College of the Ozarks receives Great Colleges to Work For 2024 Ranking

POINT LOOKOUT, MO — College of the Ozarks has been recognized as one of the 2024 Great Colleges to Work For by “The Chronicle for Higher Education.”

The Great Colleges to Work For program is designed to recognize colleges that have been successful in creating great workplaces. The program additionally researches to gain understanding of the factors, dynamics and influences that have the most impact on organizational culture at higher education institutions. The 2024 program marked the 17^th anniversary of The Great Colleges to Work For program. This year’s program included 216 colleges from across the country: 139 four-years and 77 two-year participants. The survey was sent to almost 100,000 faculty and staff across the country with an overall response rate of 43 percent.

This year’s survey included eleven statements and four survey themes including Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging; Faculty & Staff Well-being; and Performance Management. Also included was a Faculty Experience survey theme, which drills down to assess hurdles that are specific to Faculty and Adjunct Faculty so that colleges can more accurately pinpoint issues unique to their instructors, and remedy them more effectively.

Results reported are in their respective categories — small, medium, and large institutions. College of the Ozarks was rated alongside 74 other small, 4-year institutions in the range of 500-2,999 students.

College of the Ozarks received recognition in two categories, including recognition in the Mission and Pride category. This category evaluates the sense of pride and connection faculty and employees report regarding their affiliation with the institution.

“It is amazing to be a part of sending men and women into the world to fulfill God’s purpose for their lives,” said Registrar and Director of Institutional Research Lacy Matthis.

The College also was recognized in the Job Satisfaction and Support category, which acknowledges the satisfaction with job fit, autonomy, and resources available for members of the organization.

"Hard Work U. is a great place to work,” said Dr. Jeffery Elliott, Professor of Psychology and Human and Social Services Division Chair. “To have the privilege every day to be around colleagues who share the same mission and purpose is very fulfilling. We have an incredible group of students who want to learn and grow, and to be able to come alongside them on mission makes the time and work so worth it. The College provides the resources for us as faculty to grow professionally and cares enough to celebrate our accomplishments. I am so proud to tell people in the community where I work, and their response back is always, 'Wow, it is such a great place.' I would agree 100 percent."

To view Great Colleges to Work For rankings, visit https://greatcollegesprogram.com/list/colleges/

To view the methodology, visit https://greatcollegesprogram.com/survey/survey-methodology/

For additional information, contact Public Relations Director Valorie Coleman at (417) 690-2212.

About College of the Ozarks

College of the Ozarks is a private, Christian, liberal arts college, located in Point Lookout, Missouri, on a 1,000-acre campus. Christian values, hard work, and fiscal responsibility comprise the fundamental building blocks of the “Hard Work U.” experience. The College earns numerous accolades yearly, including No. 1 Most Innovative School in the Midwest and No. 1 Best Value Regional College in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for 2023-2024 and No. 3 Best Bang for the Buck by Washington Monthly, 2023. To achieve its vision, the College pursues academic, vocational, Christian, patriotic, and cultural goals. These goals are mirrored in School of the Ozarks, a laboratory school that completes the K-college model.

The Keeter Center — the College’s award-winning lodge, restaurant, and conference facility — earns awards consistently, including the TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Award 2023 and the Best of the Best and Readers’ Choice Awards 2023 from ConventionSouth magazine. The Keeter Center features historic lodging, fine dining, and meeting rooms. With more than 350 student workers, it is the largest workstation on campus. Follow College of the Ozarks on Facebook at www.facebook.com/collegeoftheozarks , on Instagram, @collegeoftheozarks, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/school/college-of-the-ozarks/, or on X,  @CofOHardWorkU.