30th Anniversary Legacy Award

The Legacy Award is BCC's most prestigious recognition of a past Bellwether award-winning community college with a remarkably enduring and successful program. This award is presented to a college with sustained measurable achievements, such as high graduation, transfer, retention, and job placement rates.

Eligible colleges must demonstrate five years of institutional advancement and equitable student success, and may also provide evidence of verifiable program replication by other community colleges. The rigorous competition involves two rounds of evaluation and a final round of team presentations at the 2024 Community College Futures Assembly. No more than 10 top-scored colleges will be invited to the final competition to be held in late February 2024.

Bellwether College Consortium is housed and supported by the Alamo Colleges District.

2024 Legacy Award Competition – Scoring Criteria

Bellwether award-winning programs that have exhibited five years of successful institutional transformation and/or proven program replication are eligible and invited to compete. Colleges not deemed past Bellwether Finalists are ineligible.

Legacy Award Competition – Round 1 Criteria

• Identify a critical issue or challenge this program, model, policy, or service was designed to address. Why did it require a strong response from the college? Why was the program considering a unique and innovative approach or response? (15%)
• Describe the process, timeline, participants, and resources required to implement the program model, policy, or service. Provide a comprehensive response including essential planning and development processes and strategies for a fully scaled program. Include and describe key positions, milestones, and financial commitments. Explain new policies or practices employed, if any. (30%)
• Specify the performance indicators and outcomes that have demonstrated the success of this program, model, policy, or service from an equity lens (if applicable) and success in scalability. Report on five years or more of program success and sustainability. Also, please explain any policies or practices crafted and share model changes or iterations that led to optimal program performance and outcomes. Additionally, please describe any unexpected challenges, such as the pandemic, that may have temporarily affected student success. If the program was replicated, where did this occur, what role did your college play, and what have been the major outcomes? (35%)
• Elaborate on lessons learned for colleges considering replicating this initiative. Offer valuable reflections and insights that aid those who wish to replicate or customize the program. Also, alert them to any potential obstacles or challenges they may encounter. (20%)

Community College Futures Assembly Registration and Preparation of Formal Presentation – Round 2

Finalists will be invited to join the Bellwether College Consortium and register for the 2024 Community College Futures Assembly held in San Antonio. By popular demand, the Menger Hotel has been secured in beautiful San Antonio. It is adjacent to the historic Alamo and within walking distance of the vibrant Riverwalk.

College finalists must confirm their attendance and register all attendees and presenters. Attendees are reminded to make reservations using the conference hotel link by the deadline. College representatives (e.g. trustees, chancellor, presidents) and business and industry partners are strongly encouraged to attend and provide institutional support for their respective colleges. A nationally representative panel of distinguished guests will serve as judges. They will select the Legacy Award winner.

A Bellwether and Legacy Finalist webinar will be announced to address questions, presentation preparation, and the required digital binder submission. Finalists will receive an invitation to this free preparatory event.

Scoring criteria for the digital binder and the oral presentation are the same. Judges will score a maximum of ten pages of content and an additional ten pages for appendices with the presentation.

Guidance for Creating a Binder:

• The title page includes the program title, college, and award category (large font)
• Visually appealing & easy to follow
• Table of Contents & tabs
• Compelling or data-supported rationale
• Concise language & easy-to-read text, and
• Graphics explaining the process and sharing important data and outcomes