COD2022September 19, 2022 (Jackson, Miss.) - Colleges of Distinction, a national guide for college-bound students, awarded Belhaven University three major awards for its commitment to higher education.

Belhaven University is one of only three universities in Mississippi to earn the prestigious title 2022-2023 College of Distinction. This is the 13th consecutive year Belhaven has earned this national award.

Belhaven was the only Mississippi institution honored as a top Christian university, and this is the 12th year the University earned the title 2022-2023 Christian College of Distinction.

The University was honored with a third award, the 2022-2023 Mississippi College of Distinction, that recognized its educational impact within the state.

Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing Dr. Kevin Russell said, “We are fully cognizant that our 13-year honor of being named a College of Distinction is a direct result of our commitment to innovation in the ways we meet the needs of our students.We would not receive this recognition if our faculty and staff were not deeply engaged in delivering an outstanding educational product.”

Four distinctions determine if an institution is recognized as a College of Distinction. The four requirements include engaged students, great teaching, vibrant community, and successful outcomes. Each institution's freshman experience is reviewed as well as its general education program, strategic plan, alumni success, and satisfaction measures.

Belhaven shares these honors with other prestigious institutions such as Wheaton College, Belmont University, Wake Forest University, Samford University, and Tulane University.

Colleges of Distinction recognized Belhaven University's unique learning environment where students not only earn college credit and valuable life experience, but also participate in character-building seminars, service-learning programs, diversity and global learning programs, interdisciplinary programs, collaborative assignments and projects, undergraduate research projects, living-learning communities, common intellectual experiences capstone projects, study abroad programs and internships.