The American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) annual Awards of Excellence underscore the association’s priorities and bring national visibility to promising practices among its member colleges.

Winners will be announced at the Awards of Excellence Gala on April 15 during the AACC Annual April 12-16 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Be sure to register for the convention.)

This year’s Awards of Excellence categories and finalists are:

Advancing Institutional Equity and Belonging

• Long Beach City College (California), Mike Munoz, president
• Madisonville Community College (Kentucky), Cynthia Kelley, president/CEO
• Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Mary S. Graham, president
• Northern Virginia Community College, Anne Kress, president
• Rock Valley College (Illinois), Howard J. Spearman, president

Exemplary CEO/Board Relationship

• Carroll Community College (Maryland), Rose Mince, president
• Mt. Hood Community College (Oregon), Lisa Skari, president
• Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (North Carolina), Carol Spalding, president

Outstanding College/Corporate Partnership

• Dallas College (Texas) and PepsiCo Foundation
• Hudson County Community College (New Jersey) and Hudson County Department of Family Services and Reintegration
• Rock Valley College (Illinois) and AAR
• Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (North Carolina) and Martin Marietta
• Suffolk County Community College (New York) and Northwell Health

Faculty Innovation

• Azhar Mahmood, associate professor of chemistry and coordinator of the construction management program, Hudson County Community College (New Jersey)
• Elizabeth Peters, professor of electronics technology and pre-engineering Yavapai Community College (Arizona)
• Diego Tibaquirá, professor of computer science, Miami Dade College (Florida)

Student Success

• Montgomery College (Maryland), Jermaine F. Williams, president
• Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Mary S. Graham, president
• Northern Virginia Community College, Anne Kress, president

Rising Star, Manager

• Rosa Lopez, dean of students, College of Southern Idaho
• Kollin Napier, director of the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
• Jennifer Valcarcel, associate dean of career and transfer, Hudson County Community College (New Jersey)

Rising Star, Executive

• Laura Ellsworth, associate vice president for curriculum, program and regulations, Prince George’s Community College (Maryland)
• Michelle Tufau, vice president for strategic enrollment and student engagement, Quinsigamond Community College (Massachusetts)
• Isaac Zuniga, executive vice president of academic and student success, Richland Community College (Illinois)

Faculty Member of the Year

• Kwabena Konadu, discipline chair, cybersecurity, Northern Virginia Community College
• Kathleen Randall, education professor, Waubonsee Community College (Illinois)

CEO of the Year

• Joe Gilgour, Mineral Area College (Missouri)
• Mary S. Graham, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
• Todd Holcomb, Hawkeye Community College (Iowa)
• Clyne Namuo, Joliet Junior College (Illinois)