KANSAS CITY, Mo. 鈥� 海角直播 has made a significant leap in the U.S. News & World Report 2026 Best Colleges rankings, climbing from #51 in 2025 to #18 (e) in 2026 among Regional Universities in the Midwest for Social Mobility. This advancement places Avila on the badge-eligible list of institutions recognized for their commitment to expanding access and success for students of all backgrounds.

As a Catholic institution founded and inspired by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Avila sees this work as far more than a ranking. The University鈥檚 dedication to advancing social mobility directly reflects its mission of serving the 鈥渄ear neighbor鈥濃�攅nsuring that students, regardless of circumstance, have the opportunity to flourish through education.

鈥淎t 海角直播, our students are at the heart of everything we do,鈥� said Dr. Andy Jett, Interim President of 海角直播. 鈥淐limbing from #51 to #18 in just one year affirms not only the impact of our academic and support programs but also the living out of our Catholic mission of service. Helping students achieve upward mobility is central to our calling鈥攖his is exactly what it means to serve the dear neighbor.鈥�

How the Rankings Are Determined

The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges list analyzes more than 80 measures of academic quality and student outcomes. The Social Mobility ranking specifically considers graduation rates of students who receive federal Pell Grants, which are typically awarded to students from lower-income households.

Beyond Social Mobility, the 2026 rankings also highlight colleges excelling in:

• Affordability and value
• High-quality undergraduate teaching
• Support for veterans
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
• Programs of distinction in Business, Computer Science, Engineering, Nursing, Economics, and Psychology

For more information about the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings and methodology, visit usnews.com/best-colleges.

Joining the Board in preparation for the 2024-25 academic year will be Erica McGeachy Crenshaw, Jos茅 Antonio Flores, Lisa A. Gioia, Matthew Mellor and Wendy Guillies.

鈥淥ur Board of Trustees is comprised of a dedicated team of community leaders with a demonstrated history of providing sound guidance and extraordinary support for our students,鈥� said Jim Burkee, Ph.D, president of 海角直播. 鈥淎s we enjoy historic milestones with enrollment and introduce innovative new programs for our students, we are grateful for the expertise and insights that each new trustee will contribute to Avila鈥檚 commitment to providing Education Without Limits.鈥�

Erica McGeachy Crenshaw brings an entrepreneurial mindset with financial expertise and strategic planning and execution. A former Wall Street equity research analyst, she launched an outsourced finance and accounting firm and after her successful direction, she sold the business to pursue local and national work in philanthropy. Crenshaw has published several articles about financial and executive leadership along with strategic initiatives related to nonprofits.

Jos茅 Antonio Flores provides a wealth of knowledge in international business and education. With a mastery of team building, Flores has worked in the education realm since 1990 and led teams at multiple international education firms such as Kaplan and Angle Continental. Working with international partners, Flores co-founded Prime Education/King鈥檚 Education and remains managing director of the organization based in Los Angeles.

Lisa A. Gioia has dedicated most of her 40-year accounting career to serving the nonprofit sector. As a certified public accountant licensed by the state of Missouri, she has collaborated with executive directors, staff members and boards of directors for more than 100 nonprofit organizations to design, implement and maintain computerized financial management systems for financial decision making and reporting purposes. Her accolades also include recognition and honors from more than 20 professional, civic, and community organizations, including the Distinguished Worldwide Humanitarian Award honoree and Ingram鈥檚 Local Heroes Award.

Matthew Mellor has been sharing thought leadership and strategic planning for decades. Mellor developed an API-based decisioning tool that is the backbone of some of the largest plan enrollment platforms in the U.S. After selling the company he founded and built, Mellor continued to help the business and was instrumental in the acquisition of two other companies. He is well versed in partner and community development and continues to serve his neighbors as a volunteer, mentor, and community leader.

Wendy Guillies is a seasoned C-suite/senior executive with deep experience in strategy development and execution, talent management and culture, marketing/communications, and board engagement. In her most recent position, Guillies served as interim CEO of Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Mo. Previously, she was the president and chief executive officer for the $3B Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In 2024, she founded , a fractional leadership consulting firm. Well-versed in governance practices, Guillies鈥� experience includes service on for-profit and nonprofit boards at the local, regional, and national levels. She is also a member of the Kansas City Business Journal鈥檚 Women Who Mean Business program.

With these additions and the recent advancements of Dr. Bryan DePoy, Dr. Andy Jett and Jody Mitchell to chief academic officer, chief growth officer and chief people and belonging officer, respectively, Avila continues to demonstrate our commitment to providing top-of-class resources and respected leadership to our past, current and future students.

