AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – Amarillo College held a State of the College Celebration following the school winning the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence in April. Officials with Amarillo College said that winning this award shows they are second to none among community colleges in the nation.

“I always said I didn’t need the Aspen Prize to tell me that I work with the best employees, faculty and staff in the country. But it sure is nice to have the Aspen Prize affirm what you already knew that were the best,” said Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, president of AC.

Anette Carlisle, chair of the Board of Regents, said that after winning the Aspen Prize the school will use the money to continue to put the students and staff of AC first.

“Excellence in effort and leadership, really trying to connect to our community and do everything we can to increase our student retention, increase our student success transfer, whatever it is. We’re here for the status. We’re here for the community,” said Carlisle.

Lowey-Hart talked more about what the community can expect out of AC.

“I think what’s next is the one area that we still haven’t dramatically improved is our transfer rate. So, the next two years will really focus on how we improve students leaving Amarillo College and transferring and finishing with a bachelor’s degree at WT,” said Lowery-Hart. “I think it will give us a bigger platform, both locally, state, nationally and internationally and sharing the Amarillo story, not just the Amarillo College story, and help us get better at it loving our students to success.”