Two Louisiana community colleges receive Aspen Prize recognition among top 150 in nation
South Louisiana Community College is one of two community colleges in Louisiana to earn one of the nation’s signature awards for community colleges.
The Aspen Prize, awarded every two years, recognizes the top 15% of two-year colleges across the nation that have demonstrated exceptional achievement.
According to the website, President Obama called it “the Oscars for great community colleges.” The 2025 Aspen Prize cycle began in October 2023, when the Aspen Institute invited 150 community colleges to apply, based on data showing strong and improving student outcomes in key areas such as retention, completion, transfer and equity.
South Louisiana Community College earned the Aspen Prize top 150 designation for the third consecutive time.
"We are so thankful for the recognition, but even more so, the opportunity to serve Acadiana," said Anne Falgout, director of communications. "We are excited that our efforts are getting noticed. This achievement underscores SLCC's unwavering commitment to excellence in community college education and its dedication to fostering a culture of everyday excellence."
The Aspen Prize selection process includes submitting data and narratives for an intensive review, with the top 10 finalists set to be announced in 2024. These finalists will participate in site visits to determine the 2025 $1 million Aspen Prize winner.
To award the Aspen Prize, the College Excellence Program engages in a rigorous two-year process that assesses student outcomes at more than 1,000 U.S. community colleges. Round 1 identifies approximately 150 community colleges that are invited to apply for the Aspen Prize. In Round 2, the Aspen Prize Selection Committee, a group of 16 higher education experts, selects 25 semifinalist institutions and then narrows the list to 10 finalists. In Round 3, Aspen conducts two-day site visits to each finalist institution and chooses the winner.
“This acknowledgment is the result of amazing work over the last several years toward achieving our strategic plan, and it is a testament to the dedication and commitment of our faculty, staff, and students who work tirelessly to ensure that SLCC is a place of excellence and opportunity for everyone," said Dr. Vincent June, SLCC Chancellor.
“The Aspen Prize is rooted first and foremost in an assessment of whether colleges are walking the walk,” Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, said. “As community colleges face enrollment variations, enroll students with pandemic-related learning loss, and graduate students into a rapidly changing labor market, it is easy to lose track of what matters most.
"The best community colleges are continuing to focus on advancing the core mission: making sure as many students as possible graduate with credentials that lead to fulfilling careers.”
Central Louisiana Technical Community College in Alexandria is the other community college in Louisiana to earn the recognition.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Aspen Institute names two Louisiana colleges among nation's top 150
