MCC Receives Insight Into Academia 2026 Higher Education Excellence and Distinction (HEED) Award

Today, Middlesex Community College received the 2026 Higher Education Excellence and Distinction (HEED) Award from Insight Into Academia magazine, the oldest and largest publication focused on best practices in higher education. The HEED Award is a prestigious honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to academic excellence, belonging, and community-building across all levels of campus life.

MCC will be featured, along with 60 other recipients, in the October 2026 issue of Insight Into Academia magazine.

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"We are thrilled to receive the HEED Award in recognition of our institution-wide commitment to creating an environment where students and employees can thrive, feel connected, and access meaningful opportunities for success," said Phil Sisson, MCC's President. "The recognition reflects MCC's intentional work to embed these values throughout the institution and its strategic planning. Through our strategic priorities, professional development opportunities, community partnerships, employee and student engagement efforts, and continued focus on improving access and outcomes, the college continues to work to ensure that excellence, opportunity, and a strong sense of community are part of the experience for every member of our extended community."

This collegewide initiative extends across student support, teaching and learning, professional development, community engagement, hiring and employee work, and programs. In combination, these efforts strengthen feelings of belonging and connection across MCC, according to Maria Gariepy, MCC's Executive Director of Strategic Priorities & Professional Development.

"Receiving the Community College HEED Award is a meaningful recognition of the collective work happening across MCC," Gariepy said. "The award reflects the commitment of faculty, staff, students and community partners who work every day to create an institution where people feel welcomed, supported, connected, and positioned to succeed. We are especially proud that this honor recognizes not one program or initiative, but an institution-wide commitment to strengthening opportunity, belonging, and excellence for our students, employees, and the communities we serve."

"We use a detailed scoring process as well as a holistic approach to reviewing each application to determine who will be named a HEED Award recipient. Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where academic excellence and belonging are woven into the work being done every day across their campus," says Lenore Pearlstein, Co-Publisher of Insight into Academia magazine.

Learn more about the 2026 HEED Award.

About Insight Into Academia

Insight Into Academia magazine is the leader in advancing best practices in higher education excellence. Through thought-provoking print and online articles, we share expert advice, valuable resources, in-depth profiles of top programs at colleges and universities, headline news, and much more to help keep our readers informed and empower them to advance initiatives at their institutions. Current, archived, and digital issues of Insight Into Academia magazine are available online at insightintoacademia.com.

About MCC

Middlesex Community College is proud to serve the communities of Greater Bedford and Lowell. One of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC meets each learner where they are. MCC is celebrating 55 years of impact and 10 years as an Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander Serving Institution. Offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses – Middlesex features flexible course formats and a variety of award-winning student support services and resources. Find your fit at MCC!