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has named �鶹��ý as 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 two-year colleges. The institutions  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 Aspen Prize Top 150 Community College distinction is a tremendous honor and a testament  to the dedication of our entire campus community," said �鶹��ý President Dr. John Hernandez.  "This recognition underscores �鶹��ý's unwavering commitment to student success and equitable  outcomes for all students.” 

While community colleges are an essential contributor to our nation’s success, student  outcomes vary substantially among institutions. Aspen measures those variances using multiple  data sources and honors colleges with outstanding achievement in six critical areas: teaching  and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce  success, equitable access to the college, and equitable outcomes for students of color and  students from low-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 2025. 

In this first round, eligibility for the Aspen Prize is based on publicly available data. Colleges must  show strong, improving, and equitable student outcomes in first-to-second year retention,  credentials awarded, and completion and transfer rates. Nationwide, about 15 percent of  community colleges have been invited to apply (150 of just under 1,000 public two-year colleges  assessed for Prize eligibility). The full list can be accessed on the Prize homepage. 

“The Aspen Prize is rooted first and foremost in an assessment of whether colleges are walking  the walk,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence  Program. “As community colleges face enrollment variations, enroll students with pandemic- related learning loss, and graduate students into a rapidly changing labor market, it is easy to  lose track of what matters most.  The best community colleges are continuing to focus on  advancing the core mission: making sure as many students as possible graduate with  credentials that lead to fulfilling careers and reflect the development of diverse talent that  communities, states, and our nation need.”