Diverse Issues in Higher Education Ranks Webster Among Top 100 for Diversity

Webster University ranked first among all non-profit private and public institutions in the United States for the number of degrees awarded to African American graduate students for the 27^th year in a row, according to Diverse Issues in Higher Education (DIHE).

In Missouri, Webster had the most diverse population of graduate degree earners and was the only Missouri institution listed in the top 100 for overall diversity among graduate students, DIHE reported.

The study was released earlier this week. It is the only national report of graduate degrees earned by African American, Hispanic, Asian American and Native American students by U.S. colleges and universities. The rankings were compiled using data collected by the U.S. Department of Education during the 2016-2017 academic year. The complete DIHE “Top 100” survey can be found in the Aug. 23 issue of the magazine.

“We are proud that Webster University has been recognized for the 27th consecutive year as one of the top universities in the United States that is committed to educating a globally diverse community,” said Webster University President Elizabeth (Beth) J. Stroble. "As we celebrate our 100th graduating class in 2019 and award our 200,000th degree, we know that Webster's strength has its foundation in the diversity of our community." 

Webster ranked:

• First in African American master's degrees nationally among private non-profit and public institutions, and fourth overall for all universities (including for-profits).
• First for graduate degrees conferred to African American, Native American, Hispanic/Latino and Asian American students for all higher-education institutions in Missouri.
• Third nationally for master's degrees conferred to all minority men combined, and second among Black or African-American men.
• Second among private non-profit and public universities (just below University of Southern California) for all minority combined and fifth overall among all universities.
• Eighth for Asian student among Private Non-profits nationally.
• The only Missouri institution to be listed in the top 100 for Hispanic/Latino students
• The only Missouri institution to be listed in the top 100 for the “Total Minority Masters” category.

 “We actively pursue building a diverse community at Webster, as that contributes to the success of our students by exposing to and immersing them into new ideas and experiences. This is the best preparation for life after graduation,” said Julian Schuster, Webster’s provost, senior vice president and chief operating officer. “Our unequivocal commitment to diversity and inclusion is one of the primary ingredients to our success as an institution of higher learning.”

At Webster University, 52 percent of graduate students self-identify as an ethnic minority.

For the past seven years, U.S. News & World Report ranked Webster University among the most economically diverse universities in the country. This ranking cites the high percentage of Webster students receiving Pell Grants, indicating they come from households that make less than $35,000 per year. 

Webster University offers more than 50 scholarships to students from under-represented groups, including the Donald M. Suggs scholarship. The Suggs Scholarship, awarded at Webster since 2013, is designed to increase the recruitment and retention of highly talented undergraduate students who typically are underrepresented at institutions of higher education.