Best Colleges | Stanford ranked 5th in Forbes’ annual “Best Colleges” list, rising from sixth place in 2010. The Farm ranks first in the West, second among research universities and fourth among private schools. Local schools Santa Clara University and UC Berkeley also saw large jumps in their rankings.

Williams Wins | Tennis phenom Serena Williams won the Stanford Final Thursday, upsetting third-seeded Marion Bartoli of France 7-5, 6-1. This is Williams’ first title of the year, and she is set to compete in the Rogers Cup next week in Toronto.

SMASH-ing Dreams | 80 local high school students have moved into campus for Summer Math and Science Honors Academy (SMASH), a program designed for students from lower income backgrounds to develop their skills and passions in math and science. Read more about the program in today’s San Jose Mercury News.

African Art | The Cantor Arts Center debuts its reinstallation of the African Art gallery this week. The newly reconfigured gallery features six millennia of art objects from that continent, some of which have been in storage since  they were acquired by Mrs. Stanford at the turn of the century.

Follow The Daily | Facebook, Twitter, daily email digest