NCTC announced as 2023 Bellwether Award finalist
The Bellwether College Consortium announced 30 Bellwether Finalists last month, including North Central Texas College, that will compete for the 2023 Bellwether Award at the 29th Annual Community College Futures Assembly (CCFA). This nationally recognized award identifies and honors outstanding and innovative community college programs in three award categories.
“The significance of the Bellwether Award is that the winning programs are replicable, scalable, equity-focused, and demonstrate evidence-based success,” said Rose Martinez, Ph.D., director for the Bellwether College Consortium. “With the complexity of issues facing our community colleges today, these finalists are extraordinary examples of colleges providing scalable solutions to tough challenges.”
A Bellwether Finalist is a community college with a program that scores highest in the first round of competition and is invited to compete in the final round of award competition.
Finalists were announced recently on November 9. The Bellwether Award categories are instructional programs and services, workforce development, and planning, governance and finance.
Finalists in the Instructional Programs and Services category, which recognizes programs and services that foster or support teaching and learning are:
Chattanooga State Community College (TN)
El Paso Community College (TX)
Hudson County Community College (NJ)
North Central Texas College (TX)
NorthWest Arkansas Community College (AR)
Pima Community College (AZ)
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (NC)
South Mountain Community College (AZ)
South Piedmont Community College (NC)
Walters State Community College (TN)
The Bellwether College Consortium issued a call for nominations in the summer of 2022. Finalists representing 14 states and 24 community colleges were selected to compete from a large pool of submissions. College teams will conduct presentations to a jury of anonymous judges and fellow community college practitioners and CEOs and share how they significantly addressed a critical issue affecting community colleges. Event co-sponsors include the National Council of Instructional Administrators, the National Council for State Directors of Community Colleges, and the National Council for Continuing Education and Training. The national competition will be held February 26 - 28, in San Antonio, Texas. The 2023 Bellwether Award recipients will be named at the event.
The Community College Futures Assembly convenes annually as an independent national forum for innovators to work as a think tank. It identifies successful responses to critical issues facing the future of community colleges and hosts its national award competition annually.
Visit the Bellwether College Consortium website for more information, www.bellwethercollegeconsortium.com, or email rmartinez1702@alamo.edu.
