Mountain Empire Community College(MECC) is a public community college in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Mountain Empire Community College is a two-year college that serves the residents of Scott, Lee, Wise, and Dickenson Counties, and the City of Norton. The College operates under recommendations established by the State Board for Community Colleges and the Local Advisory Board. Mountain Empire Community College is 1 of 23 colleges in the Virginia Community College System. The College is chiefly financed with state funds and accompanied by contributions from the local jurisdictions.
In 1966, A system of strong community colleges was established statewide when the Virginia Assembly passed a landmark legislation. The enactment of this legislation resulted in bringing most post-high school education into one system. This helped to broaden higher education in Virginia. The primary aspiration of Community Colleges being to serve all sections of society. The local governing bodies of Scott, Lee, Wise, and Dickenson Counties and the City of Norton in Southwest Virginia composed a committee for the purpose of establishing a community college.Dr. George B. Vaughan became the first president of Mountain Empire Community College in the year 1971. The first classes at Mountain Empire Community College(MECC) were offered in the fall of 1972.
Through its notable principles and measures, MECC has earned the trust of students and particularly the community it serves. The principles that guide MECC are proper accreditation, balanced and non-discriminatory standards. Programs at Mountain Empire Community College fall under the academic divisions of Applied Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Health Sciences, and Business and Information Technology.
Mountain Empire Community College’s Accreditation
The College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges for its associate degree. Assessing individual program accreditations, the Respiratory Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, the Nursing program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing and approved by the Virginia State Board of Nursing, the Emergency Medical Services Technology program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, The Computer-Aided Drafting & Design Technology, Technical Studies, Computer Manufacturing Technology, and Computer Manufacturing Technology are accredited by the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE).