Press Releases
Riley Co-Chairing Competition for Improved Student Outcomes in Community Colleges
WASHINGTON, DC (April 26, 2011) -- Former U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, a partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, helped launch the eight-month process Monday to reward improved student outcomes at community colleges at the Inaugural Kick-Off Event for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Secretary Riley, who co-chairs the Prize Jury, spoke about the importance of community colleges to our nation and the Aspen Prize recognition to be awarded to the most successful in terms of student outcomes. He then introduced current U. S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who gave remarks and was followed by Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden, a community college professor.
The Prize Jury will select the inaugural winner of the $1 million Aspen Prize. The purpose of the prize is to recognize community colleges with outstanding academic and workforce outcomes both in absolute performance and improvements over time. By focusing on student success and lifting up models that work, the Aspen Prize will honor excellence, stimulate innovation and create benchmarks for measuring progress.
There are 1,200 two-year, higher-education institutions in the country. Based on a comprehensive review of publicly available data, 120 of them – from 32 states, including South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, and West Virginia – have been invited to apply for the prize.
A former U.S. Secretary of Education (1993-2001) and a former Governor of South Carolina (1979-87), Secretary Riley remains an ambassador for improving education in the state, nation, and abroad. For more information on the prize, visit www.AspenCCPrize.org.
Established in 1897, Nelson Mullins has more than 420 attorneys and government relations professionals practicing from 12 office locations in the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia. For more information on the Firm, go to www.nelsonmullins.com, or call 803.255.9794.
