Florida Atlantic University was ranked one of the top 100, four-year colleges in the nation conferring bachelor’s degrees on to minority students

BOCA RATON, FL -- Florida Atlantic University was ranked one of the top 100, four-year colleges in the nation conferring bachelor’s degrees on to minority students, according to a survey in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, a magazine published bi-weekly that informs leaders from academe, industry and public policy about current trends and issues that are going on in the United States.

The National Center for Education Statistics tracked the 2009-10 academic year from U.S. Department of Education reports submitted by the four-year institutions.

“To be ranked in the nation’s top 100 schools for minorities within several categories is a true indicator of FAU’s success in its mission to provide access to education,” said FAU President Mary Jane Saunders. “The University takes pride in its diverse student population, proactively promoting cultures from all walks of life.”

FAU ranks 32nd in the nation for conferring bachelor’s degrees on to all minorities combined, a 3 percent increase compared to last year. The survey findings consist of four different minority groups: African-American, Native-American, Asian-American and Hispanic.

The newly released survey indicates that FAU ranks 12th in the nation for conferring bachelor’s degrees on to African-American students, an 8 percent increase compared to last year’s numbers. FAU is 28th in the nation for conferring bachelors’ degrees on to Hispanic students, who represent 18 percent of the total number of graduates, and is a 2 percent increase over the previous year.

The report breaks down the data by academic disciplines as well, with the study focusing on minority students who have earned degrees in biological and biomedical sciences; business, management, marketing and related support services; education; engineering; registered nursing, nursing administration, nursing research and clinical nursing; and social sciences. FAU ranks seventh in the number of education degrees conferred on to minorities, a 13 percent increase compared to last year’s numbers. For biological and biomedical sciences, FAU is ranked in 45th place for bachelor’s degrees conferred on to minorities, a 14 percent increase.

In the business, management, marketing and related support services category, FAU ranks in 21st place with a 12 percent increase. The University also ranks in 21st place in the nursing category.

FAU also ranks in 12th place among the top 100 degree producers among traditionally white institutions, an 8 percent increase from last year’s report.

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About Florida Atlantic University: Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. In commemoration of its origin, FAU is celebrating its 50th anniversary throughout 2011. Today, the University serves more than 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites.

FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering & Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Lisa Metcalf 561-297-3022, lmetcalf@fau.edu

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