Findings from a national survey released today give Wheeling Jesuit University high marks for offering its students an enriching educational experience, a supportive campus environment, collaborative learning, high level of academic challenge and student-faculty interaction.

The campus’ mean scores were higher in every category when compared to the mean scores of the other participating Jesuit colleges or universities in the 2005 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The report findings are based upon information from about 237,000 first-year and senior students at 528 four-year colleges and universities.

The NSSE study, titled “Exploring Different Dimensions of Student Engagement,” gives participating schools an idea of how well students are learning and what they put into and get out of their undergraduate experience.

“Not only were our mean scores higher than the mean scores for the other Jesuit colleges and universities that participated, our average scores were higher in every senior category when compared to all the other schools that participated. Our faculty, staff and Jesuit community are clearly doing a great job linking the academic experience with student life and spiritual development,” says Rev. Joseph R. Hacala, S.J., president. “Academic excellence and service learning can work hand-in-hand to engage students, allowing them to graduate as men and women for others.”

The survey findings provide comparative standards for determining how effectively colleges are contributing to learning. The survey separately measures responses from seniors and first-year students in five areas of educational performance: level of academic challenge; active and collaborative learning; student-faculty interaction; enriching educational experiences; and supportive campus environment.

“The results are invaluable for us as we continuously seek ways to deepen and enrich student learning in and out of the classroom. All areas of the University are committed to getting our students involved in activities that matter to them and their learning,” says Dr. Letha Zook, Academic Dean.

The NSSE report presents Wheeling Jesuit’s scores on each of the five benchmarks along with comparative data for similar types of institution and the national average. It also includes comparative data measuring student engagement among Jesuit universities and colleges. Wheeling Jesuit seniors and first-year students reported higher levels of satisfaction when compared to the mean scores from their counterparts in key areas:

Making connections between their intellectual and spiritual lives;
Devoting effort to help others in need;
Understanding the mission of the university;
Understanding the Jesuit principle of being men and women for others.
Leading by example.

The NSSE results are further evidence that the University’s commitment to its mission results in graduates who will contribute to their communities and to the larger world after graduation.

“It’s clear our seniors feel that we are doing a great job in engaging them and providing them the education for life, leadership and service,” added Dr. James Birge, Executive Vice President. “These scores show that we offer a supportive learning environment that develops our students’ intellectual and spiritual well-being in the classroom and the community. These are keys to success after graduation.”

Wheeling Jesuit University integrates the Jesuit traditions of intellectual excellence with the best of advanced technology to educate students for life, for leadership, and for service with and among others. U.S.News & World Report ranks Wheeling Jesuit University 17th in the "Best Master’s Universities in the South," making it the highest ranked institution in West Virginia in that category for nine consecutive years, and the highest ranked school in the Ohio Valley. Wheeling Jesuit University is profiled in The Templeton Guide: Colleges that Encourage Character Development, which profiles exemplary college programs that inspire students to lead ethical and civic-minded lives.

Wheeling Jesuit--the only Catholic institution of higher education in West Virginia--offers more than 30 undergraduate programs of study and six graduate degrees to about 1,500 students. It has a student-to-faculty ratio of 14:1, and 18 intercollegiate NCAA Division II athletic teams. The 65-acre campus located in Wheeling, W.Va., includes 15 modern buildings, multi-million dollar Acker Science Center, and residence halls, and a modern recreation and athletic facility that includes a soccer/track and field complex. The campus is home to the Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center, the Erma Ora Byrd Center for Educational Technologies, the NASA-sponsored Classroom of the Future, a Challenger Learning Center and the Clifford M. Lewis Appalachian Institute.