Two magazines that cover Latino and African American issues have recognized DePaul University for supporting student diversity.

DePaul was ranked among the top 100 institutions of higher education nationally to award bachelor’s and master’s degrees to Hispanics, according to The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education magazine. The national, biweekly magazine published the rankings in its April 23 issue, "The Best Colleges for Hispanics."

In Black Enterprise Magazine’s rankings of "The Top 50 Colleges for African Americans," DePaul was ranked among the top five regional universities in the country for African American students. The magazine’s January rankings are based on a survey of more than 1,000 African American higher education professionals who were asked about the academic and social environments of colleges throughout the United States.

"DePaul’s performance in these rankings reflects the university’s commitment to diversity in recruiting, retaining and graduating students of color," said Richard J. Meister. "This commitment has been a hallmark of DePaul's mission for most of its 100 years. We believe that a diverse faculty, staff and student body are necessary for a high quality education in the 21st century."

The rankings in The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education were compiled from 1997 graduation statistics obtained from the U.S. Department of Education. Based on this information, the most recent national graduation figures available, DePaul was ranked:

• 19^th in computer science bachelor’s degrees awarded to Hispanic students, with 11 awarded in 1997

• 61^st in business and management bachelor’s degrees conferred on Hispanics, with 48 awarded in 1997
• 72^nd in master’s degrees conferred on Hispanics, with 52 conferred in 1997

• 90^th in bachelor’s degrees awarded to Hispanics, with 142 awarded in 1997

DePaul currently enrolls 1,631 Latino students, which accounts for about nine percent of the university’s total enrollment.

According to Black Enterprise, DePaul ranks fourth among five institutions listed in the category of regional universities for African Americans. Regional schools were defined as mid- to large-size universities with modest research programs and enrollment drawn primarily from the surrounding region of the country.

Black Enterprise compiled the top 50 rankings to help African American parents and students make the best college choices, according to Thomas A. LaViest, CEO of DayStar Research, the firm that initiated the list’s creation. To be included, schools had to be accredited, four-year institutions with a black student enrollment of at least 1.5 percent and/or be a large or well-known university that would be of interest to black students.

DePaul, which has an African American enrollment of 1,948 or 10.5 percent of the student body, was the only Illinois institution ranked.

"This list says that out of a universe of more than 3,000 schools, these [institutions] have fostered a great reputation among black educators and have done a good job of graduating students," LaViest said. "Any school on this list should be proud—no matter where they are on it."