College resource recognizes Siena Heights University for excellence in hands-on learning and student success
Siena Heights University (SHU) has been named a College of Distinction for the 2023-2024 academic year, marking its commitment to providing a high-quality undergraduate education that focuses on hands-on learning, strong student-teacher relationships, a vibrant campus life, and successful outcomes. In addition, SHU’s Business Program and Education Program were both recognized as College of Distinction’s outstanding and exemplary undergraduate programs.
Colleges of Distinction’s selection process comprises a sequence of in-depth research and detailed interviews with the schools, accepting only those that adhere to the Four Distinctions: Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Community, and Successful Outcomes. As a College of Distinction, Siena Heights has shown excellence in each of these areas, providing its students with a well-rounded, practical education that prepares them for successful careers and lives.
“We believe that engaged students are successful students,” said Tyson Schritter, Chief Operating Officer at Colleges of Distinction. “And SHU’s dedication to experiential learning shows us that each of its students has the opportunity to play an active role in their education.” To be named a College of Distinction, Siena Heights University demonstrated excellence in undergraduate education in such factors as student engagement, teaching excellence, outcomes-based learning, and community involvement. This evaluation process differs from those of popular college rankings publications, whose formulas grade institutions based on things like faculty salaries, endowment size, and peer opinion.
“We don’t rank our schools,” said Schritter. “Every student has individual needs and flourishes in a specific environment. We prefer to focus on the innovative ways that colleges all around the country are providing an enriching undergraduate experience.” Siena Heights’ inclusion as a College of Distinction is a testament to the way it caters to its own students’ potential and goals, helping them achieve success in unique ways that cannot be ranked against others.
Siena Heights University’s Business and Education programs were also acknowledged as outstanding undergraduate programs by College of Distinction. Both programs were evaluated with several similar criteria, including the program’s stability, accreditation status, multidisciplinary nature, practical experiences, dedicated advising/counseling, high-impact practices, and industry connections. Program-specific criteria were also evaluated, with SHU’s business program receiving this distinction for the presence of collaborative learning and business ethics, and the education program criteria included non-education specialization.
Of SHU’s repeated status as a College of Distinction, Sister Peg Albert, O.P., Ph.D., said, “At Siena Heights University, we keep our students in the forefront of everything we do, and this is evidenced by a long history of being recognized as a College of Distinction. We are so pleased to receive this honor.”
“We are deeply inspired by how Siena Heights immerses students in their academic pursuits, fostering a welcoming community that provides unwavering support throughout their college years and beyond,” Schritter continued. “For Siena Heights University, this is especially prevalent in their Business and Education programs. SHU’s Business Program equips future leaders with adaptability as they evolve alongside their industries, and the Education Program produces future educators who possess not only in-depth knowledge, but also the skills to be effective mentors, providing empathetic support and employing innovative teaching methods.”
To view Siena Heights University’s profile or to find more information about the programs it offers, visit CollegesofDistinction.com.
