MCLA Ranked No. 7 Top Public Liberal Arts School in 2024 U.S. News and World Report

08:34AM / Tuesday, September 19, 2023Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) has earned the No. 7 spot on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts Schools in the nation for a third year in a row.

The College's continued commitment to affordable education and economic prosperity is reflected in the 2024 U.S. News and World Report with additional rankings: No. 1 for Top Performer on Social Mobility in the state, No. 2 in the country, and No. 22 for National Liberal Arts Colleges.

MCLA has appeared on U.S. News' list of Top Ten Public Colleges for 9 consecutive years. The College has also been acknowledged in its list of National Liberal Arts Colleges for Social Mobility since the organization adopted this ranking in 2019. This list measures how well institutions graduate students who receive federal Pell Grants, typically awarded to students whose families make less than $50,000, though most Pell Grant money goes to families with income below $20,000.

"Each year that MCLA appears in the Top Ten Public College rankings I am reminded how incredibly committed our faculty and staff are when it comes to the growth and success of our Trailblazers by demonstrating an unwavering dedication to excellence," said President James F. Birge, Ph.D. "I am grateful to be part of an institution like MCLA that has made enormous improvements over the last year and its rankings for Top Performer on Social Mobility."

More than 42 percent of MCLA undergraduate students receive Pell Grants, and 51 percent are the first in their families to go to college. Overall, 93 percent of students receive some kind of financial aid.

"Enrolling at MCLA makes such a difference on student and faculty lives as well as on the community at large," said Brenda Burdick, Chair of the MCLA Board of Trustees. "I'm truly amazed by the ongoing success of MCLA – an institution that consistently shines as a top-notch provider of high quality, accessible, and affordable education. Being recognized as a Top Ten Public College affirms this commitment."

U.S. News ranks colleges based on indicators that reflect a school's student body, its faculty, and its financial resources, along with outcome measures that signal how well the institution achieves its mission of educating students.

For more information, go to usnews.com/colleges.

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Big Y Investigates Conn. Skimmer Incident

04:14PM / Monday, July 15, 2024

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Big Y supermarket discovered skimmers in two of its Connecticut stores last month.

In a press release on Monday, the grocery chain said an unknown individual attached a skimming device to one single terminal in each of its Naugatuck and Plainville locations. The skimmers were found on June 29.

Skimmers are devices that are illegally installed over or inside card readers at places like convenience stores, fuel pumps and ATMs to steal information off the cards. The FBI estimates that skimming costs consumers and financial institutions more than $1 billion a year.

"We are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident, and we notified and are working with law enforcement. We have inspected all of our terminals, and continue to do so. If we learn that any particular customer's information was compromised, we will promptly notify them and provide them with additional information so that they can take steps to protect themselves," according to Jade Rivera- McFarlin, Big Y's manager of communications.

"As a best practice, customers should always review their bank and credit card statements for any signs of fraudulent activity and, if they have any questions or concerns, contact their bank or credit card company directly."

The FBI has some tips for keeping your card data safe here.

If any Big Y customers have questions or concerns about this matter, they can call 1-800-828-2688 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

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