(Stockton, CA) San Joaquin Delta College has been selected as one of only 150 institutions from a national list of over 1,000 community colleges eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The award is the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance in America’s community colleges. Delta College will begin a rigorous competitive process that leads to awarding the prize in 2019.

“The Aspen Prize recognition reflects positively on the Delta College’s commitment to educate and prepare students for the workforce,” said Superintendent/President Dr. Kathy Hart. “Delta College has a tremendous power to change lives. It’s great to see that the hard work of our faculty, staff and student achievement is being recognized by the Aspen Institute”

The Aspen Prize is awarded every two years, and honors those institutions that strive for and achieve exceptional outcome levels of student success – while in college, and after they graduate. Delta College has been eligible to compete for the prize all five times since its inception in 2011.

Ten finalists will be named from the list of 150 community colleges in Spring 2018. Teams of experienced researchers will join the Aspen Institute to conduct site visits to each finalist and collect additional quantitative data. A distinguished Prize Jury will select the Aspen Prize winner in 2019. In addition, a Finalist with Distinction and Rising Star will be announced.

Institutions are assessed for exceptional student outcomes in four areas:

• Student learning
• Certificate and degree completion (including bachelor’s degree after transfer)
• Employment and earnings
• High levels of access and success for minority and low-income students

“Delta College is very proud to be one of 16 California community colleges to compete for the 2019 Aspen Prize,” points out Dr. Matt Wetstein, Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Instruction & Planning. “It’s a great validation of our work. We are one of the select colleges in the country that consistently ranks in the top 150 community colleges identified by the Aspen Institute. As we highlight our success stories, Delta College can keep setting the bar higher.”