Rockland Community College has once again received national recognition, earning the 2026 Higher Education Excellence and Distinction (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Academia magazine for the sixth consecutive year.
RCC is one of only eight SUNY campuses to receive the recognition this year and is the only SUNY community college selected for the award. The college is among 60 institutions nationwide that will be featured in the October 2026 issue of INSIGHT Into Academia.
The HEED Award recognizes colleges and universities across the United States that demonstrate a strong commitment to academic excellence, belonging and community building throughout campus life.
“Being recognized with the HEED Award for the sixth consecutive year is especially meaningful because it reflects the culture we continue to build at Rockland Community College,” RCC President Dr. William P. Mullaney said.
Mullaney said the recognition belongs to the college’s entire campus community and reflects RCC’s efforts to ensure students have the support and opportunities they need to succeed.
RCC officials said the college has also been expanding its focus on pluralism, with an emphasis on strengthening relationships, mutual understanding and constructive engagement among people with different backgrounds and perspectives.
Melissa L. Roy, RCC’s chief diversity officer and director of the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, said the college is working to advance equity, inclusion and civic engagement while building a greater sense of shared purpose across the campus community.
INSIGHT Into Academia Co-Publisher Lenore Pearlstein said recipients are selected through a detailed scoring process combined with a holistic review of each institution’s application, with the publication looking for schools where academic excellence and belonging are incorporated into everyday campus life.
The latest recognition continues a six-year streak for RCC, which has now received the national HEED Award every year since 2021.
