By, Madalyn Johnson, Web Editor

Since 2015, Manhattan College has been ranked one of the top 15 Best Regional Universities in the North according to U.S. News & World Report. This year, the college has been rated number 13 for Best Regional Universities out of 175 colleges featured on the list.

Along with being ranked 13 in the Best Regional Universities category, Manhattan College was also ranked one of the top colleges in the region for student veterans, undergraduate teaching, and for its School of Engineering.

Provost Steven Schreiner, Ph.D., P.E responded to the recent rankings in an email statement sent to The Quadrangle.

“For prospective students and parents, the U.S. News and World Report rankings are a good way to learn about the offerings that each institution provides,” Schreiner wrote. “Every student and family approaches the college search in their own way, and the U.S. News ranking is just one source of information for their decision making process. I think that being ranked also can be helpful to
steer prospective students to visit campus, where they can get a much better sense of our
community and what we have to offer them as an individual.”

Manhattan College’s student veterans program has also been ranked an extremely prestigious ranking. This year the college moved up one ranking, to the fifth spot, compared to last year.

Chris Norberto is a junior majoring in sociology and a student veteran, serving nine years as a United States Navy Master at Arms Veteran. He currently is the treasurer for the student veterans program.

Norberto found out about Manhattan College through a friend who went to the school as a student veteran. He shared how getting accepted into the program helped him adjust to life after joining the Navy.

“I had a hard first year, after getting out of the Navy. I couldn’t get a job, I got rejected from some other schools,” Norberto said.

Following his entrance into Manhattan College, he stated there was an instant sense of community that really made this campus unique.

“After I got involved in the college, I was welcomed with open arms by the other vets in the Vet Center itself. There was always someone there to talk to or someone to be like, ‘Hey well this is how you do that and this is a good professor’. To have a sense of community was just instantaneous.”

Norberto is pleased to see Manhattan College is continuously getting recognition for their student veterans program and mainly credits Tiana Solan, director of Veterans Services, for the college’s success.

“Every veteran involved is put in, to make the program better. You know my personal philosophy is, ‘Come into something and leave it better than how you got it’ and that’s just a general rule of thumb for
life,” Noberto said. “But a lot of this credit has to go to Tiana, she’s the backbone of the organization because without her, a lot of us would just be wandering aimlessly around.”

The School of Engineering was also ranked 46 out of the top 50 undergraduate engineering programs in the nation that do not offer a doctorate. Tiffany French, assistant dean in the School of Engineering, can confidently say she wasn’t surprised with the ranking.

“I think it’s reflective of all the hard work that the folks in engineering put in,” French said.

French emphasizes that the dedication and passion of faculty and students at the college truly makes a difference.

“We have really talented and caring faculty so that’s the thing. You get all of the benefits, a world class research institution, we have great labs, we have great professors, but it’s a small liberal arts college and you get that personal care and attention,” French said.

French has been assistant dean of engineering for about two years now and previously worked as the assistant dean of students. Well aware of the learning environment provided for students, French said even before working for the school she had heard nothing but positive things about the community.

“I had heard of Manhattan from folks I went to high school with who had gone there. Once I was interviewed on campus, I got a really good feeling from the folks that I had met. They hired me so that was great, but it was the people that I thought made the place and I think that is one of the best parts of Manhattan, is the people here because it really makes it unique.”

Although not surprised, French was glad to see Manhattan College was ranked in the top 50 for their engineering program. Especially since colleges endured a difficult time, and still are with the pandemic, French believes the recognition is well deserved for the faculty.
“I was happy to see it. Like

I said, it’s reflective of everybody’s hard work and during COVID, the faculty here went above and beyond to try to support students during a really difficult time. I think that seeing this after, while it was still in the pandemic really, I think it’s great recognition for all the hard work that they put in,” French said.

A testament to the hard work that faculty members and staff put into their programs, the college continues to gain recognition over the years.