Imperial Valley College chosen to compete for $1 million Aspen Prize

National recognition prize possible for Imperial Valley College

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Imperial Valley College has been named as one of the 150 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize. The Aspen Institute gives this money for Community College Excellence, which is the United States' recognition of high achievement.

These 150 community colleges stand out from more than 1,000 other institutions that are invited to submit data for a review process, and the prize winner is to be announced in the spring of 2023.

“We are honored to be recognized as one of the top 150 community colleges in the nation, which is the third time we have received this honor, “expressed Dr. Lennor Johnson, int. Superintendent/President. “It is the hard work and dedication of each employee and the board of trustees who ensures that we are providing high-quality education and services to students to ensure their success. Our students are our community’s future, and to invest in them is a great investment in our community.”

The Aspen Prize is awarded to community colleges in order to provide further education and strengthen the community by honoring the achievement in five areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, and equity for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.

“In an era of persistent inequity and workforce talent gaps, our nation’s best community colleges are stepping up to deliver more degrees to increasingly diverse students so they are prepared for the good jobs waiting to be filled,” stated Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “Leaders of exceptional community colleges understand that achieving excellence requires expanding college access and increasing degree completion, but it doesn’t stop there.  They are committed to ensuring that all students—including students of color and those from low-income backgrounds—graduate with the skills needed to secure a job with family-sustaining wages or successfully transfer to and graduate from a university. That same commitment that stands at the center of the Aspen Prize: to advance the goals of social mobility and equitable talent development.”