Santa Fe College is competing for $1 million after being recognized as one of the top 10 community colleges in the nation.
For the second time, Santa Fe has been selected for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence Program, which honors high achievement and performance among community colleges in the nation. It was previously selected in 2012.
But Jackson Sasser, president of Santa Fe College, said he hasn’t thought about the prize money.
"We have known this over a month, but we have not talked about (winning)," Sasser said. "For us, it’s what we do. It is about student success and good job placement."
The prize is awarded every two years and is on its third cycle. Out of more than 1,000 community colleges, 150 are selected to apply on the basis of completion, employment and earnings, and high levels of access and success for minority and low-income students.
Now Santa Fe is being identified as among the top 10 finalists of those colleges that applied, said Leigh Arsenault, Aspen College Excellence Program manager.
"I think year after year, Santa Fe has exceeded the national average in completion and transfer," Arsenault said.
Arsenault said there is national consensus that community colleges serve an important function in higher education as they enroll the majority of freshmen and sophomores in the country. The prize is meant to recognize the work within the top colleges, spotlight the successes and encourage replication.
"We do ask that (the winners) share with us how the money is used," she said. "We know that the colleges have been achieving exceptional results, and we allow them to use that to continue the work."
In line with Aspen’s ideals is Santa Fe’s support of minority groups.
"A student coming from a non-majority ethnic group has a better chance of succeeding here than most colleges," Sasser said. "That’s a priority to us – to promote success for all students."
Sasser said he is looking forward to Aspen’s campus visit to share the culture of Santa Fe before the winners are announced in March.
[A version of this story ran on page 1 on 9/4/2014 under the headline "Santa Fe recognized as a top 10 community college in nation"]
