Whenever I think back on this place, I see people, not buildings. I see individual attention and a boatload of caring. And I think of the highest compliment I can pay any person or institution: The world is a better place because Eckerd is a part of it. It's that simple."* – Dennis Lehane '88, novelist from Boston, Massachusetts

ST. PETERSBURG, Fl, July 31, 2006 - With endorsements from such notable alumni, it's no wonder that Eckerd College is known as a college that changes lives. And a trusted figure in higher education agrees. In the revised and expanded edition of the popular guide, COLLEGES THAT CHANGE LIVES: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges, www.ctcl.com, (Penguin; August 2006; 382 pages; $15.00), former New York Times education editor Loren Pope assures families about their choices and profiles 40 colleges, including Eckerd College, that excel at developing potential, values, initiative and risk-taking in a wide range of students. The revised paperback edition is now available for purchase.

In an era when college rankings and name-brand recognition seem to drive the search process, many students, parents and counselors may be left questioning the options for a good college match. Pope believes that the college search should be focused on each student's individual learning style and interests rather than on magazine rankings. Since the book was first published in 1996, students, parents, and college counselors alike have praised this sensible message and informed writing.

The new edition of COLLEGES THAT CHANGE LIVES not only re-examines colleges previously recognized, but also looks at college admission for homeschooled and learning disabled. Other topics include:

- the life-long benefits of a liberal arts education for today’s student

- what these 40 schools can offer students, both academically and socially

- profiles of each college's program and personality

- candid assessments by students, professors, and deans

- information on the success of graduates from these colleges

With over 100,000 copies sold, COLLEGES THAT CHANGE LIVES is a timeless classic that reminds students about the tremendous potential that exists for them if they find the right college match. Eckerd College is one of 2 Florida colleges included in the book. New College in Sarasota is the newest addition.

ABOUT LOREN POPE

Following years as an education journalist and college administrator, Loren Pope went on to found the College Placement Bureau, which counseled families about making informed choices for higher education until his retirement in 2001. His books include The Right College and Looking Beyond the Ivy League. Mr. Pope received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at Eckerd's 2004 Commencement.

Here's how Eckerd College changes lives...

"Coming to Eckerd College was the best decision I've ever made. I really feel that it's propelled my personal enrichment to greater levels than I thought possible. I'm a much more mature, responsible, able, competent individual than I was when I arrived."* – Craig Altemose '06, ECOS president from Morris Plains, New Jersey

"My study abroad experiences at Eckerd have been some of the most fundamentally and profoundly formative of my experiences in the last 4 years... Eckerd has become much more than a school for me; it's an intellectual and emotional home."* – Sarah Sieloff '06, Truman Scholar from Snohomish, Washington

"My experience as a Program for Experienced Learners student has enriched, enlarged and changed my life... As a graduate of Eckerd College, anything you want to build will last!"* – Rene Robinson-Flowers '05, City Councilwoman from St. Petersburg, Florida

*These quotes are not included in "Colleges That Change Lives"

ABOUT ECKERD COLLEGE

Eckerd College is one of only 40 schools listed in Loren Pope's "Colleges That Change Lives." In 2003, Eckerd became one of only 270 colleges to be awarded a Phi Beta Kappa chapter in the academic society's 226-year history; Eckerd was named one of 13 "Institutions of Excellence in the First College Year" by the Policy Center on the First Year of College; and Eckerd was ranked the #1 U.S. baccalaureate institution with the highest proportion of students who study abroad during their undergraduate careers in a NAFSA Association of International Educators study as reported in "The Chronicle of Higher Education."

Since its founding in 1958 as Florida Presbyterian College, Eckerd College has offered an educational experience known for its rigor, complexity, and innovation. Programs such as its Autumn Term for freshmen, 4-1-4 calendar that encourages and supports study abroad and faculty-mentored research during the Winter Term, and the Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College (ASPEC) are nationally recognized. In cooperation with the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)®, the Leadership Development Institute (LDI) program has been ranked among the top 5 providers of executive education worldwide in a Financial Times survey (May 16, 2006).

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