Butler Community College Receives 2026 ACT Champion Award

At the 2026 ACT Summit, held July 13-15 in Nashville, ACT presented its Champion Awards for the second consecutive year. Butler Community College was one of six recipients from across the country to be honored as champions of learner success across six categories.

“I've had the privilege of working alongside many of these partners, and behind every one of these awards is a student who got a better shot because someone in their community chose to invest in them,” said Catherine Hoffmann, senior vice president of government and public relations at ACT. “That's not a small thing. I'm honored to stand with the educators, employers, and institutions who show up every day with that kind of commitment."

Representing Butler at the ACT Summit in Nashville were Executive Dean of Academics & Community Partnerships Dr. Heather Rinkenbaugh and Vice President of Student Services Bill Rinkenbaugh.

2026 ACT Champion Awards and Recipients

State College and Career Champion: Wyoming State Department of Education for expanding student access to ACT WorkKeys, partnering with the Wyoming Community College Commission to explore credit for the ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate, and participation in groundbreaking research on English Learner assessment outcomes.

K-12 Policy Champion: Gaston County Schools in North Carolina for their commitment to connecting high school learning to real-world career opportunities, which has set a powerful example for districts across the country. Through hands-on career readiness curriculum experiences and the use of ACT WorkKeys to measure practical work skills, Gaston County Schools has worked to build partnerships within the community while increasing students’ confidence in exploring their postsecondary options — and the results speak for themselves.

Workforce Innovation Champion: Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska, for transforming its regional workforce by delivering fast, employer-aligned training that connects adult learners directly to high-demand, family-sustaining careers. By embedding ACT WorkKeys into its programs, MCC ensures learners build and demonstrate the foundational workplace skills employers value, strengthening both job readiness and hiring confidence. Through integrated education, career coaching, and deep industry partnerships, MCC is creating lasting economic mobility for individuals while meeting critical talent needs across the broader Nebraska community.

Workforce Policy Champion: Texarkana USA Chamber of Commerce for being instrumental in bringing ACT WorkKeys assessments and curriculum into local high schools,Texarkana College, and the hands of key regional employers. This work has strengthened the connection between education and employment across both sides of the Texas-Arkansas border — and is actively expanding to reach even more students and job seekers throughout Northeast Texas.

Higher Ed, 2-Year Policy Champion: Butler Community College in Kansas for expanding opportunities for Kansas students by making college credit more accessible through innovative, forward-thinking policies that remove traditional barriers to higher education. As the only community college in Kansas to award college credit for the ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate, Butler is recognizing and validating the real-world skills students bring to the classroom — meeting learners where they are and building on earned credentials for faster degree completion.

Higher Ed, 4-Year Policy Champion: University of Tennessee, Knoxville, for exemplifying what it looks like when a major research university treats ACT scores as a student-centered tool. UT Knoxville uses ACT math scores transparently and purposefully for appropriate course placement. By Superscoring across test sittings, using scores for coursework eligibility, and clearly communicating how each score is used, UT Knoxville ensures that ACT data continues to work for students long after the admission decision is made.