Houston City College, Roane State Community College, and Seminole State College have been named the winners of NACCE’s annual “Entrepreneurial College of the Year” award. NACCE, which is North America’s leading advocate for entrepreneurship education and programming for community and technical colleges, made the awards to each college leader during its 2026 Annual Conference in Boston on November 3.

Cary, NC November 03, 2026 –(PR.com)– Houston City College, is a public, open-admission multi-college community system serving the Greater Houston area in Texas. Accepting the award on behalf of the college was Maya Durnovo, Ed.D., Associate Vice Chancellor – Entrepreneurship for the college.

In presenting the award, NACCE President and CEO Rebecca Corbin, Ed.D., said, “Houston City College stands out for the breadth of its entrepreneurship efforts, with multiple centers focused on entrepreneurship and strong engagement across NACCE programs, including the Everyday Entrepreneur program and STRIVE. HCC is known for consistently making entrepreneurship a visible, integrated part of the college’s work.”

In accepting the award, Durnovo said, “I’m honored and very proud to accept this prestigious award on behalf of the extraordinary HCC entrepreneurial team. Our work is one of enormous passion and heart!”

Roane State Community College has 11 locations across East Tennessee. Its career preparation programs train students in advanced manufacturing, business management, computer information technology, health science, and other fields for students desiring associate degrees or certificates. RSCC also offers Nursing and 13 health science programs.

“Roane State is well known for its student involvement and the momentum behind its growing entrepreneurship initiatives. By expanding engagement, the college demonstrates how entrepreneurship can take hold and grow within a community,” said Corbin, who presented the award to Roane State President Chris Whaley.

“We are honored to receive this recognition, which reflects the excellent work of our faculty and staff and their commitment to our students and communities,” said President Whaley. “At Roane State, entrepreneurship is about creating opportunities for students and aspiring business owners to turn promising ideas into action. Through strong partnerships, innovative programs, and access to resources, we are helping those ideas grow while strengthening the communities we serve.”

According to Corbin, “Seminole State College has stepped up its entrepreneurship efforts by bringing programs like the Everyday Entrepreneur program and others into its work. College leaders continually demonstrate a commitment to expanding opportunities and building a stronger entrepreneurship culture across campus.”
The Aspen Institute recognized Seminole State College among the Top 200 colleges eligible for the 2027 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The $1 million award is the nation’s premier recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. Accepting the NACCE award was SSC President Georgia Lorenz who became the college’s third president in 2018.

About HCC
HCC currently operates 19+ campuses across seven regional colleges plus global online programs, serving tens of thousands of students. Programs include more than 300 awards and certificates across 85+ academic and workforce programs, including university transfer pathways, technical training, adult education, and select baccalaureate degrees in fields like AI/robotics and health care management. Visit: https://www.hccs.edu.

About Roane State
Besides its flagship campus in Roane County, Roane State has additional sites including: its Oak Ridge campus; campuses in Campbell, Cumberland, Fentress, Loudon, Morgan, and Scott counties; and a center for health science education in West Knoxville. Roane State has more than 4,700 students pursuing two-year associate degrees or academic certificates. Visit: https://www.roanestate.edu.

About Seminole State College
Seminole State College of Florida is a full-service education provider, offering bachelor’s degrees; two-year college-credit degrees (A.A., A.S., A.A.S.); specialized career certificates; continuing professional education; adult education; and an array of culturally stimulating events and timely guest speakers. Visit: https://www.seminolestate.edu.

About NACCE
NACCE is an organization of educators, administrators, presidents, and entrepreneurs focused on igniting entrepreneurship in their communities and on their campuses. NACCE has two main goals: to empower leaders to approach the business of running a community college with an entrepreneurial mindset; and to grow the community college’s role in supporting job creation and entrepreneurs in their local ecosystem. The association represents 350+ community and technical colleges and 2,000 faculty, staff, administrators, and presidents who serve more than 3.3 million students. In 2023, NACCE acquired the SkillPointe technology platform, a free career exploration tool providing information and support for in-demand skilled trades jobs and resources for business startups. Visit: www.nacce.com.

Contact Information:
National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship
Carol Savage
978-857-1473
Contact via Email
www.nacce.com

Read the full story here: https://www.pr.com/press-release/983614

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National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship