Campus News

Westminster Elected to Associated New American Colleges

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Helen Langan (801) 832-2680

August 10, 2005

Model of liberal and professional education Westminster College Elected to ANAC

VALPARAISO, Ind. - By virtue of its effective integration of liberal education, professional preparation, and civic engagement, Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah, has been elected to membership in the Associated New American Colleges (ANAC). Westminster, with its 2,000 undergraduate and 500 graduate students, becomes ANAC’s 21st member.

“In many ways, Westminster exemplifies the New American College,” said Stephen G. Jennings, chair of ANAC’s presidents’ council and president of the University of Evansville, in making the announcement. “Impassioned teaching and active learning are the hallmarks of the Westminster experience. The college prepares its students for success through a strong foundation of liberal education combined with cutting-edge professional programs. Its deep commitment to the broader community finds expression in a multitude of partnerships with local and regional organizations.”

“Few colleges are as successful as Westminster when it comes to capitalizing on its prime location in the Intermountain West,” Jennings continued. Recently, Westminster was selected as an official provider of educational services to members of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard teams training on the slopes around nearby Park City. And, the college’s recent agreement with the Jane Goodall Institute to establish the Intermountain West Regional Roots & Shoots Center is a wonderful demonstration of its deep commitment to civic engagement.

“For more than two decades, Westminster has espoused a philosophy consistent with ANAC,” said Westminster College President Michael Bassis. “We have actively implemented the concepts that distinguish ANAC schools from other institutions. We are focusing our efforts on developing distinctive academic programs that integrate liberal arts and professional education in a learning-centered environment. Because there are so few private schools in the Intermountain West with similar missions, ANAC will provide Westminster with a national cohort of institutions which share our vision.”

Founded in 1995, ANAC is a national consortium of 21 selective small to mid-size (2,000-7,500 students) independent colleges and universities dedicated to the purposeful integration of liberal education, professional studies, and civic engagement. To improve the quality and effectiveness of teaching and learning among its members, ANAC sponsors projects and conferences, administrator and faculty affinity groups, surveys and data benchmarking, and international study programs. ANAC and its members are often cited as models of the intentional integration of teaching and learning, scholarship, and service.

Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah is the twenty-first college to be selected for ANAC membership. Other members include: Belmont University, Nashville, Tenn.; Butler University, Indianapolis, Ind.; Capital University, Columbus, O.; Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa; Drury University, Springfield, Mo.; Elon University, Elon, N.C.; Hamline University, St. Paul, Minn.; Hampton University, Hampton, Va.; Ithaca College, Ithaca, N.Y.; Mercer University, Macon, Ga.; North Central College, Naperville, Ill.; Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Wash.; Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Conn.; Simmons College, Boston; Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, Pa.; The Sage Colleges, Albany and Troy, N.Y.; University of Evansville, Evansville, Ind.; University of Redlands, Redlands, Calif.; Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Ind.; and Wagner College of New York City.