The Aspen Institute has named the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville as one of 200 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s premier recognition for high achievement and performance among two-year colleges.
The 200 colleges were selected based on student-outcomes data, including retention, completion, transfer, and bachelor’s-degree attainment rates. The Aspen Prize, first awarded in 2011, is now in its ninth cycle.
“It is an honor to be recognized once again by the Aspen Institute for the dedication and achievements of our students, faculty, and staff,” said Dr. Brian Shonk, chancellor of UACCB, in a release announcing the honor. “The Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence is the highest recognition for community colleges nationwide, and earning a spot among the top 200 institutions serves as a powerful affirmation of the outstanding impact we continue to make in our community and in the lives of our students.”
Together, these 200 colleges represent the breadth and diversity of the community-college sector. They are located in urban, rural, and suburban areas across the country and serve anywhere from a few hundred students to tens of thousands. Some focus primarily on workforce programs, others on transfer and bachelor’s-degree attainment, or a combination of both.
“The Aspen Prize rewards colleges that achieve the kind of outcomes that actually matter to students — completing college programs that, in turn, lead to lifelong success,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program. “Aspen Prize winners offer a powerful message: community colleges can deliver the kind of life-changing education that makes the American Dream real.”
Community colleges educate nearly six million students nationwide. Yet student outcomes at many such colleges fall short in both graduation rates and post-graduation success. The Aspen Prize process identifies and celebrates community colleges that demonstrate that stronger outcomes are possible, providing a roadmap of effective practices and strategies for other institutions to follow.
Image provided by UACCB
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