Gateway Community and Technical College eligible to compete for the Aspen Prize after being named one of the nation’s top 150 community colleges

Gateway Community and Technical College is celebrating being named one of the top 150 community colleges in the country by The Aspen Institute.

According to an article on Gateway Community and Technical College’s website, president Dr. Fernando Figueroa said of the honor, “We are thrilled to be ranked among the top 150 community colleges in the nation. It is a testament to the ongoing hard work and outstanding performance of our students, faculty, and staff here at Gateway.”

In order to have been eligible to be named one of the top 150 institutions, a school had to display high levels of academic success and, among that success, display equitable outcomes for low-income and Black and Hispanic students.

The executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, Josh Wyner, discussed a little about what the Aspen Prize is, and how schools can improve and seek to win the prize, saying, “The Aspen Prize is rooted first and foremost in an assessment of whether colleges are walking the walk. 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 and reflect the development of diverse talent that communities, states, and our nation need.”

Now that the top 150 schools have been named, those schools are invited to submit data on several points to be considered in the next steps in the process along the road to vying for the $1 million prize. Schools will submit data about student success and narratives from students for review. The Aspen Institute is interested in measuring community college student success due to the wide variance of student outcomes across the board.

Of the top 150, Wyner said, “These 150 colleges have achieved high and improving levels of student success for all students, including those who are often failed by our institutions. We’re excited to learn over the coming months how they achieved that success so we can share the most impressive practices with others in the field.”

There are still several steps between being named in the top 150 and earning the Aspen Prize. In April, 25 semi finalists will be named based on submitted data and interviews. In June, 10 finalists will be named. Next fall, The Aspen Institute will conduct site visits at each of the 10 finalist institutions. Finally, in the spring of 2025, the winner will be announced.

For more information about The Aspen Institute, visit its website.

For more information about Gateway Community and Technical College, visit the school’s website.