5 suburban community colleges selected among the Top 200 nationwide to compete for 2027 Aspen Prize

Five suburban community colleges are among the 200 institutions nationwide selected as eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

The Aspen Institute named the College of Lake County in Grayslake, Elgin Community College, Harper College in Palatine, McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, and Oakton College in Des Plaines as contenders.

The Aspen Prize recognizes outstanding achievement and performance among two-year colleges. The 200 eligible colleges were selected based on their student outcomes data, including retention, completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment rates. The Aspen Prize has been awarded every two years since 2010, according to a news release.

Over the next several months, colleges that apply for the prize will be assessed based on data, including student transfer and completion rates, employment and wages after graduation, and whether they have engaged in scaled practices that led to high and improving student outcomes, the release said.

It’s the third consecutive time Harper College has been eligible for the recognition.

Harper was named a Top 20 semifinalist for the 2025 Aspen Prize and a Top 25 semifinalist for the 2023 prize.

“Earning a place, for the third consecutive time, among the top community colleges eligible for the Aspen Prize is an incredible affirmation of Harper College’s mission to transform lives through education,” said Avis Proctor, president of Harper College.

In August, Harper was also selected to become a member of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program’s expanded Unlocking Opportunity network. The initiative is an innovative partnership among colleges nationwide to ensure more students complete degrees that open doors to rewarding, sustainable careers.

“Through our participation, we are deepening this work — ensuring that every student has access to high-quality programs, meaningful credentials, and strengthened pathways to achieve their goals and contribute to the vitality of our communities,” Proctor said.

It’s the fifth time Elgin Community College has been selected for the honor — being eligible to compete for the award in 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025.

“This recognition reflects the collective efforts of our faculty, staff, and administration to support student learning, persistence, and pathways that lead to meaningful careers and further education,” said ECC President Peggy Heinrich.

Community colleges educate nearly six million students, yet they fall short in the rate at which students graduate and the percentage of students who achieve success after graduation. The Aspen Prize process identifies and celebrates colleges that demonstrate stronger outcomes, providing a road map of effective practices and strategies for other colleges to follow, the release said.

“Our students’ success is at the heart of everything we do,” said MCC President Clint Gabbard. “We want them to be able to graduate from MCC confident in their abilities, equipped with the skills and knowledge to pursue their goals, and ready to make an impact in their community and their world.”

Application deadlines for the 2027 Aspen Prize are Nov. 3 and Dec. 9.

College of Lake County President Lori Suddick said her administration is looking forward to participating in the rigorous application process, “which affirms the college’s sustained and integrated partnerships with the Lake County workforce ecosystem to achieve community vibrancy.”

“CLC’s eligibility is an indicator of strong institutional performance based on quantitative data,” she said.

By April 2026, Aspen will narrow the field to 25 semifinalists, then further whittle down that number to 10 finalists in June. The winner will be announced in spring 2027 at an event in Washington, D.C.

“Our job over the coming 20 months is to gather a lot more data and work with a deep bench of field experts to assess which of these 200 stand out so we can not only honor them with a monetary award, but drive attention to the most effective field practices that other colleges can replicate,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program.