College named for "Shaping the Next Generation" in Texas

Online College Database lists Concordia University Texas as the No. 4 college in the state for "Shaping the Next Generation." The database identified public and private institutions in each state that had the highest number of graduates in the fields of education and teaching in 2012. Concordia was ranked No. 4 in Texas, but was the top private university, ahead of Baylor University, in the state.

To qualify for the rankings colleges needed to be fully accredited, four-year not-for-profit public or private institutions in the United States and had to have a minimum of 10 graduates in the fields of education or teaching in 2012.

"Teaching is one of the most important professions as it helps lay the foundation for the future of each student. We take our role as an educator preparation institution very seriously, striving to deliver exemplary curriculum and experiences to our students," said Gayle Grotjan, dean of the college of education at Concordia, in a news release. "We are committed to preparing our students to become Christian leaders in the field of education."

The top five colleges on the database are Lamar University, The University of Texas at Arlington, The University of Texas at El Paso, Concordia University-Texas and the University of North Texas. For a complete list visit www.onlinecollegesdatabase.org.

In addition to a college's number of graduates, the database used information from government and commercial sources to formulate the rankings, such as:

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, which collects academic, demographic and other data from colleges and universities throughout the nation.
• The National Center for Education Statistics, which analyzes college-related data and identifies trends at the student and institutional levels.
• The Carnegie Classification system, which identifies institutional characteristics.