The Student Experience Behind West Virginia’s Best College

Chloe Good’s experience is one of many that reflects the sense of belonging that helped UC earn recognition as the Best College in West Virginia for a second year in a row.

CHARLESTON, WV — When Chloe Good stepped onto the University of Charleston campus for the first time, something about it just felt right.

“I loved it right away,” Good said. “The campus was beautiful, and I had heard so many great things about the academics, the professors, the campus life and the people here. Once I started meeting everyone and experiencing it for myself, I realized this was going to be my new home.”

That first impression has stayed with Good, now a graduate student at UC, and reflects the kind of student experience that has helped the University of Charleston earn recognition as the Best College in West Virginia by Niche for the second consecutive year.

“For us, being the Best College in West Virginia is ultimately about the experience our students have and the opportunities they find here,” UC President Marty Roth said. “We want UC to be a place where students are known, challenged and encouraged to pursue their goals, while also having the freedom to explore new interests, build meaningful relationships and discover where their talents can take them. Seeing our students embrace those opportunities and grow throughout their time at UC is what makes this recognition so meaningful.”

Good says that sense of belonging has only deepened throughout her time at UC.

“I think what I love most is how easy it is to feel like you’re part of something here,” she said. “Being on the dance team has given me some of my closest friendships and so many great memories, but that sense of community goes beyond just one team or group. People know you here. They support you and want to see you succeed.”

UC earned the top spot in Niche’s Best Colleges in West Virginia rankings, which incorporate data and student feedback across areas including academics, professors, diversity, campus quality, safety and student life.

For Good, those opportunities to learn, lead and get involved have become an important part of her UC experience. A native of Inwood, West Virginia, she came to UC as a Presidential Scholar and earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology through the Honors College.

Along the way, she served as a senator in the Student Government Association, became involved with Theta Kappa Pi and the Lions Club, and was a member of the UC Dance Team.

Now pursuing her master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling at UC, Good has also taken on a new role as a coach for the Dance Team, giving her an opportunity to give back to a program that has been an important part of her own college experience.

“UC is just a really unique and special place. It’s the people, the opportunities and the way everyone supports each other. There’s a feeling you get when you’re here, and I think I felt that from the very beginning. I could not be happier with my decision to call UC home,” Good said.

Niche’s annual Best Colleges rankings are designed to help prospective students find colleges and universities that align with what they are looking for in their college experience.