Great Colleges and ModernThink—a strategic human capital consulting firm—has named Towson University one of its 2025 Great Colleges to Work For®, a national recognition that affirms the positive workplace culture TU strives to create for its faculty and staff. This is the first year TU has been awarded the designation.

TU is one of only 76 colleges nationwide—and just 54 four-year institutions—to earn this honor, selected from 199 participating universities. Recognition was based directly on employee feedback provided in the 2025 Employee Engagement Survey administered by ModernThink earlier this year.

A total of 1,041 TU faculty and staff participated in the survey, representing 43% of eligible employees. Their input revealed notable progress in the two years since the survey was last conducted, with TU’s overall positive response rate rising six points from 64% in 2023 to 70% in 2025.

TU was recognized for excellence in four specific areas:

  • Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness
  • Shared Governance
  • Faculty Experience
  • Inclusion, Belonging & Community

These categories underscore TU’s ongoing efforts to cultivate a workplace culture of pride, performance and well-being—one of 10 presidential priorities established by President Mark Ginsberg last October.

“The heart of any great institution is its people,” says Ginsberg. “At TU, we put our people first. It is our goal to ensure faculty and staff feel valued, respected and connected to the important work we do every day in support of our students and the public good.”

The survey results demonstrate especially high levels of institutional pride that distinguish TU from other universities.

84%

of respondents say:

“I am proud to be part of this institution.”

81%

of respondents say:

“I would recommend working here to my family and/or friends.”

80%

of respondents say:

“All things considered, this is a great place to work.”

“What makes this recognition especially meaningful is that it comes directly from the voices of TU’s employees,” says Steve Jones, TU’s senior vice president for campus operations and chief operating officer. “The shared sense of pride among our faculty and staff to support a positive and successful experience for our students is what makes TU a truly special place to work.”

The Great Colleges to Work For® program is one of the largest and most respected workplace recognition programs in higher education. The program highlights institutions that excel in workplace practices, policies and employee satisfaction. The complete list of 2025 Great Colleges to Work For® appeared in a special insert of The Chronicle of Higher Education published Sept. 19.