Walters State Named Bellwether Finalist
November 17, 2022
Walters State Community College has been named a Bellwether finalist in the category
of instructional programs and services. Thirty finalists have been named in three
categories. Winners of this nationally recognized award will be announced at the 29th
Annual Community College Futures Assembly (CCFA). The award identifies and honors
outstanding and innovative community college programs in three categories.
“The significance of the Bellwether Award is that the winning programs are replicable,
scalable, equity-focused, and demonstrate evidence-based success,” said Dr. Rose Martinez,
director for the Bellwether College Consortium. “With the complexity of issues facing
our community colleges today, these finalists are extraordinary examples of colleges
providing scalable solutions to tough challenges.”
Dr. Tony Miksa, president of Walters State, said that being named a finalist is an
honor and reflects on the college’s efforts in instructional excellence and student
service delivery.
“This recognition can be credited to our devoted faculty and staff members who are
constantly looking for new and better ways to teach students,” Miksa said. “This is
confirmation that we are succeeding.”
A Bellwether finalist is a community college with a program that scores highest in
the first round of competition and is invited to compete in the final round of award
competition. The Bellwether Award categories are instructional programs and services,
workforce development, and planning, governance and finance.
Finalists in the instructional programs and services category, which recognizes programs
and services that foster or support teaching and learning, are:
Chattanooga State Community College (Tennessee)
El Paso Community College (Texas)
Hudson County Community College (New Jersey)
North Central Texas College (Texas)
NorthWest Arkansas Community College (Arkansas)
Pima Community College (Arizona)
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (North Carolina)
South Mountain Community College (Arizona)
South Piedmont Community College (North Carolina)
Walters State Community College (Tennessee)
Finalists in the workforce development category, which identifies strategic alliances
that promote community and economic development, are:
Arizona Western College (Arizona)
Atlanta Technical College (Georgia)
Blinn College (Texas)
Gaston College (North Carolina)
Hudson County Community College (New Jersey)
Pima Community College (Arizona)
Reading Area Community College (Pennsylvania)
South Piedmont Community College (North Carolina)
St. Louis Community College (Missouri)
Tallahassee Community College (Florida)
Finalists in the planning, governance, and finance category, which recognizes programs
or activities that improve college efficiency and effectiveness, are:
Alamo Colleges District (Texas)
Blinn College District (Texas)
Clark State College (Ohio)
Hudson County Community College (New Jersey)
Lakeshore Technical College (Wisconsin)
Lamar State College - Port Arthur (Texas)
Pima Community College (Arizona)
Polk State College (Florida)
Sinclair Community College (Ohio)
Western Dakota Technical College (South Dakota)
The award process began when the Bellwether College Consortium issued a call for nominations
in the summer of 2022. Finalists representing 14 states and 24 community colleges
were selected to compete from a large pool of submissions. College teams will conduct
presentations to a jury of anonymous judges and fellow community college practitioners
and CEOs and share how they significantly addressed a critical issue affecting community
colleges. Event co-sponsors include the National Council of Instructional Administrators, the
National Council for State Directors of Community Colleges, and the National Council
for Continuing Education and Training. The national competition will be held February
26-28, in San Antonio. The 2023 Bellwether Award recipients will be named at the event.
The Community College Futures Assembly convenes annually as an independent national
forum for innovators to work as a think tank. It identifies successful responses to
critical issues facing the future of community colleges and hosts its national award
competition annually.
Visit the Bellwether College Consortium website for more information at