Stevens Again Ranks #1 Technical College in PA
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology has been once again named as one of the top two-year colleges in the United States. The D.C.-based non-profit The Aspen Institute ranked the nation's top community colleges based on various criteria, including graduation rate and improvement in outcomes over time. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is the only two-year college of technology recognized in Pennsylvania.
Thaddeus Stevens College and 149 other community colleges announced today were selected from a national pool of over 1,000 public two-year colleges using publicly available data on student outcomes. The formula used to select the colleges was devised by expert analysts at the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems in consultation with an expert advisory committee convened by the Aspen Institute. The data focus on student retention and completion, considered from three perspectives:
- Performance (retention, graduation rates including transfers, and degrees and certificates per 100 “full-time equivalent” students)
- Improvement (awarded for steady improvement in each performance metric over time)
- Equity (evidence of strong completion outcomes for minority and low-income students)
“We are incredibly honored to be named once again among some of the nation’s top ranked colleges,” stated Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology President Dr. William Griscom. “The College has always offered a unique educational opportunity while at the same time remaining focused on our mission of helping disadvantaged students. To be recognized nationally for our mission is a clear indication the College is moving in the right direction.”
This is the fourth consecutive time Thaddeus Stevens College has received this honor. The list of top two-year colleges, compiled every two years, began in 2011. Thaddeus Stevens College has been named to the list in 2011, 2013, 2015 and again for 2017.
Thaddeus Stevens College has now been invited to submit an application containing detailed data on degree/certificate completion (including progress and transfer rates), labor market outcomes (employment and earnings), and student learning outcomes. They must demonstrate that they deliver exceptional student results for all students – including those from racial minority and/or low-income backgrounds – and also use data to inform decisions and continually improve over time.
Ten finalists will be named in fall 2016. The Aspen Institute will then conduct site visits to each of the finalists and collect additional quantitative data, including employment and earnings data from states and transfer data from the National Student Clearinghouse. A distinguished Prize Jury will select a grand prize winner and a few finalists with distinction in early 2017.
“Community colleges have tremendous power to change lives, and their success will increasingly define our nation’s economic strength and the potential for social mobility for every American” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “This competition is designed to spotlight the excellent work being done in the most effective community colleges, those that best help students obtain meaningful, high-quality education and training for competitive-wage jobs after college. We hope it will raise the bar and provide a roadmap for community colleges nationwide.”
More information regarding the announcement can be found at http://www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/aspen-prize/2017-eligible-community-colleges.
The Aspen College Excellence Program aims to identify and replicate practices and policies that significantly improve college student outcomes. Through the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the New College Leadership Project and other initiatives, the College Excellence Program works to improve colleges’ and policy-makers’ understanding of what is needed to teach and graduate post-secondary students, especially the growing population of low-income and minority students on American campuses. For more information, visit http://www.aspeninstitute.org/cep.
The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is a premier residential, two-year, accredited technical college that educates Pennsylvania’s economically and socially disadvantaged as well as other qualified students for skilled employment in a diverse, ever-changing workforce and for full effective participation as citizens. Stevens has expanded from its original student body of 15 to over 900 students who are enrolled in 21 high-skill, high-wage technical programs.
Over 90% of the College’s graduates have remained in the Commonwealth since its founding in 1905.