Wallace State Hosting Watch Party for Aspen Prize Announcement

Hanceville, Ala. — Wallace State Community College will host a watch party on Thursday, April 17, when the Aspen Institute announces the winner of the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The prize includes a $1 million award to the winning college.

Wallace State is one of 10 finalists for this prestigious award that is presented every two years by the Aspen Institute. It recognizes excellent community colleges that achieve high and improving levels of student success in several areas, including teaching and learning; certificate and degree completion; transfer and bachelor’s attainment; workforce success; and college and program access.

Wallace State is the only college in the Alabama Community College System ever to advance to the final round of the selection process. Wallace State has reached the first round four times, being invited as one of 150 top college in the nation to apply for the Aspen Prize out of more than 1,000 colleges in the nation.

The Aspen Institute narrows down the prize winners and finalists based on three rounds of intensive data analysis and qualitative research, including campus visits, by independent experts and selection committees. The effective practices and models of excellence uncovered during the Prize process are shared with the field through open-access assessment tools and publications, conference presentations, and an extensive set of professional development programs, including Aspen presidential fellowships and Aspen’s state and system partnerships. 

The Watch Party will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in the Gudger Student Center, with a livestream of the prize ceremony from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Students, faculty and staff will be watching as the school is recognized and when awards are announced.

Wallace State will be featured during a College Spotlights segment from approximately 12 to 12:15 p.m.

The Aspen Prize Award announcements are expected be made between 12:55 and 1:25 p.m. Each finalist will be recognized, along with awards for Rising Star(s), Finalist(s) with Distinction and the Aspen Prize winner(s).

Anyone wishing to watch the livestream can do so by registering here (https://register.aspeninstitute.org/0kldEz) . Wallace State will offer a livestream of our on-campus watch party during the times listed above on the Wallace State YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/wallacestate.

 

• WHO: Wallace State Community College
• WHAT: Aspen Prize Watch Party
• WHEN: Thursday, April 17, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• WHERE: Gudger Student Center