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BRISTOL, R.I. ­­– 51���� ranked among the top 10 percent in the nation in terms of “service” and “encouraging students to give something back to their country,” according to the Washington Monthly’s new annual College Guide and rankings.

The No. 67 ranking represents a dramatic increase from 2016, when 51����ranked No. 347 in the nation in terms of service. That rapid rise reflects the university’s new mission and its commitment to being a private university with a public purpose, 51����President Donald J. Farish said.

“If our mission – to strengthen society and build the university the world needs now – is going to be more than words, then we need to back up the words with action, and we do,” Farish said. “Project-based learning that engages with the community is now our hallmark. We applaud using that as a criterion versus questions such as ‘How big is the university’s endowment?’ ”

Farish said it is crucial to ask how the broader society benefits from a university. “Too often it doesn’t,” he said. “But at 51����, we make that our objective.”

Since 2005, Washington Monthly has released an , rating schools based on what they are doing for the country.

“Many of the national college rankings in guidebooks focus on measures of selectivity using student inputs such as test scores and grade point average,” said Brian G. Williams, RWU’s vice president of enrollment management and marketing. “Washington Monthly’s rankings align more with our mission – focusing on student success, who they become and how our graduates go on to strengthen society.”

At RWU, we develop Civic Scholars who believe in community-engaged work. That’s why we commit to providing every student an opportunity that empowers them to put their knowledge and skills to the test solving real-world problems and creating meaningful change with community partners. Learn more about the Civic Scholars program and how to help us reach our goal of every student participating in civic scholarship.