Thursday, November 18, 2021
CVTC Named in Top 150 for Community Colleges
College now eligible to compete for $1 million prize
Aspen Institute named Chippewa Valley Technical College one of 150 institutions 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.
CVTC is one of more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide chosen as having high and improving levels of student success as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds.
“We are honored to be recognized as a leader throughout the nation of equitable outcomes,” said Sunem Beaton-Garcia, CVTC president. “Our instructors and staff are dedicated to fostering lifelong learning for our students – not only while they are learning with us, but well beyond graduation.”
The 150 eligible colleges have been invited to submit data and narratives as the next steps in an intensive data and practice review process, culminating in the announcement of the prize winner in spring 2023.
The Aspen Prize spotlights exemplary community colleges to elevate the sector, drive attention to colleges doing the best work and discover and share highly effective student success and equity strategies.
With these goals in mind, the Aspen Prize honors colleges with outstanding achievement in five critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, and equity for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.
“In an era of persistent inequity and workforce talent gaps, our nation’s best community colleges are stepping up to deliver more degrees to increasingly diverse students so they are prepared for the good jobs waiting to be filled,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program.
Nationwide, 15 percent of community colleges (150 of the approximately 1,000 public two-year colleges nationwide assessed for the Prize) have been invited to apply — the full list can be accessed on the Prize homepage.
The next steps in the process include:
- Selection of the top ten finalists by an expert panel of 15 experts in community colleges, higher education, and workforce training, to be announced in spring/summer 2022.
- Fall 2022 site visits to each of the ten finalists, during which the Aspen Institute and partners will collect additional information, including employment and earnings data and insights about promising practices.
- A distinguished jury will meet and make award decisions in the first quarter of early 2023.
- Announcement of the Aspen Prize in late spring 2023
For a full list of the top 150 eligible institutions and to read more on the selection process, visit the Aspen Institute website.
