WC Wisconsin News

Western Technical College has been named a semifinalist for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. This prestigious award recognizes community and technical colleges that achieve high, improving, and equitable outcomes for students. The announcement was made on May 7, 2024.

The college is one of 20 semifinalists competing for the award, which will be announced next year. The Aspen Prize is awarded biennially to colleges demonstrating excellence in teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor's attainment, workforce success, and equitable outcomes for students of color and those from low-income backgrounds. The winner will receive a share of a $1 million grand prize intended to support student retention efforts.

“To be named a semifinalist for this award is such an incredible honor,” said Western President Roger Stanford. “We are actively focusing on improving our student retention efforts, including social and educational justice, embedded and academic support, and faculty development.”

Josh Wynder, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program stated: “Each of these colleges has demonstrated a sustained commitment to moving beyond enrollment and retention as the markers of student success to defining their success by whether the education they provide changes lives.”

The selection process began in October when the Aspen Institute invited 150 community colleges based on data showing strong student outcomes in areas like retention, completion, transfer, and equity. A committee of 18 higher education experts reviewed applications before narrowing down to 20 semifinalists. Interviews with leadership teams will help further narrow this list to 10 finalists by early June 2024.