Dayna Thompson, Contributor
Kennesaw State University has been ranked on “Diverse: Issues in Higher Education Magazine’s” annual list of the top 100 degree-granting institutions for minority students for the fourth year in a row.
The magazine’s “Top 100 Undergraduate Degree Producers” list recognizes success among colleges and universities that award degrees to African-American, Hispanic, Asian and Native-American students.
It was said in a press release that more than 24,000 graduate and undergraduate students attend KSU and minority students account for almost 35 percent of the student population. African-American students represent 17 percent, Hispanic students represent 7 percent and Asian students represent 4 percent. Four percent of students classify themselves as multiracial.
Dr. Jesse Benjamin, Coordinator of the African and African Diaspora Studies Program at KSU said the recognition is “great and well deserved.”
According to Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, here is how KSU stacked up:
No. 8 for awarding education degrees to two or more races of minority students
No. 16 for awarding mathematics degrees to African-American students
No. 24 for awarding accounting degrees to African-American students
No. 27 for awarding English degrees to two or more races minority students
No. 31 for awarding nursing degrees to two or more races of minority students
No. 33 for awarding education degrees to Asian-American students
No. 36 for awarding history degrees to two or more races of minority students
No. 37 for awarding communication and journalism degrees to African-American students
When asked about the recent rankings, Dr. Ernesto Silva, Coordinator of The Latin American Studies Program at KSU said, “I am not surprised, since we are dedicated to helping minority students.”
“Institutional support for the education of underrepresented groups is very important,” Silva said. “KSU has a great team of dedicated professors and staff that work together with the community to ensure students get the best education that can be had.”
Dr. Yumin Ao, Lecturer of Chinese at KSU, agrees with Silva’s statement regarding the success of minority students stating. “KSU offers a supportive learning environment and promotes [diversity] in ethnicity, gender, age and class,” Ao said.
The “Top 100” issue collects data from the U.S. Department of Education for its annual analysis. The degree programs listed in the rankings are some of the most popular programs at KSU, and twelve KSU programs are ranked in the top 50 according to degrees by certain disciplines.
For a complete listing, visit www.diverseeducation.com/top100
