RVC Named an Aspen Institute Top Community College

RVC Named an Aspen Institute Top Community College

• Category
• 11/04/2025

The Aspen Institute named Rock Valley College 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 Aspen Prize, awarded every two years, honors colleges that demonstrate outstanding student success. The 200 colleges were selected based on their student outcomes data, including retention, completion, transfer, and bachelor's attainment rates.

"From labor to reward, being recognized by Aspen is a testament to the hard work of all RVC Golden Eagles. It's an honor to have our efforts, including the students who work hard to be successful in the classroom, be acknowledged by the Aspen Institute," said Dr. Howard Spearman, Rock Valley College President.

The 200 eligible colleges represent the full diversity of our nation's community colleges, which serve students in urban, suburban, and rural areas across the country. Some focus primarily on workforce development, others on transfer and bachelor's degree attainment, and many, like RVC, are comprehensive community colleges that offer a balance of both.

"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 serve nearly six million students nationwide, yet outcomes vary widely. The Aspen Prize highlights and celebrates those institutions-like Rock Valley College-that demonstrate what's possible when equity and excellence guide student success efforts.

Over the next 20 months, the eligible colleges will undergo a rigorous review process. Those that apply will be evaluated on student outcomes, including transfer and completion rates, employment and wages after graduation, and the impact of institution-wide practices that improve student success.

This year marks the first time 200 colleges have been invited to apply, expanding from 150 in previous cycles. The list includes institutions that provided comprehensive data from the National Student Clearinghouse to measure degree completion and transfer success for both full- and part-time students.

"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."

The 2027 Aspen Prize winner will be announced in spring 2027. The full list of Top 200 Community Colleges can be viewed on the Aspen Prize homepage.

The Aspen Prize is generously funded by Ascendium Education Philanthropy and the Joyce Foundation.

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program aims to strengthen higher education leadership and practice to improve student outcomes-with the ultimate goal of advancing economic mobility and developing talent for the good of each individual and society as a whole.

The Aspen 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, D.C. and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit https://www.aspeninstitute.org.

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