The Aspen Institute has again named Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura colleges among the 150 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. The institutions selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds.
The Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence spotlights exemplary community colleges in order to research highly effective student success strategies shared with the field while also driving attention to colleges achieving post-graduate success for all students. Nationwide, about 15 percent of community colleges have been invited to apply (150 of just under 1,000 public two-year colleges assessed for Prize eligibility), an honor also extended to all three Ventura County community colleges for the 2023-2025 prize.
In the 2021-2023 award cycle, Oxnard College, Moorpark College, and Ventura College were named among the top 150 colleges eligible for the prize. Moorpark College advanced to the top 10 finalists, ultimately placing fourth in the nation for the 2023 Community College Excellence Prize.
Following the announcement of being named eligible for the prize, the VCCCD board and college presidents expressed their appreciation of the honor:
“The eligibility of all three of our colleges for the Aspen Prize again highlights the consistent quality of our education, the dedication of our faculty, staff, and administrators, and the achievements of our students,” said Board Chair Bernardo Perez. “We celebrate this milestone and remain committed to advancing the standards of community college education for the benefit of our community.”
“I am profoundly honored that Ventura College has been chosen to submit for the esteemed Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence for the second consecutive year. Our dedicated faculty and professional staff have exhibited an unwavering commitment to improving educational outcomes for our students, as exemplified by their relentless efforts to expand student access and support services including basic needs-food, future housing, mental health services, and more. We are eagerly looking forward to the opportunity to highlight our hard work for the prize’s consideration.” said Kim Hoffmans, President of Ventura College.
The 150 eligible colleges have been invited to submit student success data and narratives about strategies to achieve better and more equitable student outcomes as the next step in an intensive review process that culminates in the naming of the Aspen Prize winner in spring 2025.
For a full list of the top 150 eligible institutions and to read more on the selection process, visit highered.aspeninstitute.org/aspen-prize.
