Bellwether Award Finalist

Haywood Community College is a 2027 Bellwether Award Finalist

Tuesday, November 10, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Haywood Community College is one of 30 colleges identified as a finalist for the Bellwether Award for an Innovative Community College Program. The Bellwether College Consortium has announced the 30 finalists selected to compete for the prestigious Bellwether Award at the 33rd Annual Community College Futures Assembly (CCFA). This nationally recognized award honors outstanding and innovative programs in U.S. community colleges across three categories.

The Bellwether Award honors excellence in three categories:

  • Instructional Programs and Services – recognizing programs and services that foster student success and teaching innovation.
  • Workforce Development – highlighting strategic alliances between community colleges and workforce partners that address regional labor market needs.
  • Planning, Governance, and Finance – celebrating innovative approaches in college planning, management, and resource optimization.

Haywood Community College is a finalist in the Planning, Governance, and Finance category. The submission from HCC highlighted how the college streamlined intentional student outreach during a variety of crisis situations into regular practice to enhance student success interventions.

The Bellwether finalists deeply understand the importance of building upon innovations that provide educational and economic opportunities for every learner. There were 89 submissions from 78 community colleges across 29 states that were in contention as a top ten Bellwether finalist for each category.

Dr. Shelley White, President of HCC shares, “We are honored to have Haywood Community College named a Bellwether Award finalist. This recognition reflects our faculty and staff’s commitment to serving our community, responding to its needs, and ensuring the college remains a strong resource and partner for the people and businesses of our region. We are proud to see that work recognized on a national level.”

The next step in the award process is for all 30 college finalists to 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 Association of Community College Trustees, the National Council of Instructional Administrators, the National Council for State Directors of Community Colleges, and the National Association of Community College Entrepreneurship. The national competition will be held February 21-23 in San Antonio, TX where the award recipients will be named.

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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, www.bellwethercollegeconsortium.com, or email rmartinex1702@alamo.edu.