For the past fifteen years, the University of St. Francis (USF) has been recognized as a top university by U.S. News & World Report. This year’s recognition, which now marks the sixteenth consecutive year that USF has been recognized by U.S. News, comes in a new form, as Joliet’s only four-year university has moved up from the Master’s Midwest category to the National Universities category in its 2020 “Best Colleges” rankings. According to usnews.com/education, “Schools in the National Universities category offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doctoral programs. Listed at #202 on the list top colleges and universities, the recognition is the latest in a succession of honors earned by USF. U.S. News ranks some 1,400 schools among the 4,298 degree-granting post-secondary institutions in the U.S., according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Within the 2020 National Universities category, USF is ranked #7 among all Illinois schools, along with #4 among Illinois private schools, and #2 among Catholic schools in Illinois. Three other Illinois schools also moved up into the National Universities ranking along with USF this year, but USF was the highest ranked of that group.