Why #5 ?
Itasca Community College ranked as the fifth best community college in the United States by Washington Monthly magazine.
In the 2010 September/October issue of the Washington Monthly Magazine, Itasca was ranked number five on its list of 50 top community colleges in the nation. The ranking is based on data provided by the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) and graduation data at the U.S. Department of Education. Students from approximately 650 community colleges in the United States completed the survey.
When this list was first created in 2007, Itasca ranked 13th in the nation. This year ICC jumped to the number five ranking.
"We're very intentional about putting students first. That's kind of a cliche but at ICC education is often based around learning communities," said ICC provost Dr. Michael Johnson.
It's a national trend for educational institutions to offer online classes and degrees. ICC has made a conscious decision to limit its online choices. Currently only about three percent of the classes are offered online.
"We feel that there's such a value in place. And our faculty are very involved with our students even outside the classroom," says Johnson. "Service learning projects, internships, clubs: all these things add to the collegiate experience."
"While all the community colleges on the list are inexpensive, have open admissions and are largely unknown outside their local communities, they stand out in teaching and helping students earn degrees," Kevin Carey, Policy Director of Education Sector, a Washington, D.C. based think tank, writes in the Washington Monthly article about the college rankings. "When it comes to quality of instruction they outperform not only the two-year peers, but many elite four-year research universities as well. At the best community colleges, teaching comes first."
Itasca Community College was founded in 1922. Its mission states - Itasca Community college is committed to providing accessible, high-quality education that empowers our learners to pursue meaningful lives and productive careers.
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Itasca Community College
1851 East Highway 169, Grand Rapids, MN 55744-3397 |
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We Are An Equal Opportunity Educator and Employer |