For Immediate Release
Contact: Daniel Wackershauser, Marketing and PR Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2303
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: August 5, 2025
Community celebration planned to honor national recognition
Hands-on demos, live entertainment, and more
Fennimore -
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is inviting the public to a celebration honoring the college’s recent distinction as the #1 two-year college in the nation. Southwest Tech was named the winner of the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the highest honor a community college can receive.
The free, family-friendly celebration will take place on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the main campus in Fennimore. All are welcome—no registration or RSVP is required.
The event will include hands-on demonstrations from academic programs, campus tours, giveaways, food trucks, and live music. Families can enjoy kids’ activities, and prospective students will have the chance to meet instructors, explore career paths, and connect with alumni and industry partners. College officials will also hold recognition moments throughout the day to highlight the many individuals and partners who helped make this achievement possible.
“This isn’t just a celebration of winning—it’s a thank-you to everyone who made our students’ success possible,” said Katie Glass, chief communications officer at Southwest Tech. “Whether you’re a partner, graduate, employee, or friend of the college, this day is about honoring the shared work that led to this recognition and celebrating what we’ve accomplished together.”
Awarded every two years, the Aspen Prize honors one college in the country for outstanding outcomes in learning, completion, equity, and post-college success. Southwest Tech was selected from more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide.
Southwest Tech’s results set it apart. According to the Aspen Institute:
• The college’s three-year graduation rate is 54 percent, compared to the 35 percent national average.
• For Pell Grant recipients—typically from economically disadvantaged backgrounds—the graduation rate is 49 percent, compared to 32 percent nationally.
• Five years after completion, Southwest Tech graduates earn nearly $14,000 more than the average new hire in the college’s service area.
“Nearly half of our students are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and this award shows what’s possible when public dollars are invested in people,” said Caleb White, interim president of Southwest Tech. “Together, we’re not just changing individual lives—we’re strengthening families, communities, and the economic future of Southwest Wisconsin.”
More information about the celebration can be found at www.swtc.edu/celebration. In addition, updates can also be found on the college’s Facebook page.
• Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is one of 16 institutions in the Wisconsin Technical College System. The college offers more than 60 programs and serves students through on-campus, online, hybrid, and blended formats. With a focus on access, affordability, and workforce alignment, Southwest Tech provides certificates, diplomas, associate degrees, and apprenticeships to prepare students for family-sustaining careers.