For the third consecutive time, Fox Valley Technical College has been selected as one of 150 colleges eligible to compete for the $1 million 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

The colleges selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success, as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds.

“Students are consistently our top priority, and our entire faculty and staff are focused on bolstering student learning and achievement,” says Dr. Chris Matheny, president of Fox Valley Technical College. “We feel privileged to receive recognition from the Aspen Institute and we remain dedicated to delivering a nationally recognized educational experience to our students and our communities.”

The Aspen Prize recognizes colleges with outstanding achievement in six areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, equitable access to the college and equitable outcomes for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.

The 150 colleges, including FVTC, have been invited to submit data and narratives as the next step in the review process. A list of the top ten finalists will be announced in June 2024. Finalists will host site visits from The Aspen Institute in fall 2024. The recipient of the $1 million prize will be announced in spring 2025.