Rivier University honored as 2021 Education Business of the Year

Rivier University has been selected as the 2021 Business of the Year in the Education Category by Business NH Magazine and the NH Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. The award celebrates excellence in New Hampshire’s business community. The University is the first-ever to receive this honor in the newly created Education category.

Rivier University is a leader in higher education in New Hampshire, preparing the largest number of nurses in the state and recognized for graduating exceptional teachers, educational administrators, and business/community leaders that serve at the forefront of New Hampshire industries and organizations.

Through the Vision 2020 commitment to always reach higher and better, the University ushered in a new era of innovation in the sciences. A 36,000-square-foot Science and Innovation Center was constructed in 2020 to provide advanced preparation for the 21st-century workforce to all students but especially those majoring in biology, biotechnology, nursing, and public health. The Center serves as a beacon for the city of Nashua and beyond and as a community resource for the pursuit of scientific discovery.

“Rivier University is honored to receive this prestigious award and to be recognized as a leader in higher education throughout our state. Our Latin motto, Altiora et Meliora—Higher and Better, has inspired our mission of transforming hearts and minds to serve the world for more than 85 years. Through innovation and collaboration with community partners, we continue to reach higher and better together,” says Sister Paula Marie Buley, IHM, Rivier’s President.

The University offers academic excellence through programs that have earned national, regional, and statewide rankings and recognitions. Nursing Schools Almanac has ranked Rivier as a top 100 school, following an evaluation of 3,000 nursing schools across the country. In addition, Rivier placed as the #1 private nursing school in New Hampshire. At the programmatic level, the University’s online RN to BSN program has ranked #1 in an independent evaluation of online RN to BSN programs in New Hampshire by RegisteredNursing.org for two consecutive years. The online MBA in Healthcare Administration earned a ranking in the top five of programs across the country in an education survey of nearly 8,000 institutions conducted by EduMed.

The University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. Attesting to its high academic standards, Rivier programs have earned additional accreditations from several industry-accrediting bodies: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing; N.H. Department of Education, Division of Higher Education, Higher Education Commission; Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs; and the American Psychological Association. The University prides itself on several points of distinction within the higher education industry. A bold Employment Promise Program and a strengths-based approach to learning differentiate Rivier from other institutions of higher education in New Hampshire and throughout the country. A steadfast focus on lifelong learning, service, and civic engagement continues to elevate the Rivier educational experience and has inspired and enabled graduates to pursue successful careers and lives of service.

About the Award

For 30 years, Business NH Magazine and the NH Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives have celebrated the NH Businesses of the Year and Business Leader of the Year. This year, awards were earned by one Business Leader of the Year and ten NH companies/organizations. Winners will be featured in the May issue of the magazine.