Three Maricopa Community Colleges have been recognized by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program among the nation’s 120 top community colleges. Estrella Mountain, Paradise Valley and Scottsdale Community Colleges are the only institutions in the State of Arizona to receive the recognition. Each college can compete for a $1 million award through the 2013 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.
Each year, the Aspen Institute identifies the top 10 percent of all institutions that excel in four key areas: graduation rates, degrees awarded, student retention rates, and equity in student outcomes. A full list of the 120 community colleges is available at www.AspenCCPrize.org. The Aspen Institute narrows this list to eight-to-ten finalists in September, and will conduct site visits to each of the finalists in the fall. Prize winners will be announced in March 2013.
“We are honored to have been recognized by the Aspen Institute,” said Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor Rufus Glasper. “As a system, our colleges are the largest workforce trainer in the state of
Arizona. We are working hard to continue improving our student outcomes, and the achievements of Estrella Mountain, Paradise Valley, and Scottsdale Community Colleges are indicative of our success.”
“The success of our nation’s community colleges is more important than ever before,” said Aspen Institute College Excellence Program Executive Director Josh Wyner. “At a time when a college degree is essential to entering the middle class, community colleges offer the most promising path to education and employment for literally millions of Americans.”
A distinguished Prize Jury co-chaired by John Engler, president of Business Roundtable, former Michigan Governor, and former president of the National Association of Manufacturers and Richard Riley, former
South Carolina Governor and U.S. Secretary of Education, will select a grand prize winner and four runners-up, to be announced in March 2013.
Estrella Mountain Community College offers transfer-ready academic courses and job-specific occupational training to approximately 15,000 students annually. The flagship campus is located on Thomas and Dysart Roads in Avondale and is home to the Southwest Skill Center. The satellite campus, EMCC’s Buckeye Educational Center, is located in downtown Buckeye. Estrella Mountain is part of the Maricopa County Community College District, one of the largest community college districts in the nation. www.estrellamountain.edu or www.maricopa.edu .
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