Distributed annually by the University of Florida’s (UF) College of Education, the Bellwether Award provides recognition for innovative community college programs that establish new pathways for future success. The Bellwether College Consortium chooses the year’s conference theme and identifies critical issues. Furthermore, the consortium presents awards in three categories: instructional programs and services (IPS); planning, governance, and finance (PGF); and workforce development (WD).
The Bellwether College Consortium announces awards through the Community College Futures Assembly, which named MCC as a Bellwether Award finalist in 2015 and 2016. Both nominations were in the WD award category for the Missouri Innovation Campus program, which focuses on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) studies through a collaboration with MCC, the University of Central Missouri, and Lee’s Summit R-7 School District.