MECC in contention to seek $1 million prize

Mountain Empire Community College is one of 150 community colleges nationwide that are eligible to compete for a $1 million prize recognizing excellence in community colleges.

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program this week named MECC as one of the schools that can compete for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

The institute describes the prize as “the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America's community colleges.”

Based on strong and improving student outcomes — including in learning, completion rates, employment rates and earnings and equity — 15 percent of community colleges nationwide have been invited to apply for the prize, according to a press release.

“MECC spends a great deal of time and effort creating and offering programs designed to provide students with the greatest opportunity for completion and success,” college President Kristen Westover said. “It is certainly rewarding to be recognized as an Aspen Institute Top 150 College for our accomplishments related to these endeavors.”

The 150 colleges were selected from a pool of nearly 1,000 public two-year colleges nationwide using publicly available data on student outcomes. The chosen schools are located in 39 states in urban, rural, and suburban areas, serving as few as 500 students and as many as 75,000 students.

“Community colleges play a vital role in developing talent and enabling social mobility across the country, and it’s critical for them to get better at what they do,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “We’re pleased to see evidence that these institutions are improving, that more are delivering on their promise. We’re also pleased to play a role in honoring outstanding community colleges and sharing what works to ensure great outcomes for students — through graduation and beyond.”

The top 10 finalists for the 2021 Aspen Prize will be named in May 2020. The Aspen Institute will then conduct site visits to each of the finalists and collect additional data, including employment and earnings data. A distinguished jury will make award decisions in spring 2021.

For a full list of the top 150 eligible institutions and to read more on the selection process, visit www.highered.aspeninstitute.org/aspen-prize.

The Aspen Institute is described in the release as “a community-serving organization with global reach whose vision is a free, just, and equitable society. For 70 years, the Institute has driven change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the world’s greatest challenges.”