Southern Fall/Winter 2022

campus life
U.S. News Moves BSC
Up 17 Spots In National
Collegiate Ranking
(l to r) Queenie Hawkins and
Allison Brooks
Birmingham-Southern College is once again included on the list of top
National Liberal Arts Colleges by U.S. News & World Report in “Best Colleges”
for 2023, moving up 17 spots from its 2022 ranking. The rankings were
released Sept. 12.
“We are pleased that BSC has once again moved up in the rankings,”
says BSC President Daniel B. Coleman. “This is a testament to the hard
work of our faculty and staff who provide a personalized education and a
meaningful residential experience for students and prepare them for the
future beyond our campus.”
The guide lists BSC at #111 — tied with six other national liberal arts
colleges: Drew, Goucher, Lycoming, Ohio Wesleyan, Saint Anselm, St.
Norbert, and Susquehanna University. There are about 500 liberal arts
colleges in the United States, fewer than half of which are included in U.S.
News & World Report’s “national liberal arts college” rankings. BSC was
ranked #128 in the 2022 rankings.
The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings — considered the
“gold standard” of higher education rankings — examined 1,500 bachelor’s
degree-granting institutions in the United States on 17 measures of
academic quality. Its methodology, which usually changes annually, includes
a variety of metrics, including student retention and graduation rates,
faculty resources, and social mobility.
BSC is one of 45 colleges included on the 2023 U.S. News & World Report
A+ Schools for B Students (National Liberal Arts Colleges) list. The ranking is
determined in part by each school’s performance in the 2022-2023 edition of
the Best Colleges rankings and the average first-year retention rate.
“One of our primary goals every year is to create a sense of community
and belonging for all students from the moment they arrive on campus,”
says Dr. David M. Eberhardt, Vice President for Student Development. “Our
community is full of mentors, whether that’s faculty, staff, or peers, who share
and guide students through the transition and challenges of college life. We
also offer many opportunities for students to identify their interests and goals
and confirm them through experiences like internships. We provide a rich
environment that fosters students’ growth and discovery of their potential.”
BSC is also featured in the “Fiske Guide to Colleges 2023.” Fiske’s annual
report, published annually for nearly 40 years, provides profiles of more
than 300 of the “best and most interesting” colleges in the country. The
guide includes quotes from real students at schools in the United States,
Canada, Great Britain, and Ireland, and highlights 20 public and private
“Best Buy” schools.
The guide describes BSC as a college “striving to prepare students for
all aspects of the modern world, with a curriculum that prioritizes critical
thinking, teamwork, and global awareness.” It also highlights the personalized
educational experience: “Attentive faculty add to a sense of commitment to
both personal and community growth.”
MOBILE MARKET
"BSC has been awarded a grant that has brought to life a
partnership about a year in the making: groceries for students
— no cost, with no limit, for any BSC student. No catch.
The Live HealthSmart Alabama Mobile Market is a
resource that brings fresh produce, dairy, proteins, and
pantry staples directly to the community. Through this
generous grant, I have been able to buy out the market
for Birmingham-Southern students for regular stops
throughout 2022-2023.
Food access needs on a residential college campus
can look different for each student. This partnership was
6 / ’southern