NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Loyola University New Orleans is the 7th most inclusive university in the nation, a tribute to our diverse national student body and the community they create. The survey measured how frequently students engage with each other across lines of class and race. This good news from the Princeton Review comes as Loyola welcomes back to campus an undergraduate student body that is 50 percent students of color.
Noting its “great spirit of inclusion,” the Princeton Review honors Loyola New Orleans with five of the nation’s “Top 20” rankings in its 2021 Guide to Best 386 Colleges, released today. (The Princeton Review ranks only about 13 percent of America’s 3,000 four-year colleges, and highlights outstanding schools across the country noted for their academic excellence, outstanding student programs and quality of life.)
Loyola’s 97-year-old student newspaper the Maroon, our pride and joy, achieved the 9th best student newspaper in the country. The Maroon has garnered hundreds of awards in the last few years, including the best college media outlet in the country, according to the College Media Association, and a national Pacemaker Award from the Associated College Press, dubbed the “Pulitzer Prize of College Journalism.” In June, the Maroon took home 23 awards from the Louisiana Press Association, including 12 top prizes in the college newspaper category, and was named the College Newspaper of the Year.
In a new category, Loyola’s Student Government Association proudly hit the “Top 20” this year. Ranked 20th in the nation, the Student Government Association at Loyola is noted for its strong involvement in important matters affecting the campus community, from racial equity issues to recycling and sustainability measures. The SGA also plays a big role in campus fun, hosting signature events like “Sneaux,” which blankets the Marquette Lawn every year.
And New Orleans continues to rank highly as the best college town (No. 10) as Loyola proudly reports best town/gown relations with its city, ranking 8th in the country. This important category showcases the quality of Loyola’s interactions with the local community.
Cura personalis, or education of the whole person, mind, body and soul, is a fundamental principle of Jesuit education, and students surveyed by The Princeton Review gave Loyola New Orleans a “quality of life” on campus ranking a strong 92 out of 100.
“Our students come from every possible background, drawn here by common Jesuit values and shared passions. They learn as much from each other’s diverse experiences and perspectives as they do in the classroom,” said Loyola University New Orleans President Tania Tetlow. “In an increasingly divided world, they provide a beacon of hope for the future.”
