Itawamba Community College Eligible For Excellence Prize, Funds

FULTON, Miss. (PRESS RELEASE) – Highlighting the critical importance of improving student success in America’s community colleges, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program today named Itawamba Community College as one of the nation’s top 150 community colleges eligible to compete for the 2017 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence and $1 million in prize funds.

“It is a tremendous honor for Itawamba Community College to be selected as one of the top 150 community colleges in the nation and the opportunity to compete for the significant Aspen Prize,” said President Mike Eaton.

“It is another indication of the success of the College and its exceptional faculty and staff.”

The Aspen Institute also selected ICC as a top community college in 2015 and a contender for the prize, which is awarded every two years.

It is the nation’s signature commendation of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges.

It recognizes institutions for exceptional student outcomes in four areas, including student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings and access and success for minority and low-income students.

The top 150 community colleges represent the diversity and richness of the community college sector. They are located in 35 states in urban, rural and suburban areas, serving as few as 300 students and as many as 60,000 students.

ICC enrolls approximately 5,500 students each semester collectively at its three locations, Fulton, Tupelo and Belden.

Nearly half of America’s college students attend community college, with more than seven million students – youth and adult learners – working toward certificates and degrees in these institutions across the country.

“There are exceptional community colleges across our country providing students with a high-quality, affordable education that leads to good careers and strong economic opportunity,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program.

“Through this competition, we’re working to inspire community colleges and help them understand how to ensure that more students succeed.”

Ten finalists will be announced in the fall.

The Aspen Institute will then conduct site visits to each of the finalists and collect additional quantitative data, including employment and earnings data from states and transfer data from the National Student Clearinghouse.

A distinguished prize jury will select a grand prize winner and finalists with distinction in early 2017.