By Jayson Larson/TVCC Public Information
Being recognized as one of the best never gets old.
For the third consecutive year, the Washington, D.C.-based Aspen Institute has named Trinity Valley Community College as one of the top 150 community colleges in the nation. The distinction makes TVCC eligible to compete for the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence and $1 million in prize funds.
Ten finalists will be named this fall. Prize winners will be announced in early 2015.
TVCC was selected from a national pool of more than 1,000 public two-year colleges.
“Trinity Valley Community College and its faculty and staff are accustomed to achieving and maintaining excellence. This is once again validated by the recognition of being one of the top community colleges in the nation by the Aspen Institute,” TVCC President Dr. Glendon Forgey said. “After earning this honor the past two years, TVCC faculty and staff continue to work diligently and with great commitment to ensure that the college is among the best in the nation and that the college provides the resources necessary to make our students successful.”
The prize, awarded every two years, is the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges. It recognizes institutions for exceptional student outcomes in four areas: student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings, and high levels of access and success for minority and low-income students.
The Aspen Institute identified the top 150 community colleges through an assessment of institutional performance, improvement and equity on student retention and completion measures.
Nearly half of America’s college students attend community college, with more than 7 million students – youth and adult learners – working towards certificates and degrees in these institutions across the country.
“Community colleges have tremendous power to change lives, and their success will increasingly define our nation’s economic strength and the potential for social mobility for every American,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “This competition is designed to spotlight the excellent work being done in the most effective community colleges, those that best help students obtain meaningful, high-quality education and training for competitive-wage jobs after college. We hope it will raise the bar and provide a roadmap for community colleges nationwide.”
The 2013 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence was awarded to co-winners Santa Barbara City College (California) and Walla Walla Community College (Washington). Valencia College (Florida) was the inaugural Prize winner in 2011.
For more information and for a complete list of the 150 community colleges, visit AspenPrize.org.