Pasco-Hernando State College has been named one of the nation’s top 150 community colleges eligible to compete for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.
The Aspen Institute, a non-profit organization supporting exemplary service in higher education, recognized PHSC as among 1,200 colleges in the nation for demonstrating high and improving levels of student success and outstanding achievement.
“PHSC is honored to be eligible for the prestigious Aspen Prize,” said Timothy L. Beard, PHSC president. “Our outstanding faculty and staff have worked diligently to build and improve programs, expand outreach and to ensure students are successful. Enrollment is up by more than 12% since this time last year, students are back in the classroom and excited to be part of a thriving college community.”
The $1 Million Aspen Prize, awarded every two years, recognizes outstanding performance in six critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, access, and equity for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.
In the next steps of the competition, PHSC will further showcase the college’s top tier student and workforce outcomes, completion rates, early momentum indicators, and transfer efficiency.
The Aspen Institute will name 25 semi-finalists by April 2024 and the finalist by next June.