Today, South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) joins the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program’s expanded Unlocking Opportunity network—an initiative designed to help community colleges reform programs in ways that improve student outcomes—ensuring students earn degrees that lead to good-paying jobs.
SPSCC, alongside 54 other colleges, will join 10 pilot institutions in a growing national effort to align their programs and student advising with the two most important goals of community college students: leaving college with a credential and a good job or transferring and completing a bachelor’s degree. Through three years of focused reforms, these colleges will work with Aspen to assess current programs, set goals, and implement research-based reforms to increase student success.
“At SPSCC, we are committed to ensuring every student has a clear path to a meaningful career or a bachelor’s degree,” said Dr. Timothy Stokes, President of SPSCC. “Joining the Unlocking Opportunity network allows us to accelerate that mission by aligning our programs with what matters most: student success and economic mobility. We’re proud to be part of this national movement to transform lives through high-value credentials.”
The 10 Unlocking Opportunity pilot institutions are on track to collectively move over 20,000 students into high-value programs of study that lead to good jobs. With this expansion, Aspen will (for at least the next three years) track and support progress for 65 participating colleges, including those 55 just selected. Aspen will use insights from this work to inform the broader field through fellowship programs, publications, and state partnerships to provide professional development to college leaders and teams.
Unlocking Opportunity, developed in partnership with the Community College Research Center, is supported by Arnold Ventures, Ascendium Education Group, Bank of America, ECMC Foundation, and JPMorganChase. The expansion of the Unlocking Opportunity network is made possible by the support of JPMorganChase.
To learn more about the network, visit highered.aspeninstitute.org/programs/unlocking-opportunity
About SPSCC
Recognized as the number two community college in the U.S. by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program in 2025, SPSCC serves around 5,000 students each year. The college serves people from all backgrounds and meets them where they are, connecting them to Pathways and classes to reach their goals. Whether that’s landing a new job, learning a new skill, earning a degree, or transferring to a university, SPSCC is dedicated to helping students on their journey toward an amplified future.
SPSCC's mission is to support student success in postsecondary academic transfer and workforce education that responds to the needs of the South Puget Sound region. SPSCC supports student success and builds prosperity by collaborating with the community and our partners to offer innovative, accessible, and affordable learning experiences.
SPSCC has previously been selected by the Aspen Institute as:
- Dr. Tysha Tolefree, SPSCC’s Vice President for Finance & Operations, selected for the 2025-26 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship
- 2025 Finalist with Distinction
- 2023 Top 10 Finalist
- 2021 Top 150
- 2019 Top 150
- 2017 Top 150
About the Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program aims to strengthen higher education leadership and practice to improve student outcomes—with the ultimate goal of advancing economic mobility and developing talent for the good of each individual and society as a whole.
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit aspeninstitute.org.
