An class sits in the grass and Adirondack chairs next to Northrup Hall
Trinity University Reclassified as National Liberal Arts College
New designation better aligns the University for national recognition in its commitment to student success in the liberal arts and sciences

Trinity University has successfully petitioned the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education for reclassification as a Baccalaureate Arts & Sciences institution, which will result in Trinity moving to the National Liberal Arts category in the U.S. News & World Report rankings beginning in the Fall 2022 report. The new classification better reflects the core of Trinity’s mission and positions the University for greater national recognition.

“Trinity has enjoyed an exceptional reputation for academic excellence, interdisciplinarity, and a commitment to the liberal arts for more than 150 years. We have earned a reputation as the premier liberal arts university in the Southwest,” says Danny Anderson, Trinity University president. “Now, we are positioned to become a highly ranked and nationally recognized institution. While this will require significant effort and stewardship over multiple years, ultimately this move helps us attract and retain outstanding students, faculty, and staff. Most important, the investments we will make to achieve such standing positively impact student success and provide greater value for our alumni.”

Drone shot of Trinity's campus


With an emphasis on interdisciplinarity, Trinity’s liberal arts framework encourages students to work across areas of study—from Humanities to STEM and back again. In this way, Trinity helps prepare tomorrow’s leaders with a more comprehensive and humanistic lens through which to evaluate their impact on the world.

To achieve this, Trinity equips faculty and students with world-class resources to advance academic scholarship and further our liberal arts mission. With a strong $1.7 billion endowment and recent philanthropic investments, the University continues to deliver premier facilities. In addition to the 2014 completion of the Center for the Sciences and Innovation, Trinity recently transformed the Halsell Center into a state-of-the-art home for the Departments of Classical Studies, Philosophy, and History. In Fall 2022, the University will complete Dicke Hall, a front door for the Humanities and home to the Departments of English and Religion.

Trinity is unique as a largely residential university situated near downtown San Antonio, a vibrant, diverse metropolitan area. This dynamic provides a strong sense of community on campus, while offering opportunities for impact through service and experiential learning off-campus. The stunning, mid-century modern campus was designed by famed architect O’Neil Ford and is one of three modernist campuses listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“As we see our way forward into a post-pandemic world, the human challenges are immense. We believe that access to and support of the liberal arts and sciences is more important than ever,” Anderson says. “We are proud to raise our voices to join those of other institutions that speak to the demands and opportunities facing the liberal arts nationally.”

Ted Gartner '91 helps tell Trinity's story as a member of Strategic Communications and Marketing.

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