TU recognized by Diverse Issues as among nation’s top colleges graduating African-Americans

By Reiko Gallo '18 on September 13, 2017

As a further reflection of its commitment to diversity and inclusion, Towson University has been ranked 43^rd among the nation’s 100 top producers of African-Americans with bachelor’s degrees by Diverse Issues in Higher Education.

One of only five Maryland universities that were recognized in the Diverse Issues top 100 list, Towson was fifth behind only the University of Maryland-University College (5), University of Maryland College Park (26), Morgan State University (30), and Bowie State University (35).

“Our ongoing institutional commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and fostering an environment that enables all students to thrive and achieve their potential is reflected in this Diverse Issues ranking,” said TU President Kim Schatzel.

“At convocation last month, I asked our new students— a generation that believes we can all do well by doing good in the world—to start here by making Towson University a better place—a place more welcoming and inclusive for all our community members,” Schatzel added.  “That commitment is not only a presidential priority; it is a Towson University core value.”

Schatzel observed that this fall’s incoming class of almost 6,000 new students is the largest in TU’s history, one of the most academically prepared, and the most diverse ever, with more than 46 percent identifying as a racial minority and 24 percent as African American.

During the 2015-2016 academic year, TU conferred bachelor’s degrees on 656 African-Americans, a substantial 14 percent increase over 2014-2015, when 574 earned bachelor’s degrees. African-Americans comprised 15 percent of TU bachelor’s degree recipients in 2015-2016.

 TU ranks 93rd in the Diverse Issues Top 100 list for total minority bachelor’s degrees conferred in 2015-2016. The university saw significant increase (13 percent) in minority bachelor’s degree recipients (1,300) from 2014-1015 (1,151). Minorities comprised 29 percent of all bachelor’s degree recipients in 2015-2016.

The Diverse Issues ranking is the latest in a series of positive national recognition the university has received in recent months. So far this year, TU has received the following accolades from highly respected national publications:

• U.S. News & World Report: In rankings released Tuesday, Towson University jumped four spots to 10^th in the 2018 America’s Best Colleges. TU also performs well in U.S. News ‘Best Colleges for Veterans’ and ‘Best Value Schools’ newly released rankings.
• Money magazine: ranked Towson University among the nation’s Best Colleges, joining Johns Hopkins and University of Maryland, College Park, as the highest-ranked institutions in Maryland;
• Forbes: once again named Towson University in its 2017 Best Colleges rankings;
• Washington Monthly: ranked Towson University 64th — up 20 spots from 84th one year ago — among the 632 colleges and universities surveyed for its National Universities-Master’s category. TU also ranked 56th out of 363 U.S. public and private universities on the magazine’s 2017 ‘Best Bang for the Buck –Northeast’ list.

View the completed list of top 100 schools ranked by Diverse Issues in Higher Education. 

This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel's priorities for Towson University: Creating a More Diverse and Inclusive Campus