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Avila student and basketball player Desmond Combs, from Fort Worth, Texas, said, 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to getting my bachelor’s degree! That鈥檚 my main goal. That should be the goal for everybody.鈥�

This class consists of freshman, transfer, and international student populations. 78% of these students are local to the Kansas City metro. 鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing exciting interest from international students (with more to come), and our MASSIVE increase resides with incoming freshmen, up 100% from last year,鈥� said Parisse. 

Avila student and Truman High School graduate Chey-Ann Morgan said she鈥檚 looking forward to 鈥渕aking new friends, gaining new experiences, and getting out of my comfort zone.鈥�

This impressive incoming class results from many efforts on campus to position Avila as the private university of access. 鈥淣ew and seasoned collaborations with organizations like the Hispanic Development Fund, KC Scholars, and MCCKC, a dedicated recruitment campaign in our local KC backyard, and the unwavering dedication of our enthusiastic admissions and coaching teams who wholeheartedly support our ACCESS mission have all come together to create this remarkable Avila class,鈥� said Parisse. 

The future of Avila lies within this incoming Eagle class. We are building a university of access for them, and they are shaping what we will become tomorrow.  鈥淢ore Avila Eagles on campus allows for increased opportunity to help launch greater numbers of ambitious change-makers into a life of impact and success,鈥� said Parisse.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a clear sign of the institution’s growing reputation and appeal. The increased enrollment can lead to a more diverse and vibrant student body, enriching the academic environment and fostering a strong sense of community. Moreover, the influx of students can boost the college鈥檚 resources, enabling the expansion of programs, co-curricular activities, and student support services,鈥� said Curtis Burton, dean of students. 

Avila student and baseball player Josiah Singleton, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, said he鈥檚 looking forward to 鈥渃onnecting with new people. It鈥檚 a new scenery for me! It鈥檚 a big adjustment, but I鈥檓 excited to be part of the community here. Everybody is very engaged.鈥�

The 海角直播 of today began in 1963 when construction began on the present-day campus in South Kansas City as a response to growing enrollment. That begs the question of whether today鈥檚 campus will suffice for this growing population of students and what may lie ahead.  鈥淥ur campus boasts the capacity to handle the influx of students, and an exceptional team of staff and faculty are poised to deliver the utmost care and attention that our students truly deserve,鈥� said Parisse.

鈥淲e are taking strategic measures to expand facilities, enhance infrastructure, and optimize resources to ensure a smooth transition. Our priority is to maintain the quality of education and student experience while effectively meeting the needs of the growing student body. This includes increasing housing options and bolstering support services to ensure all students can thrive academically and socially,鈥� said Burton. 

Campus-wide efforts are underway to ensure that all incoming students (and those returning this fall) feel welcomed into the Avila community. 

鈥淲e鈥檙e making sure all incoming students feel warmly welcomed through a variety of initiatives. Our orientation program provides a comprehensive introduction to campus life, academic expectations, and resources available. Additionally, we鈥檙e enhancing student engagement opportunities, creating mentorship programs, and organizing events to foster connections among students, faculty, and staff. Our goal is to create a supportive and inclusive environment where each student can easily become a part of our vibrant community and embark on a successful academic journey here at 海角直播,鈥� said Burton. 

Avila student Jaren Miller, from Anchorage, Alaska, said, 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to experiencing the community and culture here and how it is to be an Avila Eagle鈥揋o Eagles!鈥�

海角直播 became the first university in the United States to sign a comprehensive, multi-university agreement with the government of Algeria. Ten universities commit to exchange and cooperation – and to offering access to education, an American degree, to students in Algeria.

鈥淜ansas City鈥檚 private university of access is now also Algeria鈥檚 American private university of access. Thanks to the Honorable Ambassador Mohamed Haneche for facilitating our visit, and to my new friend Tahar Sahraoui for the hospitality of the Algerian Ministry of Education and Scientific Research,鈥�  said Avila President Jim Burkee, Ph.D.

The second agreement was signed with AUNA – The American University in North of Africa, with Hassouna Fedhila, founder and president. They also toured the 100-acre site of AUNA鈥檚 new campus in Utica, the historic Phoenician city north of Tunis, and the site of a historic battle between Carthaginian and Roman armies in 203 BC. 

The third agreement was signed with the President of Universit茅 de CARTHAGE in Tuis, Nadia Mzoughi Aguir. 鈥淓xpect big things from this relationship – for students in Tunisia, for American students seeking study abroad, and for access to education in Africa and around the world,鈥� said Burkee. 鈥淭hanks also for the strong support from Malek Kochlef, director general of the ministry of international cooperation in Tunisia, for the strong support!鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e eager to bring access to education – and an American degree – to students in Algeria and Tunisia,鈥� said Burkee.

