M State named to 2023 Top-150 community colleges list by Aspen Institute

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – Minnesota State Community and Technical College (M State) has received an Aspen Institute recognition for the eighth consecutive time as one of the top 150 community colleges in the United States.

With the Aspen Insititute’s recognition, it positions M State as a contender for the prestigious $1 million 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

The Aspen Prize, presented biennially by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, stands as the nation’s premier acknowledgment of outstanding achievement and performance among community colleges.

Since the initiation of the Aspen Prize program in 2011, M State has consistently been recognized as a top 150 institution in every awards cycle, making it one of only two colleges in Minnesota to achieve this distinction.

M State President Carrie Brimhall expressed gratitude for the recognition, stating: “We consider it a great privilege to be recognized as a college of excellence by the Aspen Institute. To receive the honor eight consecutive times is a testament to our deep and consistent commitment to student success, and a humbling reminder that the good work we do here, in service of our students, does not go unnoticed.”

The 150 institutions eligible for the Aspen Prize are selected from a pool of over 1,000 community colleges, placing them in the top 15% nationwide.

The colleges selected by the Aspen Institute all vary in size, location, and scope, serving diverse student populations ranging from as few as 169 to as many as 49,619.

M State is one of only six colleges in Minnesota to receive this prestigious honor in the current awards cycle.

The colleges are chosen based on outstanding achievements in teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, equitable access, and equitable outcomes for students of color and those from low-income backgrounds.

Josh Wyner, the executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, said the importance of colleges, “walking the walk” in fulfilling their core mission amid challenges such as enrollment variations and pandemic-related learning loss.

He said: “The best community colleges are continuing to focus on advancing the core mission: making sure as many students as possible graduate with credentials that lead to fulfilling careers and reflect the development of diverse talent that communities, states, and our nation need.”

As an Aspen Prize-eligible college, M State has been invited to submit student success data for the next phase of an in-depth review process.

This process will culminate in the announcement of the Aspen Prize winner in spring 2025, following the narrowing down of the pool to 25 semifinalists and then 10 finalists in spring and summer 2024.

For additional information, visit: aspeninstitute.org.