FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pikes Peak State College Ranks in Top 10 Nationwide as Bellwether Award Finalist for Workforce Development

Colorado Springs, CO — December 17, 2025 – Pikes Peak State College (PPSC) has been named a top 10 finalist nationwide for the 2026 Bellwether Award in the Workforce Development category, placing the college among the most innovative community colleges in the United States. Selected from more than 100 submissions from colleges across 30 states, PPSC is one of only 10 institutions recognized for workforce development excellence at a time when the value and return on investment of higher education is increasingly being questioned.

The Bellwether Awards are considered the most competitive and respected honors in community college education, recognizing programs that demonstrate measurable outcomes scalability and direct alignment with workforce and economic needs. Finalists advance after earning the highest scores in the first round of a national peer-reviewed competition.

PPSC was recognized for its Promise Program model, led by the D2 Promise, which removes financial barriers to college while pairing tuition-free education with intensive coaching and wraparound support. The program directly addresses workforce gaps by increasing postsecondary enrollment persistence and completion among first-generation and low-income students, populations historically underrepresented in credentialed careers.

“Being ranked in the top 10 in the nation sends a clear message,” says Enrique Romo, Vice President for Student Experience and Equity at PPSC. “At a time when investment in higher education is being questioned, PPSC is proving that community colleges deliver real value. We prepare students for in-demand careers at an affordable price and this recognition affirms that our approach works for students, employers and the broader community.”

What began in 2019 with seed funding from the Dakota Foundation and Legacy Institute, in partnership with Harrison School District 2, became the nation’s first publicly funded first-dollar Promise Program after voters approved a local mill levy in 2024. By covering tuition upfront, students can apply federal financial aid toward housing, food, transportation and other basic needs that often derail college completion.

Since its launch, the program has produced significant equity-driven outcomes:

• College-going rates among D2 graduates increased 76%.
• Fall-to-fall retention rose from 42% to 77%.
• More than 146 students have earned credentials with dozens more transferring to four-year institutions.
• More than 877 students have been served the majority of whom are first-generation, Pell-eligible and from underrepresented communities.

PPSC will present its finalist program during the 2026 Community College Futures Assembly held Feb. 22–24 in San Antonio Texas. Bellwether Award recipients will be announced following final presentations to a national panel of community college leaders practitioners and CEOs.

To learn more about the Bellwether Award, visit the Bellwether College Consortium website for more information, www.bellwethercollegeconsortium.com.

About Pikes Peak State College (PPSC):

Established in 1968 and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Pikes Peak offers associate degrees, certificates in career and technical fields and a growing number of bachelors’ degrees. With four campuses, various off-campus locations, two military education centers, and hundreds of online classes, PPSC provides access to a quality, affordable and flexible education to more than 17,000 students annually with both credit and non-credit classes.

Media Contact:
Rachel Tyrrell BS, BA
Content Coordinator in Marketing and Communications at Pikes Peak State College
Mobile: 719-715-3297
Email: rachel.tyrrell@pikespeak.edu
Pronouns: she/her