HIGHLAND, KS – Highland Community College (HCC) has been designated as an “Opportunity College and University” by the Carnegie Classifications. The designation recognizes HCC as a national model for advancing student success and long-term economic outcomes.
The Opportunity Colleges and Universities designation is part of a newly developed Student Access and Earnings Classification published this spring by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education. This new classification examines the extent to which institutions foster opportunities for student success by measuring whether institutions are enrolling students reflective of the communities they serve and how the earnings of those students compare to peers in their area. In 2025, 479 institutions have been identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities, which is about 16% of all U.S. colleges and universities that are in the Student Access and Earnings Classification.
“This designation isn’t just a badge of honor—it’s a reflection of the work we do every single day to ensure that students from every walk of life have a chance to succeed,” said Dr. Vincent Bowhay, President of Highland Community College. “We are committed to delivering high-quality, student-centered education that leads to real-world outcomes—better jobs, stronger communities and a more inclusive economy.”
The methodology for the new Student Access and Earnings Classification uses multidimensional groupings of the 2025 Institutional Classification to evaluate student access and earnings between similar colleges and universities.
More information about the 2025 Student Earnings and Access Classifications, including the methodology, can be found on the Carnegie Classifications of Higher Education.
About the Carnegie Classification
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity in U.S. higher education. The Carnegie Commission on Higher Education developed the classification in 1973 to support its program of research and policy analysis, and it was updated in 1976, 1987, 1994, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2018, 2021, and 2025 to reflect changes among colleges and universities. It will next be updated in 2028, with subsequent updates every three years.
About the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
The mission of the Carnegie Foundation is to catalyze transformational change in education so that every student has the opportunity to live a healthy, dignified and fulfilling life. Enacted by an act of Congress in 1906, the Foundation has a rich history of driving transformational change in the education sector, including the establishment of TIAA-CREF and the creation of the Education Testing Service, the GRE (Graduate Record Exam), Pell Grants and the Carnegie Classifications for Higher Education.
About the American Council on Education
ACE unites and leads higher education institutions toward a shared vision for the future. With more than 1,600 member colleges, universities and associations, ACE designs solutions for today’s challenges and advances public policy to support a diverse and dynamic higher education sector. Learn more at www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on X (formerly Twitter) @ACEducation and LinkedIn american-council-on-education.