WASHINGTON, D.C. (Nov. 2, 2021) -- The Aspen Institute announced today that 海角视频 was one of the 150 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation's signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America's community colleges. The colleges selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds.
The 150 eligible colleges have been invited to submit data and narratives as the next steps in an intensive data and practice review process, culminating in the announcement of the Prize winner in spring 2023.
芒鈧揈very year the Aspen Institute has had this program, 海角视频 has been named in the top 150 colleges across America,芒鈧� said RLC President Terry Wilkerson. 芒鈧揟his is our seventh time and it is always a high honor. It means we are among the top 15% at retention, completion, transfer, and equity. It recognizes and confirms the shared commitment of faculty, staff and administration here at the college. The methods may be different, but the mission has been the same for more than 50 years. 海角视频 improves our communities with quality education and training options for everyone.芒鈧�
Wilkerson added that Lori Ragland, the college芒鈧劉s Vice President of Instruction and Student Affairs, will be spearheading Rend Lake芒鈧劉s application again. Ragland has had a key role in putting together the last three Aspen applications for RLC.
芒鈧揙ur next step will be to put together a team to complete the application process,芒鈧� Ragland said. 芒鈧揟his team is made up of a cross-section of campus. It芒鈧劉s an honor for us to once again be qualified to apply for the top 10 prize.芒鈧�
The Aspen Prize spotlights exemplary community colleges in order to elevate the sector, drive attention to colleges doing the best work, and discover and share highly effective student success and equity strategies. Since 2010, Aspen has chosen to focus intensively on community colleges because they are
as First Lady Dr. Jill Biden stated at the 2021 Aspen Prize ceremony
芒鈧揳 powerful engine of prosperity.芒鈧�
But student outcomes vary enormously among community colleges, and improving those outcomes is essential to securing our nation芒鈧劉s economic future, strengthening communities, and ensuring that diverse populations experience economic mobility and prosperity. With these goals in mind, the Aspen Prize honors colleges with outstanding achievement in five critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor芒鈧劉s attainment, workforce success, and equity for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.
芒鈧揑n an era of persistent inequity and workforce talent gaps, our nation芒鈧劉s best community colleges are stepping up to deliver more degrees to increasingly diverse students so they are prepared for the good jobs waiting to be filled,芒鈧� said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. 芒鈧揕eaders of exceptional community colleges understand that achieving excellence requires expanding college access and increasing degree completion, but it doesn芒鈧劉t stop there. They are committed to ensuring that all students
including students of color and those from low-income backgrounds
graduate with the skills needed to secure a job with family-sustaining wages or successfully transfer to and graduate from a university. That same commitment that stands at the center of the Aspen Prize: to advance the goals of social mobility and equitable talent development.芒鈧�
The eligible colleges represent the diversity and depth of the community college sector. Located in urban, rural, and suburban areas across 34 states, these colleges serve as few as 230 students and as many as 57,000. Winning colleges have ranged from smaller institutions serving rural community and smaller towns
including Lake Area Technical Institute (SD, 2017 Prize winner) and Walla Walla Community College (WA, 2013)
to large community colleges serving major metropolitan areas, including Miami Dade College (FL, 2019) and San Antonio College (TX, 2021).
The four other previous winners are Indian River State College (FL, 2019); Santa Fe College (FL, 2015); Santa Barbara City College (CA, 2013); and Valencia College (FL, 2011).
In this first round, eligibility for the Aspen Prize is based on publicly available data. Eligible colleges must show strong and improving student outcomes in key areas such as retention, completion, transfer, and equity. Nationwide, 15 percent of community colleges (150 of the approximately 1,000 public two-year colleges nationwide assessed for the Prize) have been invited to apply
the full list can be accessed on the .
The next steps in the process include:
For a full list of the top 150 eligible institutions and to read more on the selection process, visit .
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The Aspen Prize is generously funded by Ascendium and the Joyce Foundation.
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program aims to advance higher education practices, policies, and leadership that significantly improve student outcomes, especially for the growing population of low-income students and students of color on American campuses. For more information, visit www.highered.aspeninstitute.org and , and follow on Twitter. The Aspen Prize hashtag is #AspenPrize.
The Aspen Institute is a community-serving organization with a global reach whose vision is a free, just, and equitable society. For 70 years, the Institute has driven change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the world芒鈧劉s greatest challenges. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Institute has offices in Aspen, Colorado, and New York City, and an international network of partners. For more information, visit .