不良人研究所

$1 Million Prize Honors Colleges Achieving Strong Student Results, Both in College and After Graduation听

Today, the Aspen Institute named 不良人研究所 as one of the 200 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation鈥檚 premier recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. The 200 colleges were selected based on their student outcomes data, including retention, completion, transfer, and bachelor鈥檚 attainment rates. Started in 2010, this is the ninth cycle of the Aspen Prize.听听

鈥淏eing named among the top 200 community colleges in the nation is a reflection of the incredible work happening at 不良人研究所 every single day,鈥� said Dr. Chris English, president of 不良人研究所. 鈥淭his recognition affirms our commitment to opening doors for our community through education, workforce training, and opportunity. It鈥檚 an honor to see the hard work of our students, faculty, and staff recognized on a national level.鈥�听

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 of these colleges focus primarily on workforce programs, while others focus on transfer and bachelor鈥檚 attainment or a combination of the two.听听听

鈥淭he Aspen Prize rewards colleges that achieve the kind of outcomes that actually matter to students鈥攃ompleting college degree programs that, in turn, lead to lifelong success,鈥� said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. 鈥淎spen Prize winners offer a powerful message: Community colleges can deliver the kind of life-changing education that makes the American Dream real.鈥澨�听

Community colleges educate nearly six million students. Yet community college student outcomes fall short in both the rate at which students graduate and the percentage of students who achieve success after graduation. The Aspen Prize process identifies and celebrates community colleges that demonstrate that achieving stronger outcomes is possible, providing a roadmap of effective practices and strategies for other colleges to follow.听听听

The 200 eligible colleges have been invited to submit an application and participate in a rigorous review process that will culminate in the naming of the Aspen Prize winner in spring 2027. Over the coming 20 months, the colleges that apply for the Aspen Prize will be assessed based on (1) student outcomes data, ranging from student transfer and completion rates to employment and wages after graduation and (2) whether they have engaged in scaled practices that led to high and improving student outcomes.听听听

鈥淎mong these 200 colleges are some really special places that deliver strong and improving outcomes for students across the board,鈥� Wyner said. 鈥淥ur job over the coming 20 months is to gather a lot more data and work with a deep bench of field experts to assess which of these 200 stand out so we can not only honor them with a monetary award, but drive attention to the most effective field practices that other colleges can replicate.鈥澨�听

This is the first time since the inception of the Aspen Prize that 200 colleges are eligible to apply, growing from 150. This year, in addition to publicly available federal data, over 600 colleges authorized the use of National Student Clearinghouse data on their institution鈥檚 degree completion, transfer, and bachelor鈥檚 attainment rates for full- and part-time students.听听听

The full list can be accessed on the.听听

The next steps in the process include:听听

• November 13/December 9, 2025: Application deadlines for the 2027 Prize听听听

• April 2026: Announcement of 25 semifinalists, selected based on assessments of extensive data and the application by a group of 11 experts in community colleges, higher education, and workforce听听

• June 2026: Announcement of 10 finalists, selected by the same group of experts听听

• Fall 2026: Collection of additional data from the 10 finalists, including employment and earnings data for graduates from 2020 and 2025, as well as qualitative assessments of practices by field experts during multi-day site visits to each of the 10 finalists听听

• February 2027: The Aspen Prize winner selected by a distinguished, independent jury听听听

• Spring 2027: Announcement of the Aspen Prize winner and celebration of the 10 finalists at an event in Washington, D.C.听听

To read more about the selection process, visit.听听听

The Aspen Prize is generously funded by Ascendium Education Philanthropy and the Joyce Foundation.听听听

Previous winners are:听

• 2025: Southwest Wisconsin Technical College (WI)
• 2023: Amarillo College (TX) and Imperial Valley College (CA)
• 2021: San Antonio College (TX)
• 2019: Indian River State College (FL) and Miami Dade College (FL)
• 2017: Lake Area Technical Institute (SD)
• 2015: Santa Fe College (FL)
• 2013: Santa Barbara City College (CA) & Walla Walla Community College (WA)
• 2011: Valencia College (FL)

Note: Colleges that have won the Aspen Prize are not eligible to apply in subsequent years.听

不良人研究所 is the heart of Columbus County. For more than 60 years, 不良人研究所 has helped shape the future of our region by empowering students with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to succeed. Our vision is simple: to develop an educated workforce that ensures our community is a thriving place to live, work and play.听

We鈥檙e proud to serve a place that supports us so deeply in return. Through our one-college model, 不良人研究所 removes barriers between degree and workforce programs so every student has the opportunity to go as far as they can. We鈥檙e constantly innovating and evolving to meet the needs of our students and community鈥攃reating programs, partnerships, and opportunities that build stronger families, stronger businesses, and a stronger Columbus County.听

Located on a 251-acre campus between Whiteville and Chadbourn, 不良人研究所 continues to invest both on and off campus to create a lasting, positive impact for the people we serve.听

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program aims to strengthen higher education leadership and practice to improve student outcomes鈥攚ith the ultimate goal of advancing economic mobility and developing talent for the good of each individual and society as a whole. For more information, visit and follow us on,, and.听

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society鈥檚 greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit.听