Aspen Institute recognizes San Jacinto College as top 3 community college
College named a Finalist with Distinction
PASADENA, Texas – Today, the Aspen Institute named San Jacinto College as a Finalist with Distinction for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, ranking the institution as one of the top three community colleges in the nation.
“Being recognized as a Finalist with Distinction and one of the top institutions in the nation is a testament to the incredible dedication and hard work of our faculty, staff, students, and the entire San Jacinto College community,” said Dr. Brenda Hellyer, San Jacinto College Chancellor. “This recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to student success and academic excellence, and it drives us to continue fostering an environment where every student can thrive. We are proud to be a part of shaping the future of higher education, and this recognition strengthens our resolve to ensure that each student is empowered to complete their credential and reach their full potential.”
In recognizing San Jacinto College as a Finalist with Distinction, Aspen noted the College’s commitment to prioritizing the onboarding and advising process to ensure students create academic, career, and financial plans, and that they are connected to the resources they need to be successful. To support this, 85% of the institution’s student services support staff completed a six-week certificate on appreciative advising, focused on building intentional relationships with students.
Additional professional development for full- and part-time faculty, assessment reporting, a high school-to-college bridge program, staff / peer mentoring, a student success course taught by faculty specially trained in how to support and prepare students to be successful in college has helped to increase San Jacinto College’s completion rates. From 2015 to 2024, the number of degrees and certificates awarded increased 27.7 percent from 6,156 to 7,860; and over the last 10 years, the first-time-in-college cohort four-year graduation rate increased from 20.1% to 33%.
The College has also focused on creating clear pathways for transfer students. Faculty and staff update certificate and degree pathways annually, and these maps are available to all advising staff and students through an online planning tool. Students are able to schedule advising appointments with university advisors through the College’s website and ensure that students who attend recruiting events have access to a university advisor from a specific program within one week. The College also utilizes feedback from its learning management system to identify students who are not attending class, may not have textbooks, or who are having difficulty in class. This alert system allows faculty and student support services staff, working as a team, to follow up and provide the necessary educational support resources.
“We know that intentional advising and having direct access to an advisor is an important resource for students to help them in their educational journey,” said Dr. Laurel Williamson, San Jacinto College Deputy Chancellor and President. “Our goal is to help them complete their certificates or degrees and prepare them for whatever is next, whether that is transferring or entering the workforce. At the end of the day, the ultimate measure of success for San Jacinto College is our students’ success.”
In addition to its focus on helping students transfer, San Jacinto College is the workforce training partner for many industries in East Harris County and across the Gulf Coast region. The College regularly monitors labor market trends and develops programs based on information from focus groups and external partners.
“At San Jacinto College we prioritize a ‘listen first’ approach when collaborating with our industry partners,” noted Williamson. “By truly understanding their needs and challenges, we ensure our curriculum is designed to equip students with the skills employers need and aligns with their expectations. This partnership approach is essential in creating a pipeline of talent and setting our students and graduates up for success in their chosen fields.”
The College’s fourth bachelor’s degree, a Bachelor of Applied Technology in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, reflects its commitment to this “listen first” approach. With a projected 19% growth in logistics jobs by 2033, the College worked with the Chancellor’s Advisory Council on Transportation, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, as well as the program’s advisory committee, to develop and launch this new degree. Several of the College’s facilities have also been designed with input from industry partners, along with the institution’s other three bachelor’s degrees in nursing, early childhood education, and cybersecurity.
Awarded every two years, the $1 million Aspen Prize honors colleges with outstanding performance in six critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, broad access to the college and its offerings, and equitable outcomes for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.
“The ten finalists for this year’s Aspen Prize exemplify the excellent outcomes that are possible when a college commits to delivering on its promises, both to students and the broader community,” said Josh Wyner, founder and executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “While each has advanced student success reforms in different ways and contexts, these colleges share an unwavering commitment to ensuring that all of their students not only graduate but earn credentials with value in transfer and the workforce.”
San Jacinto College has previously been recognized by the Aspen Institute as a Rising Star (2017), Aspen Prize Finalist (2019), Finalist with Distinction (2021), and Aspen Prize Finalist (2023).
The 2025 Aspen Prize results are as follows:
Finalists
- Georgia Highlands College (Georgia)
- Moorpark College (California)
- Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (Wisconsin)
- Northwest Vista College (Texas)
- Seminole State College of Florida (Florida)
- Union College of Union County
Rising Star
- Wallace State Community College-Hanceville (Alabama)
Finalist with Distinction
- San Jacinto College (Texas)
- South Puget Sound Community College (Washington)
2025 Aspen Prize Winner
- Southwest Wisconsin Technical College (Wisconsin)
To read more about the Aspen prize and selection process, visit highered.aspeninstitute.org/aspen-prize.
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program supports colleges and universities in their quest to achieve a higher standard of excellence, delivering credentials that unlock life-changing careers and strengthen our economy, society, and democracy. We know it takes visionary college leaders to lead scaled, sustainable reforms, and we make it our mission to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and research-backed tools to inspire change, shift practice, and advance the capacity of colleges to deliver excellent and equitable student outcomes. For more information, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn and X.
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit aspeninstitute.org.
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today, and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris County, Texas, since 1961. The College is one of the top 10 community colleges in the nation as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020. The College is a Hispanic-Serving Institution that spans five campuses, serving approximately 45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s.
