1. The Flaws and Merits of College Rankings: Navigating Shifting Paradigm in Davidson Admissions By Madeline Richard ‘26 (she/her) ● How has Davidson fared in the U.S. News and World Report rankings? Davidson College currently ranks as the #15 liberal arts college in the U.S. However, Davidson has dropped since the Class of ‘23 applied, when the college was ranked in the top ten. ● Do these rankings capture everything? Not quite. The U.S. News and World Report rankings do encapsulate useful academic metrics like student-to-faculty interaction. Yet, they cannot measure core campus values and traditions, like the Cake Race or the Honor Code here at Davidson. ● How does Davidson’s Office of Admissions show beyond the rankings? According to Director of Media Relations Jay Pfeifer, the College’s website, on-campus programming, and nationwide admissions meetings help to showcase the strength of Davidson’s community to prospective high schoolers.
2. Greg Delawie: Life and Work By Bella Andjelkovic ‘26 (she/her) ● Who is Greg Delawie? Ambassador Delawie served as the US Ambassador to Kosovo from 2015-2018. During his time in Kosovo, he promoted American interests and worked to limit ethnic violence. Last Thursday, Ambassador Delawie spoke to Davidson students at the Visual Arts Center. ● What did Ambassador Delawie speak about? For the most part, he focused on the topics of freedom and corruption. He proposed various solutions the U.S. can pursue to promote democracy and battle corruption in the Balkans. These included supporting independent prosecutors and civil society organizations in the region. ● Why should Davidson students care? According to Professor of Political Science Besir Ceka, it is valuable for Davidson students to learn more about the United States’ promotion of democracy around the world. Parker Nunn ‘26 appreciated learning about the Balkans, a region covered less in the media.
3. Davidson Course Visits Israel Amid Unsteady Time By Mia Riffle ‘24 (she/her) ● What was going on in Israeli politics when Davidson students visited over Spring Break? Over the past few weeks, the Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has pushed a judicial overhaul. This change would allow the legislature to appoint Supreme Court judges and veto Supreme Court rulings with a simple majority. Protests have emerged across the country, led by Israeli citizens and soldiers who see this proposal as undemocratic. ● Was it safe for Davidson students to travel to Israel? Despite the political tension in Israel, the Office of Study Abroad concluded it would be safe for