Letter from the Editor

Dear Berea Alumni and Friends

Did you know that of our more recent graduates (2017-2020), 41 percent chose to advance their education after leaving Berea? Of those, 20 percent have completed a master’s degree or higher. And these Bereans are following in the footsteps of thousands of graduates before them who took the education they received at Berea and continued their educational path to higher levels of learning and academic accomplishment. My husband and I are among those ranks.

For those who have attended Berea, you know that Berea’s academic rigor is in a class of its own—the work is hard, and the expectations are high. Through the years, I have heard many graduates express how prepared they were for master’s level programs because of the arduous nature of Berea’s academic programs. Add to that Berea’s ranking as the No. 1 liberal arts college in the nation by Washington Monthly this past September, and it is obvious Berea provides students with a top-tier education—and for the better part of two centuries that education has come with a $0 tuition price tag.

And that’s just the beginning. In this issue, we explore some facets of Berea’s educational experiences that push it into that top tier. Berea takes students out of the traditional classroom setting; provides spaces for innovation and creativity; and allows students freedom to explore their options, their strengths and their world. Berea has also invested in new technology, new buildings and new ways of thinking about the work in majors and minors across our broad spectrum of offerings. Some may be prone to think that because Berea is tuition-free, it cannot provide the highest caliber education and resources, but nothing can be further from the truth. U.S. News and World Report ranks Berea No. 9 in best undergraduate teaching and 40th among national liberal arts colleges in its 2025 Best Colleges List.

As you read stories of summer research opportunities for first- and second-year students, hands-on learning spaces on and off campus and individual student experiences in majors across all six of Berea’s academic divisions, we hope you recognize the unique opportunities Berea’s students have to receive an unparalleled education. Each student can curate an academic journey, backed by service opportunities; job experience; and research, education abroad or internship opportunities that give them an incredible leg up when they leave Berea and take their next step on their journey. Destination—success!

Abbie Tanyhill Darst ’03
Editor
Executive Director of Marketing and Communications