Northeast Iowa Community College was among the 10 community colleges nationally recognized at a ceremony Monday in Washington D.C.
NICC was not among the five finalists to share in the prize purse.
The top winner and four finalists with distinction, chosen from the list of 10, were announced at the ceremony for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence and share in the $1 million in award money from the Aspen Institute. The organization several months ago named its list of top 10 community colleges. NICC was chosen to be in the top 10 from among all 1,200 of the nation’s community colleges.
The four finalists with distinction each received $100,000, while the winner, Valencia Community College in Orlando, received $600,000.
Following a year-long research process, the Aspen Institute identified five community colleges that are distinctive because they deliver high levels of success for their students in gaining knowledge and skills; completing degree or certificate programs; obtaining jobs with competitive wages after graduation, and striving to ensure equitable outcomes and success rates for all student populations, officials said.
The Prize celebrates these top performers both to help elevate the community college sector nationwide and help other community colleges understand how to improve outcomes for the 7 million students – nearly half of all in post-secondary education — attending community colleges.
