CHATTANOOGA STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AMONG 24 NATIONAL FINALISTS IN AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE PROGRAM

American Association of Community Colleges to Spotlight Colleges April 7 in Washington, D.C.

Chattanooga, TN--- Chattanooga State Community College is among a select group of colleges named a finalist in a prestigious program designed to recognize innovation and promising practices among two-year colleges nationwide. The Awards of Excellence are sponsored by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), which established the awards in 2013.

Winners in each of six categories will be named April 7 in Washington, D.C., during the 94th Annual AACC Convention, an event that attracts close to 2,000 educators, policymakers, corporate and foundation representatives each year. Chattanooga State Community College was recognized in the Faculty Innovation category. Other categories include Emerging Leadership, Student Success, Exemplary CEO/Board, Advancing Diversity and Outstanding College/Corporate Sponsorships. For a full list of finalists see www.aacc.nche.edu.

Criteria for the Awards of Excellence are designed to reflect innovative practices in areas that relate to recommendations of the 21st-Century Commission on the Future of Community Colleges, a national, blue ribbon group of education experts. In a report from the commission, (21st Century Report), a redesigned community college of tomorrow is described, one that would “reinvent the student experience” and help “reclaim the American dream.” The finalist colleges have shown leadership in putting the commission’s recommendations into practice.

Finalists for the AACC Awards of Excellence were chosen by a specially appointed committee of the association’s board of directors.

Founded in 1965, Chattanooga State is a public community college serving more than 11,000 students from Chattanooga and Hamilton, Rhea, Sequatchie, Marion, Bledsoe and Grundy counties.

The American Association of Community Colleges is a national organization representing the nation’s over 1,100 community, junior and technical colleges and their 13.5 million students. Community colleges are the largest sector of higher education, enrolling almost half of all U.S. undergraduates. For more information about AACC and community colleges, see www.aacc.nche.edu.