September 22, 2026 — Hendrix College has been named one of the nation’s Most Innovative Schools in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, earning the distinction during the first year of Via Hendrix, the College’s new approach connecting the depth of a liberal arts education with career preparation and professional experience.
Debuting at number 40 for Most Innovative Schools, Hendrix received two new U.S. News distinctions among National Liberal Arts Colleges this year. Hendrix also ranked 96 among Top Private Colleges.
Hendrix remains among the nation’s Top 100 National Liberal Arts Colleges and is the only Arkansas institution on that list. Hendrix also made significant gains in two areas tied closely to the student experience, rising seven places to number 28 for Top Performers on Social Mobility and eight places to number 51 for Undergraduate Teaching.
“To be recognized for innovation at this particular moment in Hendrix’s history is especially meaningful,” said Hendrix College President Karen Petersen. “As we celebrate our 150th anniversary, we are not choosing between the enduring strengths of a liberal arts education and the changing needs of today’s students. We are bringing those strengths forward in new ways. Via Hendrix reflects that work, pairing the intellectual rigor, close faculty relationships, and breadth that have always defined Hendrix with intentional career preparation and professional experience.”
Hendrix announced Via Hendrix in April 2026 after nearly 18 months of research and development by faculty and College leadership. Beginning with the class entering fall 2026, every Hendrix student will complete a full-time, semester-long professional co-op as part of the undergraduate experience. Integrated advising begins in the first year, connecting students with faculty, career counselors, and mentors as they explore their interests and prepare for what comes after Hendrix.
Hendrix is the only college in Arkansas and the only liberal arts college in the region to require a professional co-op experience for every graduate, while keeping students on a four-year path to graduation.
“Families are asking increasingly important questions about what happens between a student’s first day of college and their first day in a career,” said Vice President for Enrollment Kasey Evans. “Hendrix gives students room to explore broadly and think deeply, but we are also making sure they have the guidance and experience to turn that education into clarity, confidence, and direction. Via Hendrix makes that connection visible and intentional from the beginning.”
Hendrix’s rise from number 35 to number 28 in Top Performers on Social Mobility marks continued progress in an area that measures how well colleges enroll and graduate students who receive federal Pell Grants.
“Access matters, but what happens after a student arrives matters just as much,” Petersen said. “Our responsibility is to ensure that students from every background have access not only to Hendrix, but to the relationships, experiences, and opportunities that allow them to flourish here and beyond. That is central to who we are and to how we serve the next generation.”
The College also advanced from number 59 to number 51 in Undergraduate Teaching, reflecting the close engagement between students and faculty that has long been a hallmark of a Hendrix education.
Hendrix was also ranked 65 among Best Value Schools. The College’s 2027 U.S. News recognition among National Liberal Arts Colleges includes:
- #28 Top Performers on Social Mobility — up 7 places
- #40 Most Innovative Schools — new
- #51 Undergraduate Teaching — up 8 places
- #65 Best Value Schools
- #96 Top Private Colleges — new
- #100 National Liberal Arts Colleges
About Hendrix College
Founded in 1876, Hendrix College is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 45 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges and celebrated among the country’s leading liberal arts colleges for academic quality, engaged learning opportunities and career preparation, vibrant campus life, and value. The Hendrix College Warriors compete in 21 NCAA Division III sports. Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. Learn more at via.hendrix.edu.
“… Through engagement that links the classroom with the world, and a commitment to diversity, inclusion, justice, and sustainable living, the Hendrix community inspires students to lead lives of accomplishment, integrity, service, and joy.” –Hendrix College Statement of Purpose