La Salle is providing accessibility and the opportunity for prosperity for its students.
La Salle University was one of only about 500 institutions, from among more than 4,000, recognized in the Carnegie Foundation’s “Opportunity Colleges and Universities – Higher Access, Higher Earnings” category.
On May 10th, La Salle University graduated its 162nd class. Like all commencement exercises, it was a day brimming with pride and celebration. I was particularly humbled and inspired by our two student speakers who reminded us of the power of a college degree for those who are the first in their families to receive it, and how we become known for more by helping others to simply be known. It was our Lasallian values on full display in a full-court press format!
I was fortunate to be able to use the day to remind our graduates and their guests that although all colleges and universities are gathered under the umbrella of higher education, we are not all the same.
On April 24, the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education (ACE) unveiled a redesigned classification system that recognizes this diversity among institutions. Their new Student Access and Earnings Classification shifts focus from the highest degrees offered by an institution to student outcomes. La Salle University was one of only about 500 institutions, from among more than 4,000, recognized in the “Opportunity Colleges and Universities – Higher Access, Higher Earnings” category.
This designation affirms La Salle’s mission to provide a rigorous, liberal arts education rooted in the Lasallian Catholic tradition, while ensuring access to exceptional post-graduate outcomes for our students.
Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, said the following about this new Carnegie designation; “The old Carnegie classifications saw money and structure, but they didn’t see students. We want to put student success at the center of how institutions describe themselves.”
I am honored to say that La Salle has always, and to this very day, sees students! As a Bruce Springsteen fan, a lyric from one of my favorite songs, “Better Days,” resonates with me here:
“It’s a sad man, my friend, who’s livin’ in his own skin and can’t stand the company.”
La Salle is proud of who we are. We are comfortable in our skin. We don’t need to be like any other university. I believe what the public increasingly wants from higher education is exactly what institutions like La Salle provide: accessibility and prosperity. A serious return on investment.
Today, La Salle continues to open new pathways and majors to degree attainment, and ultimately, student success. In fact, just recently La Salle launched the Miguel Campos School to house a number of new associate degree programs that will further cement our University’s commitment to high quality degree access. These associate degree programs will allow students to seamlessly transition to a four-year degree program at La Salle. Through the Campos School, we are reaffirming our commitment to expanding educational opportunities for all learners, ensuring that students from all backgrounds have the resources and support they need to achieve their academic and professional goals.
We serve our neighborhood, our city, and our community. We are proud to say the many of our students are the first in their families to attend college and benefit by receiving a Pell Grant to complete their education. In 2024–25, we were recognized as a top school for economic diversity across national universities.
La Salle is delivering on our promise and our mission.
And the numbers back us up. A new study from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce ranks La Salle fifth among private, nonprofit universities in Pennsylvania for 10-year postgraduate earnings, and in the top 10% nationally. U.S. News & World Report puts us in the top 25% for social mobility; Payscale.com ranks us in the top 15% nationally for salary outcomes. I could go on.
As we sent the next generation of Explorers into the world a few weeks ago, I thought about our namesake, Saint John Baptist de La Salle—the Patron Saint of Teachers—who dedicated his life to meeting students where they were and was devoted to the formation of the whole person. I believe he would be proud of what La Salle University stands for today.
We are doing exactly what the public demands higher education do. And most importantly, we know who we are. We are comfortable in our skin.
Drawing on a career in Catholic higher education spanning more than 20 years, Daniel J. Allen, Ph.D., began his term as La Salle University’s 30th President in April 2022 and has been implementing a strategy to address opportunities for growth and enhancing the student experience at 20th and Olney.
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