Academics
Communications & External Relations
The Aspen Institute Names Mountain Empire Community College as a Top 200 U.S. Community College Eligible for the 2027 Aspen Prize
$1 Million Prize Honors Colleges Achieving Strong Student Results, Both in College and After Graduation
WASHINGTON D.C., October 28, 2025 – Today, the Aspen Institute named Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, 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.
MECC President Kristen Westover stated, “Mountain Empire Community College is deeply honored to be recognized by the Aspen Institute as one of the top 200 community colleges in the nation. This distinction affirms the hard work of our faculty and staff and the success of our students. We are proud that our commitment to strong student outcomes, both during their time at MECC and after graduation, has earned this national recognition.”
Together, these 200 colleges 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 these 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. The full list can be accessed on the Aspen Prize homepage. To read more about the selection process, visit as.pn/prize.
About the Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program seeks to enhance higher education leadership and practice, ultimately aiming to improve student outcomes and advance economic mobility, thereby developing talent for the benefit of both individuals and society as a whole. For more information, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn, Bluesky, and X.
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program seeks to enhance higher education leadership and practice, ultimately aiming to improve student outcomes and advance economic mobility, thereby developing talent for the benefit of both individuals and society as a whole. For more information, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn, Bluesky, and X.
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 www.aspeninstitute.org.
About Mountain Empire Community College
Mountain Empire Community College, located in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, provides accessible, high-quality education and training to empower students, strengthen communities, and foster economic growth throughout Southwest Virginia. For more information regarding the Aspen Prize or MECC, contact Justin Barker at (276) 523-2400 or visit www.mecc.edu.
Mountain Empire Community College, located in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, provides accessible, high-quality education and training to empower students, strengthen communities, and foster economic growth throughout Southwest Virginia. For more information regarding the Aspen Prize or MECC, contact Justin Barker at (276) 523-2400 or visit www.mecc.edu.