By EMILY MCCORMICK There's a lot of chatter in the halls of local schools about colleges such as Indiana University, Purdue, University of Southern Indiana and the University of Evansville.

By MARK WILSON, Courier & Press staff writer 464-7417 or wilsonm@courierpress.com The University of Evansville ranks as one of the best values in higher education in the Midwest in U.S. News & World Report's annual "Best Colleges" issue on newsstands today.

By MARK WILSON Courier & Press staff writer 464-7417 or wilsonm@courierpress.com All 12 of the University of Evansville civil engineering students who graduated last spring passed the grueling eight-hour exam necessary to begin their careers, a first for the school.

By LIBBY KEELING, Courier & Press staff writer 464-7450 or keelingl@courierpress.com When Liz Evans, who just returned from a family trip to New Zealand, travels abroad, the 17-year-old said she tries not to have any expectations.

By JOHN MARTIN, Courier & Press staff writer 464-7594 or martinj@courierpress.com Leah Eckert's mother and father are both engineers, and she's interested in following suit. So this week's engineering OPTIONS for Middle School Girls at the University of Evansville was right up Leah's alley.