RICHMOND — Virginia Community Colleges recently announced 11 of the system’s 23 colleges are now in the running for the $1 million 2027 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

The prize is considered the nation’s premier recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges, and this year, a total of 200 colleges from around the country were identified as “eligible” based on their student outcomes data, including retention, completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment rates.

David Doré, chancellor of the Virginia Community College System, was encouraged by the announcement, given the effort behind the system’s six-year, statewide strategic plan, Accelerate Opportunity. Doré added that the goals and objectives of Accelerate Opportunity underscore what the Aspen I

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