Readers of Central Minnesota’s newspaper of record have spoken: St. Cloud State is their best college.
Here are 2016 St. Cloud Times’ “Best of Central Minnesota” reader survey results, for higher education, as reported on http://sctimes.com and in the Sept. 16 Times Media glossy brochure.
Best College:
Winner: St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud.
Finalists: St. Cloud Technical & Community College, St. Cloud; College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph.
Honorable mention: St. John’s University, Collegeville; College of St. Scholastica-St. Cloud campus.
“I am delighted and proud that St. Cloud State has been voted the best college in Central Minnesota by the Times’ readers,” said Ashish Vaidya, interim president. “It is a testament to the great work by our faculty and staff to engage our students and the campus in service to the community. Go Huskies!”
The St. Cloud Times’ reader recognition follows a string of national awards and accolades, including the HEED Award for diversity and inclusion across the last five years (2012-2016).
Other acknowledgements include:
2016
- Forbes America’s Top Colleges top 1 percent for affordability
2015
- International Program Excellence Award, University Professional and Continuing Education Association
- Forbes America’s Top Colleges top 3 percent for affordability
2014
- International Education Award, American Association of State Colleges and Universities
- Forbes America’s Top Colleges top 3 percent for affordability
2013
- Simon Award for excellence in international education
- Forbes America’s Top Colleges top 4 percent for affordability
- Heiskell Award for innovations in international education
- Innovative Program of the Year, Association of Student Conduct Administrators
The survey is in its 13th year. The 2016 survey, which collected more than 15,500 votes, concluded with the Best of Central Minnesota Awards Event Sept. 15 at the Grands at Mulligans in Sartell. Nearly 90 winners, in categories such as best furniture store and best craft beer, were feted.
St. Cloud State senior Lynn Furniss said the accolades are well deserved.
“I think that’s really exciting,” she said of the Best in Central Minnesota honors. “I love St. Cloud. It’s close to home, it’s really affordable. It’s a large school with a small, town feel.”
The feature story that accompanies the Education results focuses on St. Cloud Tech Principal Charlie Eisenreich ’87 ’93 ’98.
