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back entrance of rainier building on fort steilacoom campus

Pierce College Leads the Nation in Student Success

Pierce College continues to pursue excellence in student success, receiving a number of awards and accolades along the way. Learn more about how Pierce College leads the nation in student success!

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Aspen Prize Rising Star 2019

Aspen Institute Rising Star

Pierce College recognized by the Aspen Institute as one of the top community colleges in the nation

Pierce College Fort Steilacoom was named a finalist for the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. During an award ceremony at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., Pierce College was honored with a Rising Star Award for improved student retention and completion over time, a commitment to equitable outcomes for students, service to military students and their families, and a dedicated focus on helping all students overcome obstacles. This award placed Pierce in the top 5 community colleges in the nation.

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Achieving the Dream Leader College of Distinction

Achieving the Dream Leader College of Distinction

Pierce College named Achieving the Dream Leader College of Distinction

Achieving the Dream (ATD) announced 11 community colleges in the ATD Network have earned Leader College of Distinction status for achieving new, higher student outcomes and narrowing equity gaps.

The ATD Leader College of Distinction award was created in 2018 to recognize colleges that have continued striving to meet challenging student success goals, often earning Leader College status several times. Leader Colleges of Distinction must show improvement in three measures, including a lagging indicator like such as completion, while Leader Colleges must show improvement in two student outcome measures. Leader Colleges of Distinction also are required to show they have shrunk performance discrepancies in at least two metrics between groups disaggregated by gender, race/ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.

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Aspen Prize Top Ten 2021

Top Community College in the Nation

Pierce College is named again as one of 10 national finalists for $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program announced that Pierce College is one of 10 finalists for the 2021 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among community colleges.

This is Pierce College’s second time as an Aspen Prize top finalist. In 2019, Pierce College was honored as a Rising Star for exceptional levels of improvement.