Washington, D.C./Cranford, NJ, April 27, 2022 — The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program today named UCNJ as one of 25 semifinalists for the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The $1 million Aspen Prize is the nation’s signature recognition of community colleges that are achieving high, improving, and equitable outcomes for students. UCNJ is the only community college in New Jersey to be selected as a semifinalist.
In November 2021, UCNJ was named an Aspen Prize Top 150 U.S. Community College and invited to apply for the Aspen Prize. This is the second consecutive time the College has received this prestigious designation. Next, the committee will review interviews with leadership teams and narrow down the 25 semifinalists to 10 finalists. This is the first time in the award selection process that 25 semifinalists have been named. In the past, the Top 150 was narrowed down to 10 finalists. The 10 finalists will be announced in early June 2022.
“It is an incredibly proud day here at UCNJ to be recognized as one of the top 25 community colleges in the country by the Aspen Institute. Achieving this designation is a direct reflection of the extraordinary efforts of our faculty and staff and their commitment to our mission of transforming our community, one student at a time,” stated UCNJ Board of Trustees Chair Victor M. Richel.
“I would like to acknowledge the steadfast support we receive from the UCNJ Boards and the UCNJ County Board of County Commissioners. Being named a 2023 Aspen Prize semifinalist is an acknowledgement of our students’ hard work, and our employees’ dedication to student success,” stated UCNJ President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin.
Awarded every two years, the Aspen Prize honors colleges with outstanding performance infive critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, and equitable outcomes for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds. The Aspen Prize winner will be announced in the spring of 2023.
For more information on the Aspen Prize and to read more on the selection process, visit https://highered.aspeninstitute.org/aspen-prize/