National organization names Maryville College a ‘College of Distinction’ for 15th year in a row
Key Takeaways
- Maryville College has earned the designation of ‘College of Distinction’ for the 2026-2027 year, recognizing its commitment to the undergraduate experience.
- This award highlights the college’s focus on Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Community, and Successful Outcomes.
- Maryville College’s business program and teacher preparation program received special recognition for their depth and student-focused approach.
- The college also excels in career development, providing resources that integrate career services throughout the student experience.
- Additionally, Maryville College is recognized for its support of international students and military-affiliated students, ensuring they thrive in their academic journeys.
Aug. 4, 2026
At a time when students, families, and policymakers are asking harder questions about the real value of a college degree, Maryville College offers a crystal-clear answer. For the 2026-2027 academic year, Colleges of Distinction has named Maryville College a College of Distinction, a designation reserved for institutions whose dedication to the undergraduate experience speaks for itself.
This award signifies a school’s adherence to what Colleges of Distinction calls its Four Distinctions: Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Community, and Successful Outcomes. Rather than relying on endowment figures or selectivity rates, Colleges of Distinction conducts in-depth research and direct interviews with each institution, selecting only those whose campuses reflect a genuine, student-first philosophy.
“Today’s students are navigating a college landscape shaped by rising costs, rapid technological change, and real uncertainty about the future of work,” said Tyson Schritter, Chief Operating Officer at Colleges of Distinction. “What they need from higher education isn’t just a credential, but preparation for the world ahead. Maryville College delivers that through the kind of intentional, high-impact education that equips students for whatever comes next.”
Colleges of Distinction was founded on a conviction that still holds: the most meaningful measure of a college is the experience it provides, not its place in a numerical ranking. Maryville College’s inclusion reflects its mastery of that measure. From undergraduate research and collaborative coursework to immersive service-learning and mentored internships, its students are active participants in their own education.
“No two students arrive on campus with the same goals, background, or definition of success,” Schritter added. “The institutions we recognize understand that. Maryville College has built an environment where students are supported and challenged in ways that translate into real academic, professional, and personal outcomes.”
Maryville College also received special recognition for business, education, career development, international student education and military support.
Business programs prepare leaders
Today’s employers aren’t just looking for graduates who understand business; they want graduates who can navigate uncertainty, lead across differences, and make decisions in situations that no textbook can anticipate.
This award’s selection process goes well beyond accreditation and into the rich day-to-day experience of the major. Colleges of Distinction evaluates the full arc of a student’s business education from how they enter the discipline as first-years to how they enter the workforce as graduates. Maryville College’s program earned this recognition by demonstrating depth and intentionality at every stage.
“The business landscape that students are entering looks fundamentally different than it did even five years ago,” said Schritter. “Maryville College’s program doesn’t just keep up with constant change; it prepares students to lead through it. Their combination of rigorous academics, applied learning, and ethical grounding is exactly what we look for.”
“Business students at Maryville College aren’t waiting until graduation to do real work,” Schritter added. “They’re solving real problems, building real relationships, and developing the kind of professional judgment that only comes from experience. That’s what sets this program apart.”
“The Business Program at Maryville College prides itself on incorporating the liberal arts into the study of business,” added Dr. Sharon May, professor of economics and chair of the Division of Social Sciences at MC. “This happens through placing the study of business into its social context, including social, political and economic structures. Learning goes beyond the classroom as students work on real projects for local partners through class projects and internship experiences.
“With the advent of AI, increasing attention is being placed on its ethical use in business contexts. As our Statement of Purpose asserts, Maryville College seeks ‘to prepare students for a world of uncertainty and accelerating change.’ The Business Program at Maryville College lives out this promise.”
Future educators prepared well at MC
Teaching has never been a simple profession, but today’s educators face a classroom shaped by more complexity than ever before: shifting curricula, diverse learning needs, evolving technology, and communities that need teachers who are both skilled and resilient. Colleges of Distinction has named Maryville College a 2026-2027 Education College of Distinction, recognizing an undergraduate teacher preparation program that meets the moment.
“The teacher shortage can be attributed to a variety of factors, but whether teachers are adequately prepared for this profession is chief among them,” said Schritter. “When new teachers feel underprepared, they leave. Maryville College addresses that directly, sending graduates into classrooms with the confidence, competence, and support systems they need and to thrive.”
“Maryville College graduates are ready to know their students,” Schritter added. “The empathy, adaptability, and classroom readiness cultivated in this program will echo through every student they teach.”
Dr. Cynthia Gardner, professor of education and chair of the Division of Education, said of the recognition, “being named a 2026–2027 Education College of Distinction affirms our mission ‘to foster professional educators to intentionally impact individuals, groups and communities of the world.’ We are grateful for our school partners and their commitment to helping us prepare educators who are ready to lead with skill, compassion and confidence.”
Career Development
A college degree has always been an investment in the future, but in today’s labor market, a diploma alone is rarely enough. Students need institutions that actively bridge the gap between academic preparation and professional life. Colleges of Distinction is proud to name Maryville College a 2026-2027 Career Development College of Distinction, recognizing its commitment to building that bridge with purpose and intention.
To earn this recognition, Career Development Colleges of Distinction have shown that career services aren’t siloed in a single office; rather, they’re woven into the student experience from orientation through graduation. Maryville College is no exception.
“The schools that do career development well don’t wait for students to come to them,” said Schritter. “Maryville College meets students where they are early, consistently, and across every field of study. That kind of proactive investment in student futures is what this recognition is built to honor.”
“Maryville College has built something that many institutions still treat as aspirational: a career center that students actually use,” Schritter added. “Because it meets them early, stays consistent, and connects their coursework to their futures in ways that feel relevant, not obligatory.”
Dr. Niklas Trzaskowski, director of the Career Center, remarked that the recent celebration of 10 years of the Maryville College Works Program shows that “the career development of our students is truly important at Maryville College.”
“At Maryville College, we continue to prepare students who are not only strong in their academic knowledge, but also ready to pursue a wide range of careers because of the experience they gain through research with faculty, internships and other opportunities beyond the classroom,” Trzaskowski added. “The entire college community supports the career preparation of our students—from faculty members who make it a priority to include professional development in their courses to staff colleagues who help support our events.”
International student recognition
Choosing to study abroad requires an extraordinary level of trust. International students arrive on campus having left behind familiar systems, languages, and support networks, and they are counting on their institution to meet that trust with real, substantive support. Colleges of Distinction has named Maryville College a 2026-2027 International College of Distinction, recognizing its commitment to honoring that trust at every stage of the student experience.
This recognition goes beyond international enrollment numbers. It reflects a thorough evaluation of the policies, programs, and campus culture that determine whether international students are truly set up to succeed academically, socially and professionally.
“Welcoming international students is one thing,” said Schritter. “Supporting them is another. Maryville College has built the infrastructure, the staffing and the campus culture to do both exceptionally well.”
“International students bring perspectives, experiences, and talents that make every campus richer,” Schritter added. “Maryville College understands that and invests in making sure those students have everything they need to thrive there and beyond.”
Interim Director of the Center for Global Engagement and Professor of political science Dr. Scott Henson said that international students enrich the Maryville College community and experience for domestic students.
“It’s definitely a two-way street, and we want to make sure that we have structures and a culture in place that maximize what international students receive from their experience studying at Maryville College and the value that we receive from their participation in our community,” he said.
Military support
MC also received recognition from Colleges of Distinction for its military support initiatives.
Veterans and active-duty service members bring extraordinary discipline, perspective, and purpose to college campuses. But the transition from military to academic life is rarely straightforward; the institutions that serve them best build the kind of environment where military-affiliated students are genuinely known, supported and set up to succeed.
“Military students often arrive on campus having already demonstrated more resilience and leadership than most people develop in a lifetime,” said Schritter. “What they need from higher education is an institution like Maryville College that meets that with equal seriousness, one that understands their background, navigates benefits on their behalf, and creates a community where they genuinely belong.”
MC’s Military Student Center provides support for veterans and their families as they transition to and embark on their collegiate journey. The Center’s staff helps in accessing essential resources and navigating the processes for enrollment, class registration, federal education benefits and other administrative procedures. The Center also aids in adapting to college life, career planning and post-graduation plans as well as providing a comfortable lounge area for veterans and students with military ties to relax.
“Maryville College is once again honored to be selected as a Military College of Distinction! This past year, our Military Student Center (MSC) has endeavored to provide exceptional quality-of-life and academic support to our student veterans and military-affiliated students. New programs were launched to expand our collaboration across campus and in the local Maryville Community,” said Dr. Jim Getman, director of Veterans and Military Services, adding that he will also use this recognition as inspiration to continue to provide the highest level of support for the College’s military students.
View Maryville College’s full profile.
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About Colleges of Distinction
Since 2000, Colleges of Distinction has been committed to recognizing schools across the United States for their exceptional contributions to higher education. Member institutions within the Colleges of Distinction consortium distinguish themselves through their unwavering focus on providing an outstanding undergraduate experience. Their website offers dynamic college profiles, customized tools, and valuable resources for students, parents, and high school counselors. For more information and to discover how to become a College of Distinction, visit CollegesofDistinction.com.