Georgia Highlands College President Mike Hobbs and others  recently represented the college at a national award ceremony in Washington, D. C. The Aspen Institute named Georgia Highlands College as a finalist for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence in June 2024. This recognition highlights the college’s high and improving levels of student success among over 1,000 community colleges nationwide. Josh Wyner from the Aspen Institute praised the ten finalists for their commitment to improving student outcomes through innovative approaches. Although the award went to Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, GHC was the only finalist from Georgia. The recognition emphasizes the college’s achievements and the hard work of its dedicated faculty and staff. A total of ten finalist colleges were named, showcasing the possibility of strong student success across diverse settings. The award process began in summer 2023, analyzing outcomes at community colleges and inviting top performers to apply.