Aspen Prize Winners and Finalists
2023 Aspen Prize Winners
Winners / $500,000 Award
Amarillo College (TX)
Guided by a commitment to “love students to success,” Amarillo increased completion rates and delivered more students into good jobs with high salaries.
Imperial Valley College (CA)
Imperial Valley built a college-going culture in its region, starting with deep K-12 partnerships and continuing on to clear pathways to job-ready bachelor’s degrees.
Watch the awards ceremony, featuring President of Paul Quinn College, Michael Sorrel and Former Governor of Massachusetts, Jane Swift, here.
Amarillo College (TX)
Guided by a commitment to “love students to success,” Amarillo increased completion rates and delivered more students into good jobs with high salaries.
Imperial Valley College (CA)
Imperial Valley built a college-going culture in its region, starting with deep K-12 partnerships and continuing on to clear pathways to job-ready bachelor’s degrees.
Watch the awards ceremony, featuring President of Paul Quinn College, Michael Sorrel and Former Governor of Massachusetts, Jane Swift, here.
Winners and Finalists by Year
2023
Winners
Amarillo College (TX)
Guided by a commitment to “love students to success,” Amarillo increased completion rates and delivered more students into good jobs with high salaries.
Imperial Valley College (CA)
Imperial Valley built a college-going culture in its region, starting with deep K-12 partnerships and continuing on to clear pathways to job-ready bachelor’s degrees.
Finalists
Broward College (FL)
Hostos Community College (CUNY) (NY)
Kingsborough Community College (CUNY) (NY)
Moorpark College (CA)
Northwest Iowa Community College (IA)
San Jacinto College (TX)
South Puget Sound Community College (WA)
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College (WI)
Amarillo College (TX)
Guided by a commitment to “love students to success,” Amarillo increased completion rates and delivered more students into good jobs with high salaries.
Imperial Valley College (CA)
Imperial Valley built a college-going culture in its region, starting with deep K-12 partnerships and continuing on to clear pathways to job-ready bachelor’s degrees.
Finalists
Broward College (FL)
Hostos Community College (CUNY) (NY)
Kingsborough Community College (CUNY) (NY)
Moorpark College (CA)
Northwest Iowa Community College (IA)
San Jacinto College (TX)
South Puget Sound Community College (WA)
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College (WI)
2021
Winner / $600,000 Award
San Antonio College, Alamo Colleges District (TX)
SAC dramatically improved degree completion by developing a caring culture undergirded by an unusually robust culture of inquiry and action.
Finalists With Distinction / $100,000 Award
Broward College (FL)
San Jacinto College (TX)
West Kentucky Community and Technical College (KY)
Rising Star / $100,000 Award
Amarillo College (TX)
Finalists
Borough of Manhattan Community College (NY)
Odessa College (TX)
Pasadena City College (CA)
Pierce College (WA)
Tallahassee Community College (FL)
San Antonio College, Alamo Colleges District (TX)
SAC dramatically improved degree completion by developing a caring culture undergirded by an unusually robust culture of inquiry and action.
Finalists With Distinction / $100,000 Award
Broward College (FL)
San Jacinto College (TX)
West Kentucky Community and Technical College (KY)
Rising Star / $100,000 Award
Amarillo College (TX)
Finalists
Borough of Manhattan Community College (NY)
Odessa College (TX)
Pasadena City College (CA)
Pierce College (WA)
Tallahassee Community College (FL)
2019
Winners
Indian River State College (FL)
IRSC’s focus on data-driven continuous improvement and customer service led to the development of clear guided pathways and exceptional transfer and baccalaureate outcomes.
Miami Dade College (FL)
MDC showed that one of the largest, most diverse colleges can achieve successful, student-centered reforms at scale in teaching and learning, developmental education, and guided pathways.
Indian River State College (FL)
IRSC’s focus on data-driven continuous improvement and customer service led to the development of clear guided pathways and exceptional transfer and baccalaureate outcomes.
Miami Dade College (FL)
MDC showed that one of the largest, most diverse colleges can achieve successful, student-centered reforms at scale in teaching and learning, developmental education, and guided pathways.
2017
Winner
Lake Area Technical College (SD)
Lake Area Tech posted best-in-the-nation completion and employment rates—and closed gaps for low-income students—through cohort-based block instruction and exemplary employer partnerships.
Lake Area Technical College (SD)
Lake Area Tech posted best-in-the-nation completion and employment rates—and closed gaps for low-income students—through cohort-based block instruction and exemplary employer partnerships.
2015
Winner
Santa Fe College (FL)
Santa Fe excelled through collaborative, creative, technology-aided efforts to get and keep students on track—an example of its impressive, nimble culture of innovation.
Santa Fe College (FL)
Santa Fe excelled through collaborative, creative, technology-aided efforts to get and keep students on track—an example of its impressive, nimble culture of innovation.
Finalists with Distinction
Lake Area Technical College (SD)
West Kentucky Community and Technical College (KY)
Lake Area Technical College (SD)
West Kentucky Community and Technical College (KY)
2013
Winners
Santa Barbara City College (CA)
SBCC excelled—and maintained an exceptional graduation rate—by reaching out to underserved populations and pairing academic rigor with intensive supports.
Walla Walla Community College (WA)
Walla Walla spurred economic development by adapting quickly to workforce changes and even introducing a new industry to the region by building educational programming.
Santa Barbara City College (CA)
SBCC excelled—and maintained an exceptional graduation rate—by reaching out to underserved populations and pairing academic rigor with intensive supports.
Walla Walla Community College (WA)
Walla Walla spurred economic development by adapting quickly to workforce changes and even introducing a new industry to the region by building educational programming.
2011
Winner
Valencia College (FL)
Valencia’s singular focus on students and innovative approaches to partnerships, human capital, and finance yielded exceptional outcomes in graduation, transfer, and the workforce.
Valencia College (FL)
Valencia’s singular focus on students and innovative approaches to partnerships, human capital, and finance yielded exceptional outcomes in graduation, transfer, and the workforce.
The Aspen Prize is made possible by generous support from Ascendium, JPMorgan Chase, the Joyce Foundation, and the Kresge Foundation.
Contact us for more information.
Ben Barrett, Program Manager