Today, the Aspen Institute named McHenry County College (MCC) as one of the 200 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s premier recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. The 200 colleges were selected based on their student outcomes data, including retention, completion, transfer, and bachelor’s attainment rates. Started in 2010, this is the ninth cycle of the Aspen Prize.
“We are truly thrilled to be eligible for the Aspen Prize,” said MCC President Dr. Clint Gabbard. “Our students’ success is at the heart of everything we do. We want them to be able to graduate from MCC confident in their abilities, equipped with the skills and knowledge to pursue their goals, and ready to make an impact in their community and their world. Being eligible for this prize speaks to the quality education MCC students receive and inspires us to keep fostering innovation, opening doors, and creating opportunities that transform lives.”
“This recognition is a testament to the hard work of our entire college community—our students, faculty, staff, and the partners who believe in MCC’s mission,” added MCC Board Chair Suzanne Hoban. “Together, we’re changing lives through education, strengthening our community, and helping to build a more vibrant future for our region.”
Together, the 200 colleges eligible for the Aspen Prize represent the breadth and diversity of the community college sector. They are located in urban, rural, and suburban areas across the country and serve anywhere from a few hundred students to tens of thousands. Some of the colleges focus primarily on workforce programs, while others focus on transfer and bachelor’s attainment or a combination of the two.
“The Aspen Prize rewards colleges that achieve the kind of outcomes that actually matter to students—completing college degree programs that, in turn, lead to lifelong success,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “Aspen Prize winners offer a powerful message: Community colleges can deliver the kind of life-changing education that makes the American Dream real.”
Community colleges educate nearly six million students. Yet community college student outcomes fall short in both the rate at which students graduate and the percentage of students who achieve success after graduation. The Aspen Prize process identifies and celebrates community colleges that demonstrate that achieving stronger outcomes is possible, providing a roadmap of effective practices and strategies for other colleges to follow.
The 200 eligible colleges have been invited to submit an application and participate in a rigorous review process that will culminate in the naming of the Aspen Prize winner in spring 2027. Over the coming 20 months, the colleges that apply for the Aspen Prize will be assessed based on (1) student outcomes data, ranging from student transfer and completion rates to employment and wages after graduation and (2) whether they have engaged in scaled practices that led to high and improving student outcomes.
“Among these 200 colleges are some really special places that deliver strong and improving outcomes for students across the board,” Wyner said. “Our job over the coming 20 months is to gather a lot more data and work with a deep bench of field experts to assess which of these 200 stand out so we can not only honor them with a monetary award, but drive attention to the most effective field practices that other colleges can replicate.”
This is the first time since the inception of the Aspen Prize that 200 colleges are eligible to apply, growing from 150. This year, in addition to publicly available federal data, over 600 colleges authorized the use of National Student Clearinghouse data on their institution’s degree completion, transfer, and bachelor’s attainment rates for full- and part-time students.
25 semifinalists for the Aspen Prize will be announced in April 2026 and 10 finalists will be announced in June 2026. The Aspen Prize winner will be announced in spring 2027.
To read more about the Aspen Prize and selection process, visit https://highered.aspeninstitute.org/programs/aspen-prize-community-college-excellence.