Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – The Aspen Institute recently nominated Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC) as one of the 200 community colleges across the country to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. This is our nation’s premier recognition for high achievement and performance among two-year colleges.

The top 200 colleges were hand-picked from a list of nearly 1,000 institutions based on student outcome data, including retention, completion, and bachelor’s attainment rates. The Aspen Prize started in 2010, and this is now the prizes ninth cycle.

In a press release provided by LLCC News, LLCC President Charolette Warren stated that “Being named among the top 200 community colleges nationwide eligible for The Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence is an honor and a clear affirmation of our mission to transform lives and strengthen our communities through learning. This recognition reflects our commitment to delivering high-quality and affordable education that empowers students to complete their goals, whether they are transferring to four-year institutions, entering the workforce, or advancing in their careers. We are proud of the work that our faculty, staff, and students do every day to make our mission a reality.”

Combined, these 200 colleges represent urban, suburban, and rural areas from across the U.S. and serve anywhere from a few hundred students to tens of thousands. Some of these colleges focus primarily on workforce programs, some focus on transfer and bachelor’s attainment, and some colleges focus on both.

“The Aspen Prize rewards colleges that achieve the kind of outcomes that actually matter to students, and that outcome is completing college degree programs that, in turn, lead to lifelong success. Aspen Prize winners offer a powerful message: community colleges can deliver the kind of life changing education that makes the American Dream real.” Said Executive Director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, Josh Wyner, in the recent press release.

Wyner also stated that “Among these 200 colleges are some really special places that deliver strong and improving outcomes for students across the board. 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 also drive attention to the most effective field practices that other colleges can replicate.”

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