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About AUNA

The American University in North of Africa is the first Tunisian private university that applies the American educational Methodology and pedagogical approach. AUNA School of Business offers high education standards in the business field studies of Finance, Accounting, Management, and Marketing for both Graduate and Undergraduate levels. Their vision is to create and sustain the conditions and resources for all AUNA students to experience an outstanding educational journey that is intellectually and personally transformative. 

About Universit茅 de CARTHAGE

The University of Carthage (UCAR), founded in 1988, is a Tunisian public training and research establishment which is placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

UCAR, through its various institutions, is a multidisciplinary university that issues 289 diplomas at the various levels of training, namely the preparatory cycles for engineering studies and the Aggregation, Licenses (75), Masters of Research (57), Professional Masters (69), National Engineering Diplomas (48), National Audiovisual Diplomas (01) and Doctorates (40).

鈥淔or any partnership to be successful, it must benefit and provide opportunities for students,鈥� said 海角直播 President Jim Burkee, Ph.D. 鈥淭he missions of KTA and Avila are similar. We both seek to improve student access to high-quality, affordable, higher education and student success.鈥�

KTA is a leading facilitator of graduate education programing at partner universities by focusing on relationship building across 5,499 local school districts in 23 states, including Missouri and Kansas. 鈥淎t KTA, we always strive to find the best possible partner to help us meet the needs of teachers in a state. 海角直播 has excellent programs and a commitment to being the most competitive university in Missouri,鈥� said KTA President Bruce Ranney. 鈥淲e are excited about the vision Dr. Burkee and the leadership team at Avila have developed and their commitment to meeting the needs of teachers with new program development, reducing their tuition to a more competitive level, and working to have the most student-centric admissions process possible.鈥�

Avila鈥檚 107-year history of providing personal engagement and experiential learning is at the forefront of these online Master鈥檚 of Art Education programs. Students can expect to receive the benefits of private education at an affordable price and with the flexibility they seek.

The three new education programs

• M.A.Ed. – Educational Leadership with Principal Certification
• M.A.Ed. – Special Reading with Certification
• M.A.Ed. – K-12 School Counselor with Certification

as well as 海角直播鈥檚 established programs

• Initial Teacher Certification
• M.A.Ed. – Curriculum & Instruction

are all accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and the Missouri State Education Department. Avila鈥檚 education programs offer a flexible, online format and are taught by academically and professionally qualified instructors who are invested in their students鈥� success.

鈥淭he instructors teaching these classes have real-life experience in these areas of study and can share the application of practice every time they engage with a student,鈥� said 海角直播 School of Education Chair Natalie Cobb, Ed.D. 鈥淥ur online courses are built on an expectation of quality and substantive levels of engagement with students from recorded lectures, visual feedback, virtual office hours, and arranged one-on-one mentoring of students during each class.鈥�

Avila鈥檚 online Master鈥檚 of Art Education graduate programs emphasize experiential learning with multiple start dates throughout the year. Learning is self-paced to accommodate busy schedules, with around-the-clock access to asynchronous courses.

For more information or to apply for these programs, please visit聽

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About K-12 Teachers Alliance

The K-12 Teachers Alliance partners with non-profit, fully accredited colleges and universities across the country to provide primarily graduate programs to current or potential K-12 educators. Through their array of services, KTA delivers partner institutions both brand and education program awareness in the K-12 community. This exposure typically results in controlled enrollment growth for partner institutions and helps accomplish their mission by meeting the needs of local teachers by providing relevant, well-respected graduate programs to local educators.

Beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year through 2031-2032, 海角直播 and KC Scholars will award eight cohorts of up to 100 students per year with full tuition scholarships per year.聽Each scholarship will be renewable for up to five years.聽 These scholarships will be incremental to and separate from the over 400 scholarships that KC Scholars awards each year to 11th-grade low- and moderate-income students in the six-county Kansas City area.

As part of the agreement, 海角直播 has committed to investing $110 million dollars over eight years to fund this effort. KC Scholars will invest $20 million dollars over the same period.

