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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program has named Kennebec Valley Community College as one of 150 community colleges across the U.S. 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.
Washington County Community College, in Machias, is also among the 150 finalists. Based on strong and improving in 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, according to the institute.
The top 10 finalists for the 2021 Aspen Prize will be named in May. The Aspen Institute will then conduct site visits to each of the finalists and collect additional quantitative data, including employment and earnings data. A distinguished jury will make award decisions in spring 2021.
“We are delighted to be ranked once again by the Aspen Institute as being among the top community colleges in the country,” said Richard Hopper, KVCC president. “There are over 1,200 community colleges across the US, so this puts KVCC quite firmly in the top 10 percent nationally. This is a testament to the hard work of our faculty and staff, but also to the tenacity of our students who often work full-time and have family obligations. I’m very proud of the college and our community.”
The 150 community colleges named 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.
Data show that over the last two years, student retention, graduation rates, and degree completion have improved at the top tier of 150 Aspen Prize-eligible colleges.
“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 at what they do,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “We’re pleased to see evidence that these institutions are improving, that more are delivering on their promise. We’re also pleased to play a role in honoring outstanding community colleges and sharing what works to ensure great outcomes for students–through graduation and beyond.”
