Salem College was one of only four North Carolina colleges that ranked in every category in College of Distinction’s Innovative Learning Programs.

Colleges of Distinction recognized Salem along with 13 other North Carolina colleges in its 2018-19 list. Salem, along with only three of those distinctive North Carolina colleges, was ranked in all five categories of Innovative Learning Programs: Independent Research, Study Abroad, Service Learning, Internships, and Living Learning Communities.

“Colleges of Distinction is far more than a ranking list of colleges and universities,” said Colleges of Distinction Chief Operating Officer Tyson Schritter. “We seek out the schools that are wholly focused on the student experience, constantly working to produce graduates who are prepared for a rapidly changing global society. As a College of Distinction, Salem College stands out in the way it strives to help its students to learn, grow, and succeed.”

The College of Distinction designation is given to select schools to honor their excellence in student-focused higher education. Salem is among about 370 universities across the country named to the 2018-19 list. Other institutions receiving this designation include the Pepperdine University, the University of Miami, Wheaton College, Butler University, the University of Louisville, and Wake Forest University among others.

”As the oldest educational institution for women in the United States, Salem boasts a proud history of fostering independence in women,” the Colleges of Distinction website states. “Salem students have the freedom to explore who they are and who they want to be. Salem is a college where women from all over the world are encouraged to shine in every aspect of their lives.”

Colleges of Distinction’s selection process consists of a review of each institution’s freshman experience and retention efforts alongside its general education programs, alumni success, strategic plan, student satisfaction, and more. Schools are accepted on the basis that they adhere to the Four Distinctions: Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Community, and Successful Outcomes.

“From the first moment students step on campus to the day they graduate, Salem gives undergraduates the freedom to explore their skills and talents; be actively involved with the community; make lifelong friendships with fellow students; and learn from outstanding faculty members,” the website states.

According to the Colleges of Distinction website, a College of Distinction is nationally recognized by education professionals as an excellent school, strongly focused on teaching undergraduates and whose students are taught by credentialed professors, not by graduate students or teaching assistants, home to a wide variety of innovative learning experiences, an active campus with many opportunities for personal development and highly valued by graduate schools and employers for its outstanding preparation.