Academic Excellence at Greenville College
Published: April 13, 2021
When the facts are gathered and the numbers tallied, Greenville College's story is one of continuing academic excellence. All 12 of its teacher education major programs carry the state's highest rating. Over 90 percent of its pre-med graduates gain acceptance into medical schools of their choice. The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities ranks it among the top schools for producing graduates that earn advanced degrees. Behind each fact, however, is a face. The faces from the Class of 2012 add to the college's continuing story of how small class size, hands-on research opportunities, and a strong liberal arts foundation shape academic excellence.
Two students that walked across the commencement stage this spring did so as budding Fulbright scholars. Joshua Cranston will use the prestigious award this fall to research environmental sustainability at the University of Oslo, and Shannon Nakai will teach English and conduct research in Turkey. The two were among 15 students to complete rigorous departmental honors theses that covered diverse topics like food ethics, Rwandan genocide, bacteria flora, and Sren Kierkegaard.
Two students earned top awards from the Illinois State Academy of Science for presentation of research they conducted during the college's Summer Science Research Experience. Ben Brown and Mandy Napa added to Matthew Ellis' success last year to give Greenville College its second win in as many attempts competing against large state universities.
Greenville College Presidential Citation winner Amanda DeMiele was accepted to a Ph.D. program in philosophy at Loyola University that only accepts four applicants each year. Fellow Presidential Citation awardee Amber Brown managed a triple major in math, biology and chemistry to earn entrance into a Ph.D. program in molecular biology and biochemistry at Loma Linda University this fall. Rylan Mitchell's stellar performance on the Law School Admissions Test yielded full-ride scholarship offers from six law schools. He will study at UCLA.
Academic success reflects excellent instruction. Seventy-eight percent of Greenville College's full-time instructors have earned the highest degree available in their areas of study. Three are Fulbright scholars while others have received Templeton grants and National Endowment for Humanities fellowships. Behind these facts are the faces of professors committed to developing personal relationships that connect students with information for lifelong success. When they welcome new faces to campus this fall, they welcome yet another chapter in the exciting, unfolding story of scholarship at its best.