鈥淭here is so much need in Kansas City,鈥� said KC Scholars President and CEO Earl Martin Phalen. 鈥淒uring our last award cycle, approximately 900 applicants met the KC Scholars qualifications but didn鈥檛 receive scholarships due to funding restrictions. This agreement will afford hundreds more hardworking, deserving Scholars an opportunity to attend college. We are extremely grateful to Avila for their partnership and commitment.鈥�

鈥淚 am excited about what this investment means for the students and their families, as well as for the Avila family,鈥� said 海角直播 President Jim Burkee, Ph.D. 鈥淎vila is the university of student access in Kansas City, and investing in a cohort of 100 new KC Scholars each year demonstrates this commitment. We are thrilled to add so many future leaders to our roster.鈥�

Housed within the Avila Institute for Professional Studies, the initiative is tailored to working professionals in Kansas City and the Midwest through three primary focus areas: Workplace Education Benefits, Skill Workshops and Certificate Programming. According to Avila President Ronald A. Slepitza, Ph.D., CSJA, these areas were chosen because they will add the most value to students.

鈥淭he Workforce Development Academy @ 海角直播 is an exciting new venture designed to meet the needs of Kansas City professionals who want to grow their knowledge after they鈥檝e begun their careers,鈥� Sleptiza said. 鈥淭hrough the expertise of our Avila Institute for Professional Studies professors and instructors, we鈥檒l be providing workers with highly useful skills and knowledge they鈥檒l be able to use right away to advance their careers, whether they鈥檙e entry level or an executive.鈥�

The Workforce Development Academy, or WDA, is designed to deliver educational opportunities anchored in quality, academic rigor and outcomes. Each area of focus incorporates best practices in adult and accelerated education, driven by quality curriculum and qualified facilitators with decades of instructional and workplace experience.

The three primary areas of focus:

Workplace Education Benefit

Geared to businesses and organizations, the Workplace Education Benefit is a highly customizable tool for professional development, continuing education and education benefit opportunities. By partnering with the WDA, businesses and organizations can create a unique set of educational offerings that solves their specific needs. The WDA will also facilitate enrollment of employees in degree and certification programs aligning with company needs.

Skill Workshops

The WDA Skill Workshops were designed to complement the essential skills development areas determined by , the community initiative created by the Kansas City Civic Council to align and accelerate community efforts to achieve shared prosperity across the region. The Skill Workshops will center around skills tied to critical thinking, communication, collaboration, interpersonal skills, executive function and proactivity. These skills, chosen because of skill gaps at the local, regional and national level. In addition, the Academy will develop course and test prep opportunities to help individuals obtain several in-demand industry certifications.

Certificate Programming

Building on numerous new graduate degree concentration areas offered by the Avila Institute for Professional Studies, WDA Certificate Programs allow individuals to earn a relevant and valuable set of focused skills in areas such as strategic human resources, executive leadership development, instructional design, leadership coaching, project management, inclusion and belonging, and change management.

鈥淭he Workforce Development Academy @ 海角直播 was born of two ideas,鈥� said Andy Jett, Ed.D., Dean of the College of Professional Schools. 鈥淲e sought to develop lifelong learning opportunities for Avila alumni and those Avila serves, as well as helping the Kansas City community of businesses and organizations solve the skill gaps they have identified. As an institution of higher education our core competency is just that, educating. The WDA gives professionals in Kansas City and across the Midwest the skills businesses and organizations are looking for with the academic rigor students expect from Avila.鈥�

Learn more about the Workforce Development Academy.

Born in Malawi, a country where magic ruled, and modern science was a mystery, Kamkwamba grew up in a land of drought and hunger where hope and opportunity were hard to find. Then Kamkwamba discovered a book about windmills. He dreamed big. Kamkwamba was going to build a windmill that would bring electricity and water to his village and change his family’s life forever. Mocked him and called “crazy,” by members of his village, Kamkwamba shows them, and all of us, what grit and ingenuity and hope could do. 

Kamkwamba will speak in 海角直播’s Goppert Theatre on the Bill and Jean Buchanan Stage at 5:30 p.m. and the public is invited. Following the lecture, Kamkwamba will be available to sign copies of his book. 海角直播 is located at 11901 Wornall Road, Kansas City, Missouri. Prior to the lecture, there will be a panel on environmental sustainability at 3:30 p.m. and community reception. For event information and to RSVP for this free event, please visit the聽Harry S. Truman Distinguished Lecture聽page.

In 1971, former President Harry S. Truman gave his stamp of approval for 海角直播 (then Avila College) to offer a lecture series in his name. Later that year, the first Truman lecture was delivered by David E. Bell, vice president of the Ford Foundation and Truman鈥檚 first administrative assistant. The 2017 Truman Lecture featured by Reyna Grande, author of 鈥淭he Distance Between Us.鈥�

海角直播, a Catholic University founded and inspired by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, is a values-based community of learning providing liberal arts, professional, undergraduate and graduate education to prepare students for responsible, lifelong contributions to the global community.