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JACKSON, Tenn. — Aug. 21, 2008 — ������̳ has been named one of the top “Up-and-Coming Schools” in the nation by U.S.News & World Report in its annual rankings of colleges and universities.

The magazine ranked Union fifth in the “Southern Universities-Master’s” category among schools that “have recently made the most promising and innovative changes in academics, faculty, students, campus, or facilities.” Only 70 schools in the nation were designated as “Up-and-Coming Schools,” a new category in the college rankings this year.

“The selection of ������̳ by U.S.News & World Report as one of the top five up-and-coming universities in the South is a ringing endorsement of the extraordinarily positive initiatives that have been put in place by Union’s academic leaders, faculty and staff in recent years,” Union President David S. Dockery said.

In addition to that designation, Union was selected by U.S.News as one of 21 “A+ Options for B Students” in its category. This classification highlights those universities where “serious B students with a desire to achieve” have excelled.

“To provide top-flight academics without developing an elitist mindset has been the goal of this university for many years,” Dockery said. “To be so recognized as an ‘A+’ university for a wide array of students speaks to the uniqueness of Union’s identity and mission.”

In the overall rankings for best colleges, Union was named one of the South’s top tier universities for the 12th straight year, holding its position in the 20th spot from last year. The “Southern Universities-Master’s” category includes those institutions that provide a full range of undergraduate programs and master’s programs. The category includes 572 universities ranked within four geographic areas – North, South, Midwest and West.

Other West Tennessee institutions in Union’s category ranked in the top tier include Christian Brothers University (22nd), Freed-Hardeman University (39th) and the University of Tennessee-Martin (47th).

Union was also recently recognized by Forbes in its inaugural “America’s Best Colleges” rankings. Of the 4,000 colleges and universities in the country, Forbes selected 569 undergraduate institutions based on the quality of the education they provide, and how much their students achieve. Union ranked 282nd on the Forbes list and was the only West Tennessee institution outside of Shelby County selected for inclusion.

The U.S.News and Forbes rankings follow Union’s recent designation by The Princeton Review as one of the Best Southeastern Colleges, and Union’s inclusion for the second straight year in the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

“The recent recognitions regarding ������̳ by U.S.News, The Princeton Review, Forbes and the president’s recognition for community service combine to paint a picture of outstanding quality in all areas of university life,” Dockery said. “I salute the ������̳ faculty, staff and student body for their overall commitment to academic excellence, service and character development.”