Ohio Wesleyan University is ranked No. 45 in the nation among liberal arts colleges and universities for its “contribution to the public good,” according to Washington Monthly’s 2015 College Rankings guide.

OWU moved up four spots in the newly released guide and is one of only two Ohio-based liberal arts colleges included among the magazine’s top 50.

According to Washington Monthly, Ohio Wesleyan’s No. 45 ranking is based on outcomes in three categories:

• Social nobility – recruiting and graduating low-income students.

• Research – producing cutting-edge scholarship and students who go on to earn doctoral degrees.

• Service – encouraging students to give something back to their country.

The magazine’s editors call their guide “a different kind of college ranking,” one that asks “not what colleges can do for you, but what colleges are doing for the country. … Are they educating low-income students, or just catering to the affluent? Are they improving the quality of their teaching, or ducking accountability for it? Are they trying to become more productive[?] … This guide asks: Are we getting the most for our money?”

Featured in the magazine’s September/October edition, the rankings include 247 schools in the liberal arts category. Ohio Wesleyan and Oberlin College are the only Ohio-based schools listed in the top 50.

In addition to being recognized by Washington Monthly for its contribution to the public good, OWU also earned a spot on the latest President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, with OWU students logging more than 40,000 hours of service during the reporting period.

OWU also is one of only 40 U.S. higher education institutions featured in every edition of the guidebook “Colleges That Change Lives.” According to the latest edition: “The character development that accompanies intellectual growth is exceptional. Few places pay so much attention to the whole person. Egos are small here, and hearts are big.”

Read more about Washington Monthly’s 2015 College Rankings at www.washingtonmonthly.com.

Ohio Wesleyan University students are shown participating in the 2014 Greek Day of Service. In its latest edition, Washington Monthly ranks Ohio Wesleyan among the nation’s top liberal arts colleges for “contribution to the public good.”

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2015/09/web1_Ohio-Wesleyan-University-Washington-Monthly-rankings-Photo-by-Lisa-Digiacomo-.jpg Ohio Wesleyan University students are shown participating in the 2014 Greek Day of Service. In its latest edition, Washington Monthly ranks Ohio Wesleyan among the nation’s top liberal arts colleges for “contribution to the public good.” Courtesy photo | Lisa Digiacomo