Mississippi University for Women has been named to the “25 Best-in-Class Colleges” list, a selection of stand-out institutions from the Washington Monthly’s college rankings.

“We are honored to be recognized for our commitment to academic excellence, student success and service to our community, city and state,” said University President Nora Miller.

Washington Monthly’s 25 Best-in-Class Colleges list does not numerically rank the schools but instead highlights colleges and universities that “show what’s possible when colleges put students and the public good first.”

In addition to being named to the list, Washing Monthly ranked The W at No. 16 in the Best Bang for the Buck–Southern category and placed the university at No. 31 among the Top 100 Master’s Universities and No. 148 out of 500 in the new Best Colleges for Your Tuition (And Tax) Dollars ranking, the highest placement among all Mississippi universities in both categories.

For the 2025 rankings, Washington Monthly ranked more than 1,400 public and private colleges and universities on access, affordability outcomes and service.

Founded in 1969, the Washington Monthly is an independent media organization based in Washington, D.C. Since 2005, the Washington Monthly has ranked colleges based on what they do for the country.
For the complete listings, please visit: washingtonmonthly.com/2025-college-guide/

Mississippi University for Women’s Career Services and Professional Development Center and Student Success Center were recently recognized for their innovative marketing strategy encouraging career readiness for students.

The award was presented at the 2025 Pathway Student Success Conference, held July 23–25 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. W representatives Ali Glasgow, internship coordinator, and Dr. Clear Moore, director of the Student Success Center, received the Most Creative Marketing Strategy Award for their launch of Flight Path, an initiative that helps students showcase skills and competencies for potential employers.

“Flight Path is a gamified student engagement platform that ties activities to soft skills and competencies students need for their careers,” said Glasgow. “Students often have difficulty explaining what they’ve done—Flight Path keeps a record they can use when it’s time to write résumés or prepare for interviews.”

Developed by Suitable, Flight Path provides students with a digital roadmap by tracking experiential learning and linking it to competencies identified by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) as essential for career readiness.

Glasgow and Moore were recognized for their rollout strategy in fall 2023 and for incorporating custom digital badges, created in partnership with the Office of University Relations. The badges are awarded upon completion of specific competencies.

Since its launch, students have completed 3,172 activities in Flight Path, according to Moore. Of those, 1,070 counted toward the digital technology competency and 846 toward the career and personal development competency.

“Being recognized among 250 other colleges and universities shows that The W’s Flight Path initiative is succeeding,” Moore said. “It is very encouraging to receive such validation.”

For Moore, the ultimate success of the program is student graduation.

“We know that involvement and campus connections are major factors in helping students persist and reach their goals,” said Moore. “When students can track their progress in the gamified world of Flight Path, it motivates them to sustain momentum and realize they are becoming career ready while also having fun.”

Students can join or learn more about Flight Path by visiting: https://www.muw.edu/ssc/flight-path/

Mississippi University for Women has earned national recognition for its dedication to student success and social mobility, ranking among the region’s top 20 colleges in Washington Monthly’s Best Bang for the Buck–Southern Colleges.

“It is gratifying to see The W’s commitment to high-quality, affordable education, student success and social mobility recognized,” President Nora Miller said. “Washington Monthly’s rankings illustrate the significant difference we make for our students and for the city, region and state we serve.”

Landing The W at No. 16 in the Best Bang for the Buck–Southern category, Washington Monthly describes the list as “our one-of-a-kind list of schools that help non-wealthy students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices.” The annual ranking is based on access, affordability and outcomes.

The university also placed No. 31 among the Top 100 Master’s Universities and No. 148 out of 500 in the new Best Colleges for Your Tuition (And Tax) Dollars ranking, the highest placement among all Mississippi universities in both categories.

The magazine also recognized The W for staying true to its economic mission, noting the university ranks well above many larger and better-known institutions for students graduating on time with low debt.

Since 2005, the Washington Monthly has ranked colleges based on what they do for the country.

Washington Monthly stated, “The key takeaway of the rankings is that public higher education systems in some states are engines of social mobility at an affordable price tag.”

For the complete listings, please visit: washingtonmonthly.com/2025-college-guide/