For the third time, Rend Lake College has been recognized on the Aspen Institute’s list of the top community colleges in the nation for its student success rates.  The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program named its 150 top community colleges, challenging them to compete for a $1 million fund through the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.  The institute’s mission is to improve colleges’ understanding and capacity to teach and graduate students by sharing and building on best practices found at community colleges across the nation.  The goal especially targets the growing population of low-income and minority students on American campuses.  This year marks the third time RLC has made the Aspen list since the competition began in 2011.  According to the Aspen Institute website, the prize is “the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges and recognizes institutions for exceptional student outcomes in four areas: student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings, and high levels of access and success for minority and low-income students.”  RLC’s three-year graduation and retention rate, which is 70 percent, far exceeds the national average of 39.8 percent for all community and technical colleges, according to information provided by the Aspen Institute.  The Aspen Institute will announce 10 finalists this fall, with the winner being announced in early 2015.