Centre applauded by Fiske Guide to Colleges

RELEASED: August 9, 2007

DANVILLE, KY—Centre College is called "an amazing balance of 'northern academics' and 'southern hospitalities'" in the 2008 edition of Fiske Guide to Colleges, an annual compilation of college assessments by former New York Times education editor Edward B. Fiske.

Of the nearly 2,200 four-year colleges in the United States, the Fiske Guide reviews around 300 considered "the best and most interesting." The guidebook features descriptions of college campuses, comments from students and faculty and statistics on enrollment, academic profile and student retention.

The Fiske Guide describes Centre's campus as "a mix of old Greek Revival and attractive modern buildings." It also highlights Pearl Hall, the new residence hall currently under construction. Pearl Hall will open in August 2008 and will be dedicated during homecoming festivities in October 2009. Thirteen buildings on Centre's campus are included in the National Register of Historic places, a fact the Fiske Guide finds "less surprising when you know Centre is the 48th oldest college in the United States."

Centre’s unique approach to liberal arts is the highlight of the College, according to the Fiske Guide, which commends the three-week January CentreTerm; The Centre Commitment; opportunities for collaborative reasearch with faculty; and a generous program that allows students free admission to the College's Norton Center for the Arts.

The Fiske Guide also praises Centre students in describing them as "progressive, intellectual and perhaps more well-rounded than their peers at neighboring schools." The character of Centre students is attributed to the College's "safe bucolic campus, emphasis on academic excellence, and faculty and students who care about forming lasting friendships with each other."

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Consumers Digest ranks Centre No. 1 in educational value among all U.S. liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

For news archives go to http://www.centre.edu/web/news/newsarchive.html.