For the ninth consecutive year, McPherson College has earned recognition by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024-25 “Best Colleges” list for Regional Colleges in the Midwest. This year, the college climbed six places in the rankings. Additionally, McPherson College was ranked on the ‘Best Value Schools” and “Top Performers on Social Mobility” lists.

Only schools in or near the top half of their categories are included on the “Best Value Schools” list. When evaluating colleges for this list, U.S. News & World Report considers the most significant value among colleges that are above average academically and considers academic quality and cost.

McPherson College was also recognized among colleges that are successful at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of students awarded Pell Grants. McPherson College performed well on the U.S. News’ social mobility ranking factors, which included borrower debt and college graduates earning in addition to Pell Grants.

“It is an honor to be included on such a well-respected list,” President Michael Schneider said. “It’s further proof that McPherson College is being recognized for the work being done by our faculty and staff to ensure quality education, excellent student experience, and value.”

Initiatives such as the college’s Student Debt Project, designed to assist students in graduating with little or no debt, and the college’s impressive career placement rate are just a few examples of why McPherson College is recognized on the “Best Colleges” list, according to President Schneider.

“We have some of the highest placement rates in the country, with nearly three-fourths of our graduates having jobs or graduate school placement before they even graduate,” President Schneider said. “Combined with our focus on eliminating student debt, we are proving to students and families that a McPherson College education is the best choice, and our campus improvements are putting the needs of our students first to create a living and learning environment for the 21^st century.”

The U.S. News & World Report has been ranking colleges for over 35 years. U.S. News measures academic quality using 17 metrics, with the most weight placed on outcomes, including not only the ability of a college to retain and graduate students from different socioeconomic backgrounds but also graduates’ average indebtedness. Class size, undergraduate academic reputation, and colleges’ investment in instruction and student services are among the other data points collected to develop this year’s rankings.

McPherson College named on 2024 Great Colleges to Work For with honor roll distinction.

McPherson College is a great place to work, according to a new survey by the Great Colleges to Work For® program. The results, appearing in a special edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education, recognize McPherson College for the tenth year in a row. McPherson College is also on the survey’s Honor Roll for the ninth year.

The results are based on a survey completed by 216 colleges nationwide. In all, just 75 institutions achieved recognition on the list for specific practices and policies. Only 42 colleges were included on the Honor Roll, an elite group of institutions that stand out within their enrollment size. McPherson College was recognized in 6 categories and among just five schools in the Midwest earning recognition on the list.

“McPherson College continues to move forward boldly and with confidence, supported by its dedicated community of employees,” President Michael Schneider said. “As we embark on a future supported by historic endowment estate commitments, our employees are vital to our success. They continue to provide meaningful input on our strategic plan, which sets a focus on the next 10 years with initiatives aimed at campus growth, academic innovation, and wellness.”

President Schneider points to some basic practices, such as the college’s compensation plan and benefits, including retirement contributions made after one year of employment, as reasons why people like working for McPherson College. Monthly all-campus meetings, called “huddles, where information is shared from across campus, foster community involvement. Programs like training from the Kansas Leadership Center, which develops adaptive problem-solving skills, and ESSDACK, an educational service agency that partners with schools to build a culture of resilience and care, set McPherson College apart from other college campuses.

In a comment featured on the survey’s website, one McPherson College employee says, “With the input and support of the campus community, the college’s progressive leadership has guided it into the beginning of an era of academic growth, student success, and institutional stability. The sense of pride and excitement for the future is very strong around campus.”

McPherson College was recognized in six categories: compensation & benefits, professional development, confidence in senior leadership, shared governance, faculty experience, and supervisor/department chair effectiveness.

“This national recognition is a reflection of the hardworking employees at McPherson College, who go out of their way not only to make McPherson College a great place to work but a world-class learning institution,” said Brenda Stocklin-Smith, director of human resources. “I am thankful every day to work at a college whose workplace culture exemplifies ultimate respect and caring — for our students, each other, and the surrounding community. A big round of applause to the employees at McPherson College.”

