Forbes Press Release ()
JERSEY CITY, N.J. – For the third consecutive year, , a private, liberal arts academic institution, has been chosen as one of the Top 200 schools in Forbes Magazine Grateful Graduate Index.
Since 2013, Forbes has been publishing an alternative measure of college’s return-on-investment. The Grateful Graduates Index measures alumni support and pride in two primary ways. First, by looking at seven-year median gifts per full-time enrolled student and the average percentage of alumni who give back, regardless of the amount that they give. The second, helps smaller liberal arts colleges, like Loras, whose graduates tend to earn less but whose educations have nonetheless provided invaluable, non-monetary returns. The second, helps smaller liberal arts colleges, like Loras, whose educations have provided invaluable, non-monetary returns.
“This recognition again reminds us how fortunate we are to have such a supportive alumni base,” President Jim Collins (’84) shared. “Our alma mater continues to hold a special place in our hearts, prayers, and financial priorities. Were it not for Loras, I am not sure that we’d all be leading such meaningful and impactful lives.”
Out of the thirty-three private, not-for-profit colleges and universities in the state of Iowa, Loras is one of seven to be named to the Forbes Top 200 Grateful Graduates Index in each of the last three years.
Data used by Forbes are derived from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES); the latter come from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). The alumni participation rate measures only gifts made to the University and not other forms of engagement, such as volunteering.
About
Founded in 1839, leverages its historic roots as Iowa’s first college, the second oldest Catholic college west of the Mississippi River and one of the nation’s 10 diocesan colleges to deliver challenging, life-changing experiences as part of its residential, Catholic setting. In 2019, Loras was the second-highest ranked Catholic college in the state of Iowa according to College Consensus, the 13th Best Regional College in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report and one of America’s Top 200 Most Loved Colleges/Universities by Forbes Magazine for the third consecutive year. Loras students ranked No. 2 in the world as part of the global Peeptrade Investment Challenge while a second group ranked No. 4. For the 10th consecutive year, Loras Media Studies student-led television station (LCTV) was named the TV Station of the Year by the Iowa College Media Association (ICMA).
