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For Release
October 14, 2009 - King’s College was one of only 140 higher education institutions in the country and the smallest of 12 from Pennsylvania named to a list of the nation’s top “best neighbor” colleges and universities. The list was compiled by Dr. Evan S. Dobelle, president of Westfield State College. He released the list at a recent presentation, titled “Saviors of Our Cities: A Survey of the Best College and University Civic Partnerships,” at the 15th annual conference of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) held in Philadelphia. Dobelle published his first Saviors of Our Cities survey in 2006, when he was president of the New England Board of Higher Education. His re-examination of the 2006 rankings was prompted in part by the change in the United States economy and the desire to track the evolution and growing sophistication of efforts by institutions of higher learning to save their cities from increasing blight. The rankings were generated from the results of a comprehensive questionnaire distributed to colleges and universities with assistance from the American Council on Education and CUMU. Criteria for assessment in the 2009 survey remained consistent with the original survey, providing benchmarks for the development and growth of the original institutions and serving as comparators for new additions to the rankings. The criteria includes the length of involvement with the community; real dollars invested; catalyst effect on others; presence felt through payroll, research and purchasing power; faculty and student involvement in community service; continued sustainability of neighborhood initiatives; effect on local student access and affordability to attend college through K–12 partnerships; qualitative esprit of the institution in its engagement; quantifiable increase in positive recognition of the institution; increase in student applications and resources raised through renewed alumni giving; and recognition of the impact of these institutions within their community. “Since its founding in 1946, King’s has believed firmly that an essential part of its mission is engagement with and commitment to the local community,” said Father Thomas O’Hara, C.S.C., president of King’s College. “The College has always been proactive in developing projects that would benefit our community and the city of Wilkes-Barre We’re proud that these efforts, which include a nationally recognized public service program, are being compared favorably with those at schools much larger than King’s. For example, the fact that there is a shared vision with city officials and that cooperation with county officials, the Chamber of Commerce and Wilkes University led to the downtown Barnes & Noble Bookstore demonstrates that when parties work for the common good, the community advances. Our most recent public private partnership which led to the spectacular Gateway Corners building being completed during these trying economic times paints a bright picture for the renaissance of Wilkes-Barre and the future of King’s College.” Doebelle’s list is comprised of the top 25 institutions, all of which are major universities located in large urban areas. King’s is one of 115 colleges and universities on the list’s “honor roll.” King’s and the University of Scranton are the only institutions of higher learning in Northeast Pennsylvania named to the list. “Colleges and universities, as well as the towns and cities in which they are located, are now under severe economic pressures,” said Dobelle. “The positive financial impact of higher education on local communities is well-documented “Increasingly more sophisticated partnerships are emerging that are addressing complex issues such as homelessness and health care and are serving as catalysts for community change. Colleges and universities are doing more and more to support their local communities and it is a win-win situation for both.” King's College is a Catholic College sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross. |