FORT WAYNE, Ind.—The University of Saint Francis received designation as an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classifications, recognizing Saint Francis as an institution that can serve as a model for studying how campuses can foster student success.
The Opportunity Colleges and Universities designation is part of a newly developed Student Access and Earnings Classification published by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education. This new classification examines the extent to which institutions foster opportunities for student success by measuring whether institutions are enrolling students reflective of the communities they serve and how the earnings of those students compare to peers in their area. In 2025, 479 institutions have been identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities, which is about 16% of all U.S. colleges and universities that are in the Student Access and Earnings Classification.
“We are honored and pleased to be recognized with this designation from the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education,” Saint Francis President Dr. Lance Richey said. “Among our goals as a university is to form graduates committed to professional excellence, spiritual growth and service to others, as well as cultivate a vibrant and relational environment that supports learning and human development. We strive to offer the best opportunities for our students to succeed in their education and careers.”
The methodology for the new Student Access and Earnings Classification uses multidimensional groupings of the 2025 Institutional Classification to evaluate student access and earnings between similar colleges and universities. More information about 2025 Student Earnings and Access Classifications, including the methodology, can be found here.
About the Carnegie Classification: The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity in U.S. higher education. The Carnegie Commission on Higher Education developed the classification in 1973 to support its program of research and policy analysis, and it was updated in 1976, 1987, 1994, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2018, 2021, and 2025 to reflect changes among colleges and universities. It will next be updated in 2028, with subsequent updates every three years.
About the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching: The mission of the Carnegie Foundation is to catalyze transformational change in education so that every student has the opportunity to live a healthy, dignified and fulfilling life. Enacted by an act of Congress in 1906, the Foundation has a rich history of driving transformational change in the education sector, including the establishment of TIAA-CREF and the creation of the Education Testing Service, the GRE, Pell Grants and the Carnegie Classifications for Higher Education.
About the American Council on Education: ACE unites and leads higher education institutions toward a shared vision for the future. With more than 1,600 member colleges, universities and associations, ACE designs solutions for today’s challenges and advances public policy to support a diverse and dynamic higher education sector.
For more information, contact Jon Riskind of the American Council on Education at 202-697-0741 or jriskind@acenet.edu or Kito Cetrulo of the Carnegie Foundation at 650-566-5100 or kcetrulo@carnegiefoundation.org.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point and online. USF Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 20 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. Approximately 1,800 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.