Finalists Named for Aspen Community College Prize

The Aspen Institute announced the top 10 finalists for the 2017 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence Tuesday. The award, which is given out every other year, recognizes two-year colleges that are high achieving and improving. Each college must demonstrate achievement in student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings for graduates, and access and success for minority and low-income students.

The winner of the prize will be announced in March and will receive $1 million. The prize is funded by the Joyce Foundation, the Siemens Foundation and the Kresge Foundation.

This year's finalists are:

• Anoka-Ramsey Community College, in Coon Rapids, Minn.
• Broward College, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• Chaffey College, in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
• Indian River State College, in Fort Pierce, Fla.
• Lake Area Technical Institute, in Watertown, S.D.
• Northeast Community College, in Norfolk, Neb.
• Odessa College, in Odessa, Tex.
• Pasadena City College, in Pasadena, Calif.
• San Jacinto College, in Pasadena, Tex.
• West Kentucky Community and Technical College, in Paducah, Ky.