Manchester is No. 1!

Readers’ choice awards give MU top spot for spirit

Debra Lynn places third in region for best professor

The Fort Wayne Newspapers Readers’ Choice Awards give Manchester University top marks for spirit. Readers voted to give the northeast Indiana school first place for Best College Spirit.

Manchester is a safe, welcoming "home away from home." It is a friendly place, where people respect differences and celebrate diversity. The community comes together through a shared vision that respects the infinite worth of every individual and sets the high goal of improving the human condition.

Manchester students take part in service, and a third of its undergrads are involved in Div. III athletics. There are dozens of clubs and organizations where young people can find worthwhile, meaningful activities and friendships for life. They are supported and encouraged by faculty and staff to find their passion and be ignited.

Manchester placed well in all five categories available to colleges and universities in the regional readers’ poll.

Professor Debra Lynn placed third for Best College Professor. 

Lynn serves as director of choral organizations and vocal studies at Manchester, teaching applied voice, conducting, vocal pedagogy, opera workshop, history of the Requiem Mass and music for stage and film. Choral ensembles under her direction include the A Cappella Choir, Chamber Singers and Cantabile. She was recently named conductor of the Manchester Symphony Orchestra, a collaboration that involves Manchester students and residents of Wabash County.  

The North Manchester resident is currently on sabbatical.

Manchester placed second in several categories.

Best College: For decades, Manchester has received top honors from guides for college-bound students for its exceptional academic programs. The 2021 America’s Best Colleges guide of U.S. News & World Report ranks Manchester University among the top 25 "Best Colleges" in the Midwest. The Princeton Review college guide also consistently ranks Manchester as a "Best in the Midwest," as it did again this year. Manchester offers more than 70 areas of study, with undergraduate, professional and graduate degrees.

Best College Campus: Manchester has two lovely campuses in parklike settings. The residential campus in North Manchester sits on 120 acres hugging the Eel River. The beautifully landscaped grounds feature mature oaks and a vibrant combination of red brick buildings, both historic and new. It is common to see hammocks slung between trees for an impromptu study session. Situated in the heart of Fort Wayne’s northern medical district at Dupont and Diebold roads, the Fort Wayne campus is an 80,000-square-foot LEED Gold certified building featuring state-of-the-art facilities that overlook a lake and park with walking trails.

Best College Mascot: Manny is a common sight at Spartan games and events, and he is quite fond of the camera. From a dance-off with President Dave McFadden to urging students to collect food for the hungry, Manny is there. A carved wooden statue in his honor was recently dedicated in Haist Commons at the North Manchester campus.

Manchester University, with campuses in North Manchester and Fort Wayne, Ind., provides vibrant and transformative student experiences. Learn more at www.manchester.edu/about-manchester 

Our mission: Manchester University respects the infinite worth of every individual and graduates persons of ability and conviction who draw upon their education and faith to lead principled, productive, and compassionate lives that improve the human condition.

September 2020