Send up a prayer, cross your fingers and let’s all wish Odessa College the best of luck.
Last year, OC was named one of the top 10 finalists for the 2017 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence in recognition of high achievement and performance.
The $1 million prize fund will be awarded Tuesday in Washington, D.C., to the winner and up to four finalists with distinction. The amount of money institutions receive can vary. Last year, finalists with distinction won $100,000 each and the winner received $800,000.
How great is that?
A delegation from OC will attend the announcement in Washington, D.C., while others will be supporting them from here via a webcast.
We couldn’t be more excited for all the staff and students at Odessa College. The college is going like gangbusters and offers Odessa students an affordable way to pursue higher education or career and technical training.
We’re proud to know that all the hard work of all of those at OC has been recognized by just becoming a finalist. We have every confidence that when that announcement is made come Tuesday that it will be OC.
The prize has been awarded every two years since 2011 and recognizes outstanding institutions selected from an original pool of more than 1,000 public community colleges nationwide. With a singular focus on student success, the prize assesses community colleges’ achievements in student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings for graduates and access and success for minority and low-income students.
“Odessa College has made dramatic improvements in student success over the past several years,” Joshua Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program in Washington, D.C., said in a news release. “Using an innovative model of eightweek semesters, which allow students to focus and tailor their education to their busy schedules, Odessa College has increased enrollment, graduation rates and financial aid awards.”
The 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence was awarded to Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Fl. The Aspen Prize is funded by the Joyce, Siemens and the Kresge foundations.
If you see an OC student or staff member on the street give them a great, big pat on the back and thank them for all of their hard work.
We’ll be watching on Tuesday and ready to celebrate another feather in the cap of those at Odessa College.
