‘Diverse: Issues In Higher Education’ Names CSM Among Top 100 Producers of Minority Associate Degrees Nationwide in 2020

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) was recognized on Diverse: Issues In Higher Education’s 2020 list of “Top 100 Producers of Minority Associate Degrees” in 20 different categories. The data is the only national report on the ability of U.S. colleges and universities to award associate degrees to African-American, Asian American, Hispanic and Native American students.

CSM President Dr. Maureen Murphy announced the news at today’s Charles County Board of County Commissioners meeting while giving the state of the college presentation. Sharing the data compiled and released annually by the newsmagazine every December, Murphy offered highlights of CSM’s national rankings as proof that the college is making strides in closing equity gaps. Among the standings, CSM placed:

• #15 for African American Engineering graduates
• #30 for total minority Engineering graduates
• #41 for African American Business graduates
• #42 for African American Computer and Information Science graduates
• #53 for African American Social Services graduates
• #54 for African American Accounting graduates
• #82 for total minority Social Service graduates
• #88 for total minority Business graduates

“We are very, very proud of this work,” Murphy said. “As the front line for higher education in Southern Maryland, these rankings also demonstrate that we are providing a 21st century workforce in fields in which our communities have top job demands.”

“This is the best possible news,” echoed CSM Pre-Engineering Program Coordinator and Adjunct Professor Jehnell C. Linkins. In recent years, Linkins has served as sponsor of CSM’s “Engineer Like a Girl” summer programs for high school students and the college’s Engineering clubs. She was also integral in making history at CSM by chartering and inducting the nation’s newest chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers at the college last December.

“It is an honor to be a part of an institution that recognizes, demonstrates, and promotes the diversity of students in not just its engineering programs, but all programs. These latest rankings embody CSM’s commitment to under-represented populations.”

Diverse Issues Top 100 report is the only national analysis to use the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education to create rankings in the total number of associate degrees awarded at every American institution of higher education as well as specific figures in major fields of study and disciplines.

About Diverse: Issues In Higher Education: Celebrating more than 35 years, Diverse: Issues In Higher Education is the nation’s only newsmagazine dedicated exclusively to diversity issues in higher education. A comprehensive presentation of the top 100 degree statistics can be found at: http://diverseeducation.com/top100.

To view the full list of CSM-specific rankings, visit: https://diverseeducation.com/top100/pages/AssociatesDegreeProducers2020.php?dtsearch=College%20of%20southern%20Maryland%20&dtrace=&dtmajor=&dtschool=&dtstate=&dtpage=1