The Aspen Institute has named the 10 finalists for the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.
To compile this list, a 15-member expert selection committee reviewed more than 100 applications. The prize—which comes with $1 million to be shared with the winner and up to four finalists with distinction—recognizes high-achieving public community colleges based on four factors:
- Student learning;
- Certificate and degree completion;
- Employment and earnings for graduates; and
- Access and success for minority and low-income students.
The 2019 finalists
- Palo Alto College* (PAC)
- Broward College* (BC)
- CUNY Kingsborough Community College*
- Indian River State College (IRSC)
- Miami Dade College*
- Mitchell Technical Institute (MTI)
- Odessa College (OC)
- Pasadena City College
- Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom
- San Jacinto College
*Editor’s note: EAB congratulates our member institutions who made the list. Member institutions listed above are marked with an asterisk.
The finalists all share a commitment to improve student academic success, design pathways aligned to regional workforce demands and to equip students with the skills to succeed in the workforce of four-year institution.
Seven of this year’s nominees have been finalists in previous rounds. In 2017, IRSC and BC advanced as finalists with distinction. Similarly, both San Jac and OC earned the Rising Star award in 2017 for rapid improvement. First-timers on the list include PAC, MTI, and Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom.
In 2017, Lake Area Technical Institute took the Aspen Prize. In the remainder of 2018, the Institute will review the finalists and look at data on performance and improvements in learning, graduation rates, workforce, and equitable outcomes. The winner and finalists with distinction will be announced in early 2019 (Kenyon, TCPalm, 5/17; College, Suburban Times, 5/17; Aspen Institute, press release, 5/17; Aspen Institute, blog post, 5/17).
Related: How Lake Area Technical Institute achieved a 99% graduate employment rate
