Lake-Sumter State College has been named one of the Top 200 U.S. Community Colleges
Lake-Sumter State College (LSSC) has been named one of 200 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s foremost recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. This selection places LSSC among the top community colleges nationwide, honored for exceptional student outcomes such as retention, completion, transfer, and bachelor’s attainment rates.
This is the ninth cycle of the Aspen Prize, which launched in 2010. The 200 eligible colleges were selected based on comprehensive data regarding student success, including consistent improvement across student populations. These colleges, spread across urban, rural, and suburban communities, provide a broad representation of the sector and offer programs from workforce-focused training to transfer pathways and bachelor’s degree attainment.
Commitment to Workforce Preparation
“Lake-Sumter State College is honored to be recognized by the Aspen Institute among the country’s leading community colleges,” said John Temple, President of LSSC. “This distinction reflects the unwavering dedication of our faculty and staff to helping students achieve their goals. I am especially proud of our commitment to ensuring that Lake-Sumter graduates are truly job ready. They are prepared not only to advance in the workforce, but to thrive and contribute meaningfully in their communities.”
National Importance of the Aspen Prize
The Aspen Prize is designed to measure and reward colleges for the outcomes that make the greatest difference in students’ lives—namely, completing degree and certificate programs that lead to enduring success. As Josh Wyner, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, stated, “Aspen Prize winners offer a powerful message: Community colleges can deliver the kind of life-changing education that makes the American Dream real”.
Eligible colleges will submit an application and participate in a rigorous review process that will culminate in the naming of the Aspen Prize winner in spring 2027. Over the coming 20 months, the colleges that apply for the Aspen Prize will be assessed based on (1) student outcomes data, ranging from student transfer and completion rates to employment and wages after graduation and (2) whether they have engaged in scaled practices that led to high and improving student outcomes.
To read more about the selection process, visit as.pn/prize.