Dakota Wesleyan University named a “2026 Great College to Work For”

Sept. 18, 2026

Mitchell, S.D.—Dakota Wesleyan University is one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to the Great Colleges to Work For® program.

The results, released in a special insert of The Chronicle of Higher Education, are based on a nationwide survey of 171 colleges and universities. In all, 76 of those institutions achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition for specific best practices and policies. Results are reported for small, medium, and large institutions, with DWU included among the small universities with 500 to 2,999 students.

DWU won honors in three categories:

• Confidence in Senior Leadership
• Shared Governance
• Faculty Experience

“What makes this recognition especially meaningful is that the survey compares us with colleges and universities throughout the nation. To be recognized among the Great Colleges to Work For is an affirmation of the kind of community we are building at DWU and, perhaps most importantly, of the satisfaction our employees find in being part of it,” said Dakota Wesleyan President Dan Kittle.

The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institution questionnaire that captures employment data and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was the employee feedback.

The Great Colleges to Work For® program is one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. For more information and to view all current and previously recognized institutions, visit GreatCollegesProgram.com and GreatCollegesList.com.

ModernThink, a strategic human capital consulting firm, administered the survey and analyzed the results.