Recognition
Your 2026 Recognition Toolkit
Congratulations on being recognized as a 2026 Great College to Work For!
At a time of significant change across higher education, recognition based on direct employee feedback carries added meaning. As colleges and universities navigate leadership transitions, financial pressures, workforce challenges, and evolving employee expectations, being recognized as a Great College to Work For® reflects the strength of your institutional culture and the experience of the people who make your mission possible.
This recognition provides an opportunity to celebrate your employees, reinforce your reputation as an employer of choice, and share your story with prospective faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the broader higher education community.
Recognized institutions will be officially announced in a special insert in the September 18 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education. In addition, ModernThink will feature honorees on GreatCollegesList.com, a dedicated site highlighting institutions recognized for exceptional workplace culture and employee engagement.
Whether you are planning an internal celebration, supporting recruitment efforts, sharing the news with alumni and stakeholders, or promoting the recognition more broadly, we are here to help you make the most of this achievement. Explore the resources below for promotional tools, ideas, and materials to help showcase your recognition across campus and beyond. If your institution has a creative way of celebration, we would love to hear about it!
To earn the title of Great College to Work For®, your institution achieved recognition in at least one of the ten categories below. If your college was recognized most frequently across these categories, in addition to being a Great College to Work For, you were also named to the Honor Roll. We have unique logos for each of these designations – a Recognized Logo and an Honor Roll Logo. The Press Release Sample under the recognition tool kit section also provides further context.
Please feel free to contact ModernThink if you are unclear on your institution’s specific designation in 2026 or previous recognition history.
Leadership & Institutional Culture
Confidence in Senior Leadership
Shared Governance*
Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness
Mission & Pride
Inclusion, Belonging & Community
Faculty & Staff Experiences
Job Satisfaction & Support
Compensation & Benefits
Professional Development
Faculty & Staff Well-being
Faculty Experience*
*Faculty-only recognition categories are based solely on faculty survey responses.
Sample Press Release The 2026 list of recognized institutions will be revealed in a special insert to be distributed as part of the September 18th issue of as well as at GreatCollegesList.com. While you are free to confer with your colleagues in planning a public announcement, we ask that you refrain from releasing this information in any public forums until the embargo on this information lifts the week the special insert is released. This sample press release includes background information on the program, methodology as well as quotes from ModernThink. PDF or WORD
Logo Agreement Brand your institution as a 2026 Great College to Work For® to bolster retention of your employees, improve recruitment efforts and unify your community around a designation worth celebrating! Add the Recognized or Honor Roll Logo to your press releases, job ads, banners on campus, social media, email signature or any other way you want to share your success. Once you complete our recognition logo license agreement and return to kkukulka@modernthink.com, we will provide your logo(s) in three formats: .eps, .jpeg, and .png.
- Download the Logo License Agreement here. This agreement covers BOTH the Honor Roll AND Recognized Logos. Only institutions named to the Honor Roll can license the Honor Roll Logo. The agreement can be signed electronically.
Special Advertising Opportunity – Be Seen Where It Matters
The 2026 Great Colleges to Work For list will be announced in a special insert inside the September 18th, 2026 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education — reaching over 27,000 paid print and online subscribers. The insert will appear in both the print edition and the digital version (delivered by email and hosted online).
As a recognized institution, this is your moment. Leverage your achievement by placing an ad in this exclusive insert and position your college as an employer of choice. Thousands of higher education professionals turn to The Chronicle each year to learn which institutions are leading the way in workplace excellence.
Please note: Recognized institutions may not publicize their recognition until the insert is released on September 18, 2026. This issue marks the official launch of your campaign — the perfect time to start telling your story.
📌 Reservation Deadline: June 30, 2026
Want inspiration? Scroll down to see our Idea Gallery for examples of how other institutions have shared their success.
As part of the faculty and staff survey, employees were asked to share what makes their college or university a great place to work. These authentic comments and testimonials can be a powerful addition to your recognition communications, celebration plans and recruitment efforts.
Recognized institutions have used these employee voices in a variety of ways including: recognition announcements; recruitment materials and career pages; social media and digital campaigns; and internal celebrations and employee communications.
These comments are included in the Employee Comments Report. Each institution has the option to purchase this report ($584) along with other critical feedback. Check with your institution’s primary contract for this project to discuss this option.
From social media and campus celebrations to recruitment materials and employee communications, the 2026 Tips to Promote Your Award guide provides practical ideas and examples for sharing your Great College to Work For® recognition. Click the image to the right to view or download the guide.
Colleges across the country use their Great College to Work For® recognition to thank employees and highlight their achievement within their communities. You’ve worked hard to create an outstanding work environment – now it’s time to celebrate. See our Idea Gallery below for inspiration on how you might celebrate your institution’s recognition.
