Coffeyville Community College Named a Top 200
U.S. Community College for Third Consecutive Cycle and Eligible for 2027 ASPEN Prize

Coffeyville, KS – Coffeyville Community College (CCC) is proud to announce that it has once again been recognized by the ASPEN Institute College Excellence Program as one of the Top 200 U.S. Community Colleges eligible to compete for the 2027 ASPEN Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year institutions. Colleges selected for the Top 200 are now eligible to apply for the $1 million ASPEN Prize, which will be awarded to the institutions demonstrating the strongest overall performance and improvement.

This marks the third consecutive cycle in which CCC has been honored for its excellence in student outcomes, highlighting the college’s ongoing commitment to student success, community engagement, and educational quality. CCC has received this recognition for the fifth time within the past 14 years, having been acknowledged in 2013, 2019, 2023, 2025, and 2027.

The ASPEN Prize honors colleges that demonstrate high and improving levels of student success in key areas, including teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, and equitable access to programs. More than 1,000 community colleges operate across the United States, making placement among the top 200 a significant national achievement.

“We are pleased to once again see that Coffeyville Community College has been selected by the ASPEN Institute for community college excellence! This recognition is based on actual institutional performance indicators that show our institution is performing well amongst our peers,” said Dr. Marlon Thornburg, President of Coffeyville Community College.

The ASPEN Institute’s College Excellence Program expanded the number of community colleges eligible for the 2027 ASPEN Prize from 150 to 200. This change, announced in 2025, was made possible by an improved data-gathering process following more than 600 community colleges' agreement to share their National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) data with the ASPEN Institute. This additional data provides a more complete picture of student outcomes, including:

• Degree completion rates for part-time students
• Outcomes for students who transfer to four-year universities to complete bachelor’s degrees
• Data from community colleges that also award bachelor’s degrees

By incorporating this more comprehensive data, ASPEN is better able to identify and recognize more high-performing colleges nationwide.

The ASPEN selection process involves several rounds of intensive data analysis and qualitative review by independent experts. Colleges are evaluated on factors such as student retention, completion, transfer, and workforce outcomes to identify institutions that consistently deliver exceptional results and demonstrate continuous improvement.

CCC’s recognition comes during a period of growth and momentum for the college. The Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) recently released the Fall 2025 enrollment report, which showed CCC had an 11.4% increase in one-year enrollment, marking the highest one-year headcount growth among all Kansas community colleges and reflecting the growing trust of students and families in CCC’s high-quality programs and supportive learning environment.

Building on this momentum, CCC continues to demonstrate the dedication of its faculty and staff in providing an outstanding learning experience for all students. “It is refreshing as a member of the CCC Board of Trustees to continue to see our local college receive such a prestigious award for excellence. This is a culmination of the efforts of our staff to provide a quality learning experience for our students and shows the commitment we've made to support the institutional mission and purposes,” said Becky Barnhart, Chair of the CCC Board of Trustees.

CCC is one of nine Kansas community and technical colleges included in the ASPEN Top 200 for 2027. The full list of Kansas colleges includes:

 

• Barton County Community College
• Coffeyville Community College
• Colby Community College
• Cowley College
• Flint Hills Technical College
• Fort Hays Tech / North Central
• Manhattan Area Technical College
• Fort Hays Tech / Northwest
• Salina Area Technical College

All colleges recognized on the Top 200 list are considered equally by the ASPEN Institute, and the list does not reflect a ranking.

The 200 eligible colleges have been invited to submit applications and participate in a rigorous review process that will culminate in the announcement of the ASPEN Prize winner in spring 2027.