Trinidad State eligible to compete for Aspen Prize

VALLEY — Colorado’s Trinidad State Junior College was named one of 150 community colleges eligible to compete for the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance in America’s community colleges.

Trinidad State was selected from a pool of nearly 1,000 public two-year colleges nationwide to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize.

“We are honored to be selected to compete for this prestigious prize,” said Trinidad State President Dr. Carmen Simone.  “We’ve made great progress in the last couple of years, building on our strengths and improving where we need to improve.  Student success is a cornerstone of what we do at Trinidad State and that’s a continuing reward. But outside recognition for a job well done is always a wonderful feeling.”

Awarded every two years since 2011, the Aspen Prize recognizes institutions with outstanding achievements in four areas: learning; certificate and degree completion; employment and earnings; and high levels of access and success for minority and low-income students.

Trinidad State will move forward to the next round of the competition for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence by submitting an application to be reviewed through a rigorous evaluation for a spot on the top ten Aspen Prize finalists list. Top ten finalists will be named in May 2018. The Aspen Institute will then conduct site visits to each of the finalists and collect additional quantitative data. A distinguished Prize Jury will select a grand prize winner, finalist(s) with distinction, and rising star(s) in spring 2019.