Ohio State named among the top colleges for African Americans

COLUMBUS – The Ohio State University was selected today (12/17) as one of the country’s 50 best colleges for African Americans by BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine, appearing for the first time in the annual ranking at No. 45.

Publisher Earl Graves announced the complete listing at a morning press conference held at Morehouse College in Atlanta. The article will appear in the magazine’s January 2003 issue.

The “B.E. Top 50 Best” is the result of a commissioned study facilitated by Thomas LaVeist, associate professor at John Hopkins University and CEO of DayStar Educational Research.

Mac Stewart, vice provost for the Ohio State Office of Minority Affairs, said the results indicate that the university is moving in the right direction.

“Ohio State has long recognized that the key for attracting quality students is to provide an environment that is competitive academically in addition to one where diversity is a respected asset,” Stewart said.

Data was compiled from 482 accredited four-year historically black or public institutions and categorized according to the college classification protocol developed by U.S. News and World Report.

Nearly 1,900 African American professionals in higher education responded to a questionnaire examining the academic standing and social environment of each school.

Ohio State, which marked a record enrollment of 3,941 African American students this fall, is the largest and one of 14 public institutions recognized. Morehouse College retained its No. 1 ranking, followed by Hampton University and Spelman College, respectively, in the top tier.

“We remain sensitive to the challenges and yet the many opportunities that minority students are met with attending an institution the size of Ohio State,” Stewart said. “Certainly, the commitment of our administration, faculty and staff to service their needs with specific programming and academic services has been vital to our success.

“With these services in place, we must remain focused in meeting the ever-changing and increasing needs of students seeking opportunities for higher education at Ohio State.”

BLACK ENTERPRISE, with a readership of 4 million, published its first such listing in January 1999.