SPSCC Named a Finalist with Distinction for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence

Today, the Aspen Institute announced the winners of the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation's signature recognition for high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges. South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) was recognized as a Finalist with Distinction for the college’s excellent workforce and transfer practices. In addition to the distinction, SPSCC was awarded a $100,000 prize.

The Aspen Institute highlighted SPSCC’s responsiveness to local workforce needs, particularly in healthcare, where the college has expanded clinical placements to graduate more nurses. SPSCC was also recognized for increasing the value of the college’s workforce programs by shortening their length and working with employers to raise wages for graduates. These efforts build on the college’s strong foundation of improving access to higher education and helping students succeed, with graduation rates that remain well above the national average.

“Being recognized as a Finalist with Distinction is a testament to the power of our community,” said Dr. Timothy Stokes, President of SPSCC. “This recognition belongs to our students, faculty, staff, and partners who work tirelessly every day to ensure that opportunity, excellence, and equity are more than ideals: they’re lived experiences at SPSCC. Through years of intentional work, we’ve built a culture centered on student success and belonging. We are deeply honored to be seen as a model for what community colleges can achieve.”

SPSCC will use the $100,000 prize to create an endowment through the SPSCC Foundation to support emergency grants for students facing unexpected financial challenges. This investment will allow the college to serve significantly more students in need, helping them stay enrolled and on track to graduate.

Since its creation in 2010, the Aspen Prize has been the nation’s signature recognition of community colleges that are achieving high and improving outcomes for students. It honors colleges that show outstanding performance in several areas of student outcomes: student learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, and employment and earnings after graduation. In each area, the Aspen Prize looks for strong outcomes and substantial improvement for all students and different groups, including those historically underserved in higher education. The winner, two finalists with distinction, and rising star—along with the six finalists—demonstrate what is possible at America’s approximately 1,000 community colleges.

The 2025 Aspen Prize cycle began in summer 2023 when the Aspen Institute analyzed outcomes at all 1,000 community colleges nationally and invited 150 community colleges to apply, based on data showing strong and improving student outcomes in key areas such as retention, completion, and transfer. A selection committee of 18 higher education experts reviewed data and narratives for the 118 submitted applications and chose ten finalists in June 2024, following the announcement of 20 semifinalists in May 2024. For more information about the Prize process, please visit: as.pn/prize.

The Aspen Prize is generously funded by Ascendium, the Joyce Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, and the Kresge Foundation.
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.