By James Wright, Special to the AFRO, jwright@afro.com

A prestigious news magazine recently released its 2019 rankings of the nation’s universities and there was plenty of good news for Howard University.

U.S. News and World Report issued its annual ranking of colleges and universities on Sept. 10 and Howard University placed 89th, as evaluated on 16 measures of academic quality, including first-year student retention, graduation rates, strength of faculty and alumni giving.

Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick is the president of Howard University. (Courtesy Photo)

Howard University President Wayne A.I. Frederick said, “Reaching No. 89 on the U.S. News and World Report rankings is a phenomenal achievement and it’s also a very strong endorsement that our strategy is working, that the university is progressing in the right direction. Our commitment remains on student outcomes and ensuring that students have the opportunity to succeed and ultimately graduate. The new rankings further reflect the academic rigor, quality programs and outstanding faculty at Howard.”

The top HBCU was Spelman College, the all-female institution in Atlanta.

The U.S. News and World Report rankings are based on the assessments of more than 1,600 of the country’s colleges and universities. Last year, Howard was ranked No. 110 by the news magazine.

Howard also improved its rankings in categories such as Best Value Schools (73), Best Undergraduate Business Programs (127), A-plus School for B Students (24) and in the listing for Best Undergraduate Business Program (132).

Howard was founded in 1867 and is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges where students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. Prominent alumni include the late Associate U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), U.S. Reps. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) and Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), former UN Ambassador Andrew Young, entertainers Phylicia Rashad, Debbie Allen and Taraji P. Henson, Newark N.J. Mayor Ras Baraka and former D.C. Mayors Adrian Fenty and Sharon Pratt. The university produces more on-campus Ph.Ds than any other university.