Westminster College is ranked third in social mobility among the nation's 253 top liberal arts colleges, according to the Washington Monthly 2009 College Guide.

Washington Monthly ranks the nation's colleges and universities on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: Social Mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students); Research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs); and Service (encouraging students to give something back to their country through Peace Corps and ROTC service).

In addition to ranking third in the nation in "serving as an engine of social mobility," Westminster was sixth in the overall rankings among Pennsylvania liberal arts colleges - trailing only Haverford, Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore, Bucknell, and Dickinson - and 68th overall in the nation.

"Westminster takes pride in creating and maintaining an environment that provides an exceptional educational experience for our students," Westminster College President Dr. Richard Dorman said. "Our 18,000 alumni are sterling examples of Westminster's ability to help transform lives."

"In our eyes, America's best colleges are those that work hardest to help economically disadvantaged students earn the credentials that the job market demands. They're the institutions that contribute new scientific discoveries and highly trained PhDs. They're the colleges that emphasize the obligations students have to serve their communities and the nation at large," according to Paul Glastris, Washington Monthly College Guide editor.

Visit http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings/liberal_arts_rank.php for more information about the Washington Monthly 2009 College Guide.