Typically makerspaces in higher education are found in STEM departments and largely utilized by STEM majors. This fall, DePaul opened a second makerspace dubbed IRL2 on the Lincoln Park Campus in the Schmitt Academic Center, to serve the creative and educational needs of students from all majors. DePaul is among the first liberal arts institutions to do so, illustrating why the university was named an “innovative school” in the latest U.S. New & World Report rankings. (DePaul University/Randall Spriggs)This fall, DePaul was ranked as one of the top 125 national universities and also one of the country’s “most innovative schools,” according to the 2020 Best Colleges rankings published by U.S. News & World Reports. This is the second time DePaul made the innovative school list, which was first published in the 2016 rankings.
U.S. News asked top academics — college presidents, provosts and admissions deans — to nominate up to 15 colleges or universities that are making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities. DePaul made the list, tied for the 42nd spot. Other Illinois universities on the 2020 “most innovative school” list include University of Chicago, tied for 23rd; University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, tied for 52nd; and Northwestern University, tied for 57th.
Top performer on social mobility
New for the 2020 edition, the U.S. News rankings included a social mobility category that measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants. DePaul was named a top performer, tied for the 84th spot.
According to U.S. News, “economically disadvantaged students are less likely than others to finish college, even when controlling for other characteristics. But some colleges are more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants. The vast majority of these federal grants are awarded to students whose adjusted gross family incomes are under $50,000.”
DePaul’s U.S. News 2020 rankings
• National Universities - 125, tie
• Best Value Schools - 59
• Best College for Veterans - 87, tie
• Best Undergraduate Teaching - 56, tie
• Most Innovative Schools - 42, tie
• Top Performers on Social Mobility - 84, tie
• Service Learning - 27, tie
• Undergraduate Business Programs - 90, tie
• Accounting - 56, tie