News Release

December 9, 2019

Aspen Institute Names FVTC a Top 150 U.S. Community College

Based on data concerning student outcomes, Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) was selected from a pool of nearly 1,000 public two-year colleges nationwide as a top community college on behalf of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program.

The recognition affirms FVTC’s vital role in developing the region’s workforce and fostering a better quality of life for its graduates, students, and specialized training partners. Anchored by strong graduate employment and a commitment to serving the needs of diverse populations, the college continues to lead training initiatives that impact both local employers and global entities.

The new Airport Rescue Firefighting (ARFF) Training Center, in collaboration with the Appleton International Airport, will open in spring of 2020—bringing state-of-the-art tactical training to airport firefighters. Another 2020 project looks to reach more than 15,000 students a year with Junior Achievement thanks to the Community First Career Exploration and Financial Literacy Center on FVTC’s Appleton campus. These two projects once again personify FVTC’s use of innovation to address community needs.

The Aspen Program examines achievement in four areas: student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings, and high-levels of access and success for low-income and minority students. As part of the noteworthy accolade, FVTC was invited to submit an application highlighting its student successes and strategies. College officials submitted the application to the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, an opportunity to earn $1 million conjoined with being named a top 150 community college. 

FVTC served more than 48,000 people last year and graduates nearly 2,700 students a year into the workforce. For 70 years, the Aspen Institute has driven change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the world’s greatest challenges. Learn more about the Aspen Institute >>

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