The Aspen Institute on Wednesday announced its list of 25 community colleges that are semi-finalists for the $1 million Aspen Prize. It will announce the 10 finalists in early June.
The semi-finalists include several colleges that are perennial to the biennial list, previous finalists as well as colleges making the list for the first time. Four colleges are located in Florida, and three are in New York, specifically in the City University of New York system. States that have two colleges on the list include California, Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.
The 25 colleges are:
- Amarillo College (Texas)
- Broward College (Florida)
- Cloud County Community College (Kansas)
- Elgin Community College (Illinois)
- Georgia Highlands College
- Harper College (Illinois)
- Hostos Community College (New York)
- Imperial Valley College (California)
- Itawamba Community College (Mississippi)
- Kingsborough Community College (New York)
- LaGuardia Community College (New York)
- Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
- Moorpark College (California)
- North Iowa Area Community College
- Northwest Iowa Community College
- Pierce College District (Washington)
- San Jacinto College (Texas)
- Seminole State College of Florida
- South Florida State College
- South Puget Sound Community College (Washington)
- Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
- Southwestern Community College (North Carolina)
- Tallahassee Community College (Florida)
- Union County College (New Jersey)
- Western Technical College (Wisconsin)
Five of the colleges — Amarillo, Broward, Pierce, San Jactino and Tallahassee — were top 10 finalists for the 2021 award.
Awarded every two years since 2011, the prize recognizes outstanding institutions selected from a pool of more than 1,000 public community colleges nationwide. The winner, finalists with distinction and a rising star will be announced in spring 2023 and share in a $1 million award.
