From Germanna Community College:
For the second time, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program today named Germanna Community College as one of 150 community colleges 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. Based on strong and improving student outcomes—including in learning, completion rates, employment rates and earnings, and equity—15 percent of community colleges nationwide have been invited to apply for the Aspen Prize. The award is given every two years. Germanna was also cited in 2017.
“Being chosen for this honor twice in three years indicates that we are on the right track with our efforts to support student success at Germanna,” said GCC President Janet Gullickson. “We’re proud of our students, faculty and staff. We’re committed to the idea that when our students succeed, so do our communities. At Germanna, we love our students.”
The 150 community colleges named today as eligible to compete for the 2021 Aspen Prize were selected from a pool of nearly 1,000 public two-year colleges nationwide using publicly available data on student outcomes. Located in 39 states in urban, rural, and suburban areas, serving as few as 500 students and as many as 75,000 students, these colleges represent the diversity and depth of the community college sector.
“Community colleges play a vital role in developing talent and enabling social mobility across the country, and it’s critical for them to get better atwhat they do,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “We’re pleased to see evidence that theseinstitutions are improving, that more are delivering on their promise. We’re also pleased to play a role in honoring outstanding communitycolleges and sharing what works to ensure great outcomes for students—through graduation and beyond.”
The top 10 finalists for the 2021 Aspen Prize will be named in May 2020. The Aspen Institute will then conduct site visits to each of the finalistsand collect additional quantitative data, including employment and earnings data. A distinguished jury will make award decisions in spring 2021.
Previous winners of the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence are: Miami Dade College (FL) and Indian River State College (FL), 2019;Lake Area Technical College (SD), 2017; Santa Fe College (FL), 2015; Santa Barbara City College (CA) and Walla Walla Community College(WA), 2013; Valencia College (FL), 2011.
For a full list of the top 150 eligible institutions and to read more on the selection process, visit www.highered.aspeninstitute.org/aspen-prize.
