Dr. Chad Eggleston Selected for National Aspen Institute’s Rising Presidents Fellowship

May 27, 2026

Smiling man in a gray suit and patterned tie, photographed indoors with a softly blurred background.The Aspen Institute announced today that Dr. Chad Eggleston, Vice President of Instruction and Student Engagement at McLennan Community College (MCC), has been selected as one of 40 leaders nationwide for the 2026–27 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship.

Selected from more than 125 applicants nationwide, Eggleston joins a cohort of senior community college leaders committed to advancing student success and economic mobility through higher education reform.

Eggleston serves as MCC’s Vice President of Instruction and Student Engagement, where he provides leadership for instructional programs and student engagement efforts across the College. Since joining MCC in 2017, he has held multiple leadership roles and has been instrumental in supporting faculty, enhancing the student experience, and advancing the College’s mission.

Eggleston has helped lead guided pathways and student success efforts focused on developmental education reform, year-round scheduling, and innovative workforce programs aligned with regional labor market needs. Serving as Texas Guided Pathways Lead and Rural Guided Pathways Lead, he has also supported initiatives designed to reduce barriers to completion and strengthen student engagement.

Aspen Institute research has consistently found that high-performing community colleges are often led by presidents who prioritize reforms that improve student completion, transfer outcomes, workforce preparation, and economic mobility.

Through the year-long fellowship, participants will:

  • Analyze labor market and student outcome data to better align education with workforce needs
  • Study models from Aspen Prize-winning institutions demonstrating strong student outcomes
  • Receive coaching and mentorship from accomplished community college presidents and leaders
  • Develop and refine strategic reforms designed to improve student success and economic mobility

“Our research shows that excellent colleges share a common trait: they are led by presidents who focus on transformative initiatives centered on student success, transfer, workforce preparation, and economic mobility,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “I cannot wait to begin working with this impressive set of leaders.” 

“Dr. Eggleston has been instrumental in advancing innovative workforce programs and student-centered initiatives that help students succeed both in college and in their careers,” said MCC President Dr. Johnette McKown. “This recognition reflects his leadership and commitment to expanding opportunities to our students.”

Rising Presidents Fellows are selected based on their commitment to improving student success and advancing economic mobility, their readiness to lead large-scale reforms, and their potential to become community college presidents within five years.

The fellows represent institutions across 20 states and a network of more than 500 community college leaders, including over 215 sitting presidents, working to increase student completion, transfer success, and workforce outcomes.

The Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship is supported by the Burton Family Foundation, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, College Futures Foundation, Mellon Foundation, and the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research at NC State University.