Community is central to McPherson College’s identity, according to President Schneider. “As our college community looks toward the future, faculty and staff are actively planning our current innovative strategic plan. The plan drove decision-making and much of the work we did over the last several years, and much of the work will continue as we focus on the future. In addition, we did all of it while balancing our operating budget and maintaining our overall enrollment and student retention. By working together, these plans will nurture the creative processes to sustain innovative academic ventures like the new Health Science program, continue supporting students to graduate with zero debt through the Student Debt Project, and transition MC from a traditional residential campus to a vibrant community.”

The Great Colleges to Work For® survey is one of the country’s largest and most respected workplace recognition programs.  It is conducted by ModernThink, an organization committed to improving workplace quality. The survey recognizes the colleges that get top ratings from their employees regarding workplace practices and policies.

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran and McPherson College President Michael Schneider at today’s announcement.

Senator Jerry Moran announced he has secured $2.1 million in new, congressionally directed funding for McPherson College during a news conference on campus June 27, 2024. The federal funds will support the college’s initiative to create an educational center in Kansas for Rural & Community Health Science.

The college has made progress toward this goal by introducing a new health science program where students focus on clinical, administrative, behavioral, or community health academic emphasis. In 2019, it partnered with the McPherson Center for Health to provide experiential learning opportunities for students.

“McPherson College is leading the way in training health care providers specifically to serve rural communities,” said Sen. Moran. “These federal resources will equip McPherson College with the tools to train even more students in clinical, behavioral, and public health professions. This is an investment in the college, the students, and rural Kansas.”

This is the first time in McPherson College’s 137-year history it has secured federal funds through congressionally directed spending.

“Senator Moran is a true champion for Kansas,” said McPherson College President Michael Schneider. “By securing $2.1 million in federal funding, we are poised to strengthen rural health throughout Kansas. This program will enable us to place many more graduates into rural communities, meeting the growing demand for healthcare professionals. Senator Moran’s support of this program will be felt across Kansas for years.”

The funding will allow McPherson College to modernize key parts of the Melhorn Science Hall, including significant laboratory and technology enhancements to support anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, public health, and behavioral health studies. A portion of the funding will be used for professional development to help meet new and ongoing rural healthcare needs and expand statewide health outreach programming.

“The City of McPherson is grateful to Senator Moran for securing the federal funding that will support rural health,” Mayor Tom Brown said. “We are thrilled that this investment in education is coming through McPherson College, and its students will benefit by gaining valuable health care skills to serve rural communities.”

For more than a decade, McPherson College has been encouraging the entrepreneurial ideas of its students by awarding mini-grants that help students develop innovative solutions to common problems. With more than 300 grants awarded, the college recently announced the latest recipients of the Horizon Fund Grants.

This spring, the Horizon Fund provides grants to six students with ideas ranging from handmade jewelry to automotive detailing. The individual grants range from $100 to $500, and students can reapply for continued funding of existing Horizon Fund Grant projects.

Abbey Archer-Rierson, chief of staff and head of the entrepreneurship program at McPherson College, said, “The Horizon Fund Grant is just one of many ways McPherson College demonstrates its commitment to entrepreneurship and supports entrepreneurial students on our campus. The grants have supported a variety of wildly creative ideas, and this most recent round of funding is no exception.”

Recipients of the spring 2024 Horizon Fund Grants are:

• Maria Miranda, graphic design & photography, Great Bend, Kan. – handmade jewelry – “I want to create unique pieces of jewelry that embrace Mexican culture. Jewelry is a form of self-expression and I think it is important to provide unique pieces that allow people to do so.”
• Cameron Wright, graphic design, Denison, Texas – photography – “My business would focus not only on professional headshots but also on creating conceptual photography for galleries.”
• Malia Pfeiff, Elementary Education with communication minor, Moundridge, Kan. – appreciation baskets for teachers – “I want to create bi-monthly appreciation baskets for teachers at the local elementary schools that include school supplies, snacks, and more.”
• Dyron Dixon, psychology, Leander, Texas – photography – “I think people’s beauty needs to be shared whether it be through music, painting, or photography, and I think I could help with that.”
• Derika Helms, business administration with graphic design minor, Inman, Kan. – graphic design and marketing services – “My goal is to help people establish a strong brand identity that effectively communicates their message with their target audience.”
• Robert Schonberner, automotive restoration management, Omaha, Neb. – automotive detailing – “I would be meeting the needs of people who want their vehicles to look presentable inside and out, and people who need to sell their cars.”

President Michael Schneider with his daughter Hayden and wife Kandee after the awards ceremony.

Dr. Michael Schneider, president of McPherson College, recently received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Higher Education Management Executive Doctoral program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. The award recognizes program alumni who have demonstrated significant and effective leadership and management and have had a substantial impact or influence at an organizational, regional, or national level.

“We were pleased to welcome Michael back to Penn’s campus to receive the executive doctorate in higher education management Distinguished Alumni Award,” said Dr. Diane Eynon, senior fellow and director of the program. “I had the opportunity to work closely with Michael as his dissertation chair and it was clear then that he had a vision for what was possible and a strong sense of what it would take to accomplish it. That vision and commitment to excellence is why his peers choose him as this year’s award recipient.”

President Schneider’s passionate vision to elevate liberal arts through an entrepreneurial mindset has sparked the imagination of an entire campus. Under his leadership in the past year, the college gained recognition for having a student-restored 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Cabriolet win second in the Post-War Luxury Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance, the most prestigious car show in the world. Additionally, the college achieved a historic milestone by securing a $1 billion endowment commitment, one of the largest philanthropic commitments in the history of higher education.

“The Executive Doctorate program prepared me well for the challenges facing smaller liberal arts institutions,” President Schneider said. “I am grateful to receive this award and fortunate to stay connected with many talented colleagues associated with the program. This award recognizes the work of an entire college as McPherson College does its part to transform the future of higher education.”

President Schneider, a 1996 graduate of McPherson College, assumed the role of president in 2009, becoming one of the youngest college presidents in the United States. During his tenure, he has solidified the college’s commitment to debt-free education and post-graduation placement rates. The college’s job and placement rates rank among the best in the nation, while the average debt per student at graduation is one of the lowest of any four-year college in Kansas. For the past nine years, McPherson College has been named in the Chronicle of Higher Education as a “Great College to Work For,” with honor roll recognition for the past eight years.

Since becoming president, Schneider has served the higher education community as board chair of the Associated Colleges of Central Kansas, Kansas Campus Compact, and Kansas Independent College Association; as executive committee member of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities; and as national advisory board member for Future Business Leaders of America and Distributive Education Clubs of America.

The award was presented to President Schneider at the Higher Education Leadership Conference in Philadelphia in January.

McPherson College announces Dr. Aaron Meis will join the college as executive vice president, providing leadership for institutional strategy, planning, and execution of the Community by Design 2.0 plan. In addition, Dr. Meis will supervise enrollment and student success, including admissions, student affairs, advising, career services, and the Student Debt Project — a program ensuring students an opportunity to graduate with no student loan debt.

“I am incredibly excited to join the McPherson College family,” Meis said. “I have gotten to know McPherson College and President Schneider over the past decade. I am inspired by the dedicated faculty and staff and the powerful personal connections that students make there. The Community by Design 2.0 plan and the extraordinary success of the Ward-Burkholder Endowment have positioned McPherson for its next 137 years. I’m humbled to be a part of the next stage of the college’s history”.

Dr. Meis has 28 years of higher education experience. During his 15-year career at Xavier University, he led the development and implementation of multiple institutional enrollment strategies in first-year recruitment and undergraduate retention and persistence, serving for more than seven years as the university’s chief enrollment and student success officer. Prior to his service at Xavier, Dr. Meis served as dean of admissions at Converse University in Spartanburg, SC.  He began his career at Loyola University Chicago, serving for a decade in various roles in undergraduate admission.

“We are thrilled to welcome Aaron to McPherson College,” said Michael Schneider, McPherson College president. “His vast experience aligns with many of the college’s strategic goals outlined in the Community by Design 2.0 plan. I look forward to working with him on the college’s expansion and growth, including new academic programs, plans for a modern destination campus, and the Student Debt Project. His expertise will provide an immediate impact on our campus.”

Dr. Meis has a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in higher education administration from Loyola University in Chicago. He earned his Doctorate in Higher Education Management at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, he has received certificates in educational management from Harvard University and leadership development from the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C.

He will begin his role at McPherson College in May.