In 1996, MCC was named an "Honor Institution" by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation due to its "remarkable history of nurturing and encouraging students' academic and intellectual abilities and motivation.

MCC has the largest service area of the Connecticut community colleges, being the primary community college for the towns of Andover, Bolton, Columbia, Coventry, East Hartford, Ellington, Glastonbury, Hebron, Mansfield, Marlborough, Rockville, South Windsor, Stafford