For Immediate Release
CTCL PRESS RELEASE NEW MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENT PDF
Media Contact: Ann Marano, Executive Director, Colleges That Change Lives, 214-489-7947, ann.marano@ctcl.org
In a historic first, Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) has extended membership to two new colleges. The new member institutions are DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana and Oberlin College and Conservatory in Oberlin, Ohio.
For nearly twenty years, CTCL’s membership has consisted of colleges included in Loren Pope’s groundbreaking guide to college admissions, Colleges That Change Lives. This announcement marks the first time the organization has expanded membership to colleges not previously included in an edition of the book.
“This is an epic moment in our organization’s history,” said Ann Marano, Executive Director. “We are excited to welcome DePauw and Oberlin to CTCL. These are two mission-aligned colleges doing remarkable work with and for students, and I know Loren Pope would be thrilled to see them join our group of distinctly different liberal arts and sciences colleges.”
CTCL remains committed to promoting and supporting a diverse membership of colleges that reflects Loren Pope’s vision: a student-centered college admission search process, academic programs grounded in the liberal arts and sciences, faculty and staff dedicated to teaching and mentoring students, and access to transformative educational experiences. As a result, membership expansion has been carefully assessed and planned over the last several years. The goal was to expand college options for students seeking the CTCL experience by adding a small number of institutions whose communities and opportunities mirror those first highlighted in Loren Pope’s pioneering work.
The CTCL board solicited nominations from member colleges and the counseling community, reviewed extensive applications, and conducted full-day site visits. The board of directors also met with the editor of the most recent edition of the Colleges That Change Lives book, Hilary Masell Oswald. DePauw and Oberlin distinguished themselves throughout this rigorous process.
With the addition of these new colleges, the 45 CTCL member institutions continue to offer a striking range of choices for students of all backgrounds and interests. In addition to robust offerings in the natural and physical sciences, humanities, language, social sciences, economics and math, and music conservatories, CTCL member institutions offer courses of study in a wide range of pre-professional programs, including engineering, computer and data science, nursing, and business, all within the context of the liberal arts and sciences. Students choose from programs that may feature a core curriculum, open curriculum, one class at a time, interterms, and the Great Books. CTCL’s members are located in 24 states, rooted in urban, suburban, and rural communities. While most CTCL member institutions are co-ed, two institutions are single-gender, and the membership ranges from secular to faith-centered institutions. The youngest CTCL member opened its doors only 54 years ago; the oldest was founded 328 years ago. The smallest CTCL member has just over 100 students; the largest enrolls over 3,000.
“Increasingly, there is a CTCL member college for every kind of student seeking a truly transformative experience. It is a collection of one-of-a-kind colleges and universities, representative of the vast array of intellectual, social, and cultural experiences available to students,” said Crys Latham, Board Chair of CTCL and founding Director of College Counseling at Washington Latin Public Charter School in Washington, D.C.
CTCL member institutions are committed to helping families afford a high-quality liberal arts and sciences education through merit-based aid, need-based aid, or a combination of both. With this generous aid, CTCL member institutions serve their communities locally and nationally, and they often are more affordable for middle class and low income families than even public universities in the states in which they are located.
For more on the qualities that make DePauw and Oberlin quintessential CTCL institutions, please read their respective press releases:
DePauw University’s announcement
Oberlin College and Conservatory’s announcement
For the full list of all 45 CTCL members, please visit ctcl.org.
About Colleges That Change Lives
Colleges That Change Lives, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to the ideal of a student-centered college search. The member institutions are all liberal arts colleges and universities whose admission processes are personal and thoughtful. The faculty and administration work together to offer distinctive academic programs that develop critical thinking skills, creativity, collaborative work habits, and creative problem-solving skills across disciplines. These schools were first brought together by Loren Pope in his groundbreaking college guide, Colleges That Change Lives; they have been working in partnership for over 25+ years.
For more information, please visit ctcl.org.