From Staff Reports 

UNC Asheville has once again been recognized by Colleges of Distinction and the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2022, earning the distinction of “Best Buy” based on the quality of academic offerings in relation to the cost of attendance, UNCA announced in a press release on July 8.

Only 10 public and 10 private universities make the Fiske Guide Best Buy list each year, selected from the more than 300 four-year schools featured in the publication.

In a reference to UNCA, the Fiske Guide stated, “This public liberal arts university offers all of the perks that are generally associated with pricier private institutions: rigorous academics, small classes and a beautiful setting. And it does it for a fraction of the cost. The university continues to integrate experiential learning into its traditional curriculum, emphasizing undergraduate research, internships and service-learning experiences.”

UNCA’s release then stated, “These same experiences garner appreciation from students and college guidebooks.

“As one UNC Asheville senior student said in the Fiske Guide, ‘Everyone who works here is dedicated to the student experience in some way…. That means you won’t be a number.’”

UNCA’s student-centered approach also earned accolades from the Colleges of Distinction, which first honored UNCA in the 20-year anniversary cohort. Named a College of Distinction among public colleges nationally and within all colleges in North Carolina in 2021, UNCA extends those honors and adds College of Distinction for Diversity & Inclusion in the latest edition.

The 2021-22 Equity & Inclusion Colleges of Distinction have all been vetted and recognized for their commitment to creating an inclusive environment with a keen awareness of different students’ needs, helping them graduate as empowered changemakers for a more equitable world.

“Colleges of Distinction boasts its longstanding support for student-centered schools that traditional rankings often overlook,” the UNCA release stated. “As an institution whose primary goals are based on empowering potential, UNC Asheville epitomizes the four distinctions of engaged students, great teaching, vibrant community, and successful outcomes.

“Specifically, UNC Asheville’s inclusion results from the unique ways it commits to achieving success, which includes a robust undergraduate research program. More than 70 percent of UNC Asheville students complete original research or creative capstone projects. 

“In addition, many students seek experiential education in the form of internships. More than 50 percent complete at least one internship before graduation, and at any given time the University’s Career Center lists more than 2,000 internship opportunities across the United States,” the release noted.