Mercer University is one of America’s oldest and most distinctive institutions of higher learning, offering rigorous programs and ranked among the top tier and best values of national research universities by U.S. News & World Report. While offering a breadth of programs found at much larger universities, Mercer maintains an intimate, student-focused culture more characteristic of smaller liberal arts colleges. Mercer’s uniqueness is found in the way the University integrates five defining components of its mission: Liberal Learning, Professional Knowledge, Discovery, Service to Humankind and Community.