and graduation rate performance. The new edition is available online today and will be on newsstands later this month. More details are available at www.usnews.com.

About Champlain College: Founded in 1878, Champlain College is a small, not-for-profit, private college in Burlington, Vermont, with additional campuses in Montreal, Canada, and Dublin, Ireland. Champlain offers a traditional undergraduate experience from its beautiful campus overlooking Lake Champlain and over 90 residential undergraduate and online undergraduate and graduate degree programs and certificates.

Champlain's distinctive career-driven approach to higher education embodies the notion that true learning occurs when information and experience come together to create knowledge. Champlain College is included in the Princeton Review's The Best 382 Colleges: 2018 Edition. For the third year in a row, Champlain was named a "Most Innovative School" in the North by U.S. News & World Report's 2018 "America's Best Colleges," and an "A+ School for B Students" and is ranked in the top 100 Regional Universities of the North. Champlain is also featured in the Fiske Guide to Colleges for 2018 as one of the "best and most interesting schools" in the United States, Canada and Great Britain and is a 2018 College of Distinction.

For more information, visit champlain.edu.