Wartburg College has received reaffirmation of its accreditation from the North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission.

The reaffirmation comes after a comprehensive evaluation by the HLC, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. The HLC accredits post-secondary institutions in 19 states.

“The whole Wartburg community engaged in this reaffirmation project with tremendous energy and positivity, and that spirit shines through in the report of the visiting team,” said Brian Ernsting, vice president for academic affairs. “We have a great story to tell, and it is gratifying to see that the team of experts in higher education responded so well to our work.”

The continued accreditation affirmed that Wartburg is meeting the Criteria for Accreditation, pursuing institutional improvement and complying with requirements set by the U.S. Department of Education. Post-secondary institutions must be accredited by a federally recognized agency to participate in federal financial aid programs, which provide low-cost student loans.

In particular, the visiting review team noted that the college’s mission was clear and used to guide decisions; employees and students embody the college’s values of leadership, service, faith and learning; and students and faculty are meaningfully engaged in scholarship and creative work.

“I couldn’t have been happier with the report if we’d written it ourselves,” said President Darrel Colson. “It demonstrates that we not only attained the credibility necessary for success, but we’ve also earned the respect we deserve.”