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2025 Carnegie Classifications for Advancing Student Opportunity and Success
VWU earns “Higher Access” designation in national classification of colleges supporting student success
University News | April 25, 2025
Virginia Wesleyan University has earned national recognition for its mission-driven commitment to student success and access in the newly released 2025 Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education. 
Updated every three years, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education (ACE) provide a framework to help the public better understand the diversity of higher education institutions in the United States. The 2025 updates introduced significant changes, including the addition of a “Student Access and Earnings” classification and revisions to Research Activity Designations. Notably, the former “Basic Classification” has been renamed the “Institutional Classification” to more accurately reflect institutional characteristics such as degree levels, fields of study, and institutional size.
In the latest release, Virginia Wesleyan is classified as a Special Focus: Arts and Sciences institution under the redesigned Institutional Classification system and has earned a Higher Access distinction in the new Student Access and Earnings Classification—a clear reflection of the University’s success in enrolling and supporting students from traditionally underserved backgrounds.
Virginia Wesleyan’s classification as a Higher Access institution indicates that it enrolls more Pell Grant recipients and students from underrepresented populations than would be expected based on the demographics of the region it serves. “Education opens doors—not just to knowledge, but to a better life,” said VWU President Scott D. Miller. “We take great pride in serving students who may be the first in their families to attend college and in giving them the tools, resources, and mentorship needed to thrive academically and professionally.”
President Miller continued, “Virginia Wesleyan’s strong performance in the new Carnegie Classifications reaffirms our role as a catalyst for economic and social mobility. This recognition reflects the hard work of our faculty, staff, and community partners who remain deeply committed to student-centered education.”
With a student body that reflects a broad range of life experiences and socioeconomic backgrounds, VWU continues to fulfill its mission to foster achievement, purpose, and leadership through a transformative liberal arts education. The University’s inclusion in the Higher Access category places it among institutions nationally recognized for removing barriers to higher education and helping students from all walks of life build brighter futures.
To learn more about the 2025 Carnegie Classifications and explore the methodology behind the rankings, visit https://bit.ly/3YIpl5B.