OAKWOOD, VA (April 9, 2026) –The Appalachian College of Pharmacy (ACP) in Oakwood, VA and Mountain Empire Community College (MECC), in Big Stone Gap, VA, celebrated the finalization of a collaborative educational attainment agreement between both educational institutions during a ceremony on the campus of MECC today.
As a result of the agreement, students who complete MECC’s pre-pharmacy program will be afforded priority admission to ACP’s accelerated three-year program leading to a doctor of pharmacy degree.
The Appalachian College of Pharmacy is located in Oakwood, VA.
MECC students whose qualifications are equal to, or which exceed, those of other ACP applicants will be given priority for slots in ACP’s doctor of pharmacy program as a result of the agreement.
“We are pleased to enter into this agreement with Mountain Empire Community College and to be able to give MECC students priority consideration for admission into ACP’s program,” said Dr. Susan Mayhew, ACP provost and dean. “ACP offers the only three-year program in the Commonwealth of Virginia leading to a doctor of pharmacy degree. What that means for students is they are able to complete the program, earn their degree and enter the workforce a year sooner than they would have been able to through completion of a traditional four-year program.
“Further, by entering into this agreement, we recognize the quality of MECC’s pre-pharmacy program in preparing students to be able to successfully complete our rigorous program of study,” Mayhew added.
“This agreement represents a meaningful step forward for our students and for the region we serve,” said Dr. Kristen Westover, MECC president. “By partnering with the Appalachian College of Pharmacy, we are creating a clear, high‑quality pathway for MECC students to pursue advanced healthcare education while remaining rooted in Southwest Virginia. Together, we are expanding opportunity, strengthening the healthcare workforce and investing in the long‑term vitality of our communities.”
ABOUT ACP:
The Appalachian College of Pharmacy is the only three-year Doctor of Pharmacy program in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Founded in 2003, the college accepted its first students in 2005. It is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Its mission is to cultivate a learning community committed to education, community outreach and the professional development of pharmacists. Its graduate pharmacists are now practicing throughout the United States. Learn more at www.acp.edu.
ABOUT MECC: Located in Big Stone Gap, VA, Mountain Empire Community College (MECC) was established in 1972 to support Wise, Lee, Scott, and Dickenson Counties and the city of Norton. MECC enrolls approximately 2,700 credit students (1,400 FTE) and 750 noncredit students each year across a range of academic and career-technical programs. Learn more about MECC’s Promise Program at www.mecc.edu/promise.
(PHOTO CAPTION: A collaborative educational attainment agreement between the Appalachian College of Pharmacy and Mountain Empire Community College was celebrated today at MECC. Dr. Kristen Westover, MECC president, left, and Mickey McGlothlin, ACP president, finalized the agreement which will provide MECC students completing MECC’s pre-pharmacy program priority admission to ACP’s accelerated three-year program leading to a doctor of pharmacy degree.)
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