SW Tech wins 2025 Aspen prize

The Aspen Institute on Thursday announced that Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, one of 16 colleges in the Wisconsin Technical College System, is the winner of the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition for high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges. Southwest Wisconsin Tech stands out for its strong completion rates –– including for lower-income students––and exceptional wage outcomes for graduates. Five years after completion, graduates earn nearly $14,000 more than the average new hire in the region. The college exceeds the national average for community college graduation rate (35%) by nearly 20 percentage points. As the winner of the 2025 Aspen Prize, Southwest Tech will receive $700,000.