Amarillo College named 1 of 2 winners of 2023 Aspen Prize
Amarillo College (AC) was announced as one of the two winners of the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence on Thursday afternoon.
More than 100 people gathered in the Oak Room of the College Union Building on the AC Washington Street Campus for the announcement. AC is sharing the honors and $1 million prize with Imperial Valley College in California.
The announcement was viewed on campus via a livestream from Washington, D.C., where AC President Russell Lowery-Hart and several other presidents from the finalist colleges were in attendance.
Lowery-Hart made a speech after receving the award, congratulating the other winning school, as well as AC and all of its staff and students.
"Our power, collectively, is that we love everybody, that we accept and build pathways for everyone, from every walk of life, with every goal. We include everyone. We are the definition of inclusion because everyone is invited to the table," Lowery-Hart said.
The Aspen Prize, which is awarded every two years, is the nation’s signature recognition of the best community college in the nation.
Amarillo College earned Top 5 national recognition in 2021 and was named a “Rising Star.” This year, AC once again was among the 10 finalists from across the nation vying for the $1 million Aspen Prize.
"Today is a miraculous day for AC. Out of 12,000 community colleges, AC is in the top 10," said Michele Fortunato, AC board member, filling in for Lowery-Hart at the on-campus gathering held ahead of the announcement.
“It’s both thrilling and humbling to be included among the Top 10 Aspen finalists twice in succession,” Lowery-Hart said in an earlier AC news release. “Just like last time, we’re up against nine incredible schools, and of course the chips will fall where they may. But I know in my heart that the Amarillo College workforce and its leadership team strive relentlessly for excellence, not in the pursuit of awards, but in the belief that our students and this community deserve to have a College that is worthy of being considered the nation’s very best.”
Lowery-Hart also said in the release that a State of the College Celebration is planned for the Washington Street Campus on May 5.
The prize selection process for this cycle began in October 2021, when the Aspen Institute invited 150 colleges to apply, based on data showing strong and improving student outcomes in key areas such as retention, completion, transfer, and equity. The Top 10 finalists were selected last June, and each has since undergone extensive scrutiny, including onsite visits by the Aspen Committee.
Other 2023 finalists included Broward College of Florida, Hostos Community College of New York, Kingsborough Community College of New York, Moorpark College of California, Northwest Iowa Community College of Iowa, San Jacinto College of Texas, South Puget Sound Community College of Washington and Southwest Wisconsin Technical College of Wisconsin.
This is a developing story; more coverage of the live event to follow.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo College named 1 of 2 2023 Aspen Prize winners
