CONWAY, Ark. (September 5, 2019) – Hendrix
College reached another milestone in its Strategic Plan 2015-2020
with a four-year graduation rate of 70 percent.
The four-year graduation rate at Hendrix is the
highest in Arkansas and among the top four-year graduation rates in the country.
The 70 percent rate is the highest four-year rate
on record, including the longest period recorded by the Integrated
Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), which has data for the past 15
years.
While Hendrix will officially report the Class of
2015’s four-year graduation rate this spring, achieving this significant
milestone by 2020 was a key metric in the College’s five-year Strategic Plan.
The driving factor behind the achievement was an
initiative that began during the 2015-2016 academic year. A taskforce of
faculty and staff members began providing targeted outreach to seniors who are
at risk of not graduating within four years. Since that time, Hendrix cut in
half the percentage of remaining seniors who do not graduate within four years.
“Students who come to Hendrix benefit directly
from dedicated faculty and staff members who are committed to helping them
succeed within the classroom and beyond,” said Hendrix College Provost Dr. Terri
Bonebright. “We are grateful to the faculty and staff who have worked so
diligently on behalf of our students and their success at Hendrix.”
Hendrix has expanded its retention and completion
initiatives beyond seniors and developed ways to identify students early in
their academic careers who may be at risk of not graduating.
Hendrix also offers a Four-Year Graduation
Guarantee to new students to encourage them to complete
their degree in four years.
“One of the reasons students and families choose
Hendrix is to be part of a community that is absolutely devoted to student
success,” said Hendrix President Bill Tsutsui. “This achievement is a
reflection of our close-knit community and focus on inspiring students to
develop their fullest potential.”
About
Hendrix College
A private liberal arts college in Conway,
Arkansas, Hendrix College consistently earns recognition as one of the
country’s leading liberal arts institutions, and is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change
the Way You Think About Colleges. Its academic quality
and rigor, innovation, and value have established Hendrix as a fixture in numerous
college guides, lists, and rankings. Founded in 1876, Hendrix has been
affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. To learn more, visit www.hendrix.edu.