Adrian, Michigan – April 30, 2025 – Siena Heights University has been designated as an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classifications, recognizing Siena Heights University as an institution that can serve as a model for studying how campuses can foster student success.
The Opportunity Colleges and Universities designation is part of a newly developed Student Access and Earnings Classification published this month by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education. This new classification examines the extent to which institutions foster opportunities for student success by measuring whether institutions are enrolling students reflective of the communities they serve and how the earnings of those students compare to peers in their area. In 2025, 479 institutions have been identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities, which is about 16% of all U.S. colleges and universities that are in the Student Access and Earnings Classification.
“St. Catherine of Siena, our patron saint, is known for her quest for trust and social justice,” stated Dr. Douglas Palmer, President at Siena Heights University. “How better can we honor her legacy and be true to our Dominican values than to create a learning environment that encourages inquiry and respects the dignity of all? “
Siena Heights University removes barriers to its academic programs through the Brain Gain Promise, which is a tuition-free guarantee for eligible Michigan high school graduates designed to increase access to a quality, affordable, private education in their home state. Siena Heights promises to cover the remaining tuition costs after all federal and state aid has been applied.
As a result, more than a quarter of Siena Heights’ students are first-generation, and its student base that identifies as Hispanic and Pell Grant eligible has grown. Opening a pathway to education for these populations is just one way the University lives its Dominican values of study and community.
According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Siena Heights is above average in critical categories such as retention, graduation, and earnings. Graduates have higher-than-average salaries and lower-than-average debt.
The methodology for the new Student Access and Earnings Classification uses multidimensional groupings of the 2025 Institutional Classification to evaluate student access and earnings between similar colleges and universities.
More information about 2025 Student Earnings and Access Classifications, including the methodology, can be found here.
About the Carnegie Classification
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity in U.S. higher education. The Carnegie Commission on Higher Education developed the classification in 1973 to support its program of research and policy analysis, and it was updated in 1976, 1987, 1994, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2018, 2021, and 2025 to reflect changes among colleges and universities. It will next be updated in 2028, with subsequent updates every three years.
About the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
The mission of the Carnegie Foundation is to catalyze transformational change in education so that every student has the opportunity to live a healthy, dignified, and fulfilling life. Enacted by an act of Congress in 1906, the Foundation has a rich history of driving transformational change in the education sector, including the establishment of TIAA-CREF and the creation of the Education Testing Service, the GRE, Pell Grants, and the Carnegie Classifications for Higher Education.
About the American Council on Education
ACE unites and leads higher education institutions toward a shared vision for the future. With more than 1,600 member colleges, universities, and associations, ACE designs solutions for today’s challenges and advances public policy to support a diverse and dynamic higher education sector. Learn more at www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on X (formerly Twitter) @ACEducation and LinkedIn american-council-on-education.
About Siena Heights University
Siena Heights University (SHU), a Catholic institution founded in 1919 by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, serves a diverse student body of traditional and adult learners. Renowned for its leading athletics program and a commitment to the Dominican intellectual tradition, the University offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees, including top-ranked online programs through SHU Global. Headquartered in Adrian, Michigan, the University is a cornerstone of the community. For more information, visit sienaheights.edu.
