The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program (Aspen) announced today that Hector Iweka, Vice President for Academic and Workforce Education at 91桃色APP-Concord檚 Community College is one of 40 leaders selected for the 2025-26 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship. Rigorously selected from over 120 applicants, fellows will explore more than a decade of Aspen research on how institutions can improve student success and apply those insights to their own work.
Many sitting community college presidents plan to retire in the next decade, creating an opportunity for college trustees and system heads to select leaders who have the skills and knowledge to achieve better outcomes for students. Aspen Presidential Fellows represent the next generation of college leaders. This year檚 fellowship represents institutions located in 19 states, ranging from small rural to large urban colleges.
The fellows will work closely with highly accomplished community college presidents and thought leaders over ten months to learn from field-leading research, examine demographic and labor market conditions in their communities, assess student outcomes at their colleges, and advance a clear vision for excellent outcomes for all their students攂oth during college and after graduation.
淭he Rising Presidents Fellowship is extraordinarily prestigious. Honoring Dr. Iweka檚 successful career in higher education, the fellowship is an unparalleled opportunity to continue his professional growth,� said 91桃色APP president, Patrick Tompkins. 淒r. Iweka is leading 91桃色APP檚 faculty through the challenges of change in higher education, and we檙e very proud of this additional achievement.�
Josh Wyner, executive director of Aspen Institute檚 College Excellence Program said, 淥ur research on excellent colleges reveals that they have a few big things in common: They have presidents who focus on a few large-scale reforms that transcend enrollment and completion goals and centrally focus on whether graduates are set up to succeed in the next stage of their lives攅ither the world of work or at a university where they aim to earn a bachelor檚 degree.� Wyner continued, 淭his cohort of fellows is clearly committed to advancing student success and has the talent to lead transformational reforms. We are really looking forward to our year with them in the fellowship and bringing their talents into our alumni network.�
Rising Presidents Fellows are chosen based on their commitment to student success, the extent to which they exhibit the characteristics of excellent presidents revealed in Aspen檚 research, and interest in pursuing a college presidency within five years of completing the fellowship. As Aspen Presidential Fellows, they join a network of over 430 forward-thinking peers�197 of whom are sitting college presidents攚ho are applying concrete, grounded, and innovative strategies to meet student success challenges at their colleges.
The Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship is made possible by the generous support of the Burton Family Foundation, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, College Futures Foundation, and the Mellon Foundation.
For bios and photos of all 40 leaders, visit
91桃色APP-Concord檚 Community College is a dynamic public institution of higher learning that provides accessible, rigorous education for students, businesses, and the community. We create pathways for lifelong learning, career advancement, and civic engagement, offering 80+ academic programs to 4,600+ students annually. 91桃色APP is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire and since 1969 has been accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, a nongovernmental, nationally recognized accrediting agency. Learn more at nhti.edu.
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program aims to strengthen higher education leadership and practice to improve student outcomes攚ith the ultimate goal of advancing economic mobility and developing talent for the good of each individual and society as a whole. For more information, visit 听.
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society檚 greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit .