Copy of: Oceanography Program at Kutztown University Ranked Best in Nation by College Values Online

Kutztown, PA (05/18/2017) — Video available at https://youtu.be/pr7jv5ts7UI

Kutztown University's undergraduate program in oceanography was recently ranked the best value in the nation by College Values Online. KU was selected out of a pool of 22 other college and universities, being judged on tuition, availability of financial aid and program curriculum.

"It's a small reflection on us, and our program, it's a huge reflection on our students" said Dr. Adrienne Oakley, program coordinator at KU.

Both Oakley and College Values Online cite the university's affiliation with the Chincoteague Bay Field Station in Eastern Virginia as part of the reason why the program is so valuable.

"The reason we're able to have a program in Pennsylvania is because of the affiliation that we have with the Chincoteague Bay field station" said Oakley.

"It's the field station component of the larger marine science consortium" she added.

The Marine Science Consortium is made of several different State System of Higher Education universities. It was started in the 1970s and will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary of working at Chincoteague.

"We take students from their very first incoming class as a freshman to their senior level courses, bring them down to the Eastern Shore of Virginia and we get them out on boats" said Oakley.

"We get them using equipment that they would not be able to have access to and they also get to be exposed to scientists and researchers from other universities" she added.

Students from the program have gone on to work at national museums and aquariums. Oakley attributes this to their field experience.

"They have gotten these jobs based on the experience that they got as undergraduates here at Kutztown."

College Values Online Ranking

Kutztown University

Millersville University

Hawaii Pacific University

Florida Institute of Technology

Humboldt University

North Carolina State University

Coastal Carolina University

Stockton University

University of North Carolina

University of Washington, Seattle

http://www.collegevaluesonline.com/rankings/bachelors-oceanography/