The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program recently chose Highline College as one of the top 150 community colleges in the country.
The honor allows Highline to apply for prize funds totaling $1 million as part of the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence in 2023.
The award is considered the nation’s signature recognition for America’s community colleges. It honors colleges with outstanding achievement in teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, and equity for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.
Dr. John Mosby
“In reflecting on Highline College being one of the 150 colleges across the country eligible for the Aspen Prize, I immediately think of our students, the successes they enjoy and the challenges they face,” Highline College President Dr. John Mosby said. “I appreciate the commitment of our faculty and staff to be here to teach, serve and stand alongside our students.”
Out of the thousand-plus community colleges nationwide, the colleges Aspen selected were determined to have very good student outcomes, making them eligible for the prize.
“We are honored by this recognition but it is not the end,” Mosby said. “It serves as an incentive to continue our efforts to infuse equity into all aspects of our work, to provide clear Degree Pathways for an outstanding academic experience and to align our services to be available for students the first time they inquire about enrolling and still there when they walk across the commencement stage.”
Established in 2011, the Aspen Prize is awarded every two years. This is Highline’s second time being selected to apply for the prize. Ten finalists will be chosen with one winner receiving $600,000, and three finalists with distinction and one rising star each receiving $100,000.
Nine other Washington colleges are among the top 150, recognizing the state’s strong two-year system:
- Bellingham Technical College
- Clark College
- Columbia Basin College
- Green River College
- Pierce College District
- Renton Technical College
- South Puget Sound Community College
- Wenatchee Valley College
- Yakima Valley College
The Aspen College Excellence Program
The Aspen Prize is funded by the Joyce Foundation, the Siemens Foundation and the Kresge Foundation.
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program aims to advance higher education practices, policies and leadership that significantly improve student outcomes. Through the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the New College Leadership Project and other initiatives, the College Excellence Program works to improve colleges’ understanding and capacity to teach and graduate students, especially the growing population of low-income and minority students on American campuses.
The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners.