The 30 finalists were named this month for the 2025 Bellwether Awards.
The Bellwether Awards, established in 1995, recognize the innovative work of community colleges. It is sponsored by the Alamo Colleges District in Texas. Colleges can receive awards in three categories: Instructional Programs and Services; Planning, Governance, and Finance; and Workforce Development.
“We received a record total of 88 submissions from community colleges across 30 states. Each college demonstrated its commitment to excellence through innovative, replicable, scalable and equity-focused programs that yield impressive outcomes,” said Rose Martinez, director for the Bellwether College Consortium.
Instructional Programs & Services finalists
The finalists in this category have designed and implemented programs that foster or support teaching and learning in the community college.
This year’s finalists are:
- Blinn College District (Texas)
- Blue Ridge Community College (North Carolina)
- Catawba Valley Community College (North Carolina)
- Elgin Community College (Illinois)
- Forsyth Technical Community College (North Carolina)
- Illinois Central College
- Isothermal Community College (North Carolina)
- Long Beach City College (California)
- Madisonville Community College (Kentucky)
- Southwestern Community College (North Carolina)
Last year’s winner in this category was Reading Area Community College in Pennsylvania.
Planning, Governance & Finance finalists
This category focuses on advancing efficiency and effectiveness in the community college.
The 2025 finalists are:
- Fletcher Technical Community College (Louisiana)
- Lone Star College – Online (Texas)
- Mid-State Technical College (Wisconsin)
- Marion Technical College (Ohio)
- Ocean County Community College (New Jersey)
- Reading Area Community College (Pennsylvania)
- South Suburban College (Illinois)
- Stanly Community College (North Carolina)
- Victor Valley College (California)
- Yavapai College (Arizona)
Lakeshore Technical College in Wisconsin received the 2024 award in this category.
Workforce Development finalists
The Workforce Development category recognizes colleges that have developed public and/or private strategic alliances and partnerships that promote community and economic development by producing workforce.
The finalists are:
- Antelope Valley College (California)
- Chattanooga State Community College (Tennessee)
- Community College of Baltimore County (Maryland)
- Cleveland Community College (North Carolina)
- Del Mar College (Texas)
- Delgado Community College (Louisiana)
- Illinois Central College
- Madisonville Community College (Kentucky)
- Motlow State Community College (Tennessee)
- Tidewater Community College (Virginia)
The 2024 winner in this category was St. Louis Community College.
The finalists will present at the 2025 Community College Futures Assembly in San Antonio in February.
