Highlighting the critical importance of improving student success in America’s community colleges, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program has named Moorpark College as one of the nation’s top 150 community colleges eligible to compete for the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence and $1 million dollars in prize funds.

“This important Prize is awarded every two years. The Aspen Institute informed us that it is the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges,” announced Dr. Jamillah Moore, Chancellor, Ventura County Community College District.

“The award recognizes colleges for exceptional student outcomes in four areas. They are student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings, and high levels of access and success for minority and low-income students,” explained Dr. Bernard Luskin, Moorpark College President. “The Aspen Institute identified the top 150 community colleges through an assessment of institutional performance, improvement, and equity on student retention and completion measures. Together, the 150 community colleges eligible to compete for the Prize represent the diversity and richness of our colleges,” said Luskin.

Chosen colleges are located in 37 states across the nation; represent urban, rural, and suburban markets; and encompass large community colleges and small community colleges. A full list of the 150 community colleges is available at www.AspenPrize.org. Prize winners will be announced in early 2015.

Nearly half of America’s college students attend community college, with more than seven million students working toward certificates and degrees across the country. Moorpark College was selected from a national pool of over 1,000 public two-year colleges. The selection data focus on student retention and completion, considered from three perspectives:

Performance (retention, graduation rates including transfers, and degrees and certificates per 100 “full-time equivalent” students)
Improvement (awarded for steady improvement in each performance metric over time)
Equity (evidence of strong completion outcomes for minority and low-income students)

“Ten finalists selected from the 150 nominees will be named in fall 2014. Following campus visits, a distinguished Prize Jury will select a grand prize winner and a few finalists with distinction in early 2015.” Being identified as one of 150 best community colleges in America is quite a prize itself,” Luskin proudly said.

About Moorpark College
Moorpark College is a fully accredited community college in the Ventura County Community College District. Moorpark College enrolls more than 14,000 students in academic transfer programs and career and technical programs. Moorpark College is an important member of the California higher education community.

The Aspen College Excellence Program aims to identify and replicate practices and policies that significantly improve college student outcomes. For more information, visit http://www.aspeninstitute.org/cep.

The Aspen Prize is funded by the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Joyce Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and Lumina Foundation.