Broward College is one of 20 Community Colleges Being Considered for $1 Million National Prize that Recognizes Excellence in Student Outcomes, Both in College and After Graduation

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Broward College is proud to announce that it has been named a semifinalist for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The $1 million award is the nation's signature recognition of high achievement and performance among community colleges.

“We are very pleased to be recognized as one of the top colleges in the United States,” said Dr. Donald P. Astrab, interim president and chief executive officer of Broward College. “To be one of 20 to make it this far speaks volumes about the depth and breadth of our students and faculty, and the quality education we provide every day.”

Broward College was one of more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide to be reviewed and being one of 20 semifinalists judged 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.

Awarded every two years, the Aspen Prize honors colleges with outstanding performance in six critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, broad access to the college and its offerings, and equitable outcomes for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.

The winner will be announced in the spring of 2025.

“Each of these colleges has demonstrated a sustained commitment to moving beyond enrollment and retention as the markers of student success to defining their success by whether the education they provide changes lives,” said Joshua Wyner, executive director of the Aspen College Excellence Program. “These colleges understand that enrollment and graduation matter most when tied tightly to post-graduation success in transferring for a bachelor’s degree and in securing fulfilling, good-paying jobs and careers.”

The Aspen Prize selection process began in October 2023 when Aspen invited 150 community colleges to apply, based on data showing strong, improving, and equitable student outcomes in key areas such as retention, completion, and transfer. One hundred and eighteen colleges applied, and their applications went to a diverse selection committee of 18 higher education experts who assessed each application based on extensive data and narrative answers to questions.

Following interviews with leadership teams from applicants receiving top scores, 20 semifinalists were selected. In the coming weeks, the committee will continue its review and narrow the field to 10 finalists, which will be announced in June. After the 10 finalists are announced, next steps in the process include:

• Fall Term 2024: Multi-day in-person site visits to each of the 10 finalists, during which the Aspen Institute and partners will collect additional information and data, including extensive employment and earnings data on graduates from the finalist colleges.
• Winter Term 2025: A distinguished, independent Aspen Prize jury will review data and qualitative summaries that synthesize each part of the 14-month analyses, then meet for a full day to select the winner and others for additional recognition.
• Spring 2025: Announcement of the Aspen Prize winner and celebration of the 10 finalists in Washington DC.

You can find more information about the selection process ONLINE.

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ABOUT BROWARD COLLEGE: Serving approximately 56,000 students annually, Broward College provides residents with certificate programs, two-year university-transfer degrees, two-year career degrees, and baccalaureate degrees in selected programs. The mission of the College is to provide high-quality educational programs and services that are affordable and accessible to a diverse community of learners. Please visit www.broward.edu for more information.

ABOUT THE ASPEN INSTITUTE: The Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. Please visit www.aspeninstitute.org for more information.