Cochise College is eligible to win a $1 million prize -- along with 119 other community colleges.
"The purpose of the Aspen Prize is to recognize community colleges with outstanding academic and workforce outcomes in both absolute performance and improvements over time," according to the contest website. "By focusing on student success and lifting up models that work, the prize will honor excellence, stimulate innovation, and create benchmarks for measuring progress."
Cochise College looks to be a "starter college" for many Southern Arizona students. It has a retention rate of 59%. (That's a measure of how many first-year students stick around for a second year.) The graduation rate is about 12% and another 31% of students transfer out to another college.
Good luck in the game, Cochise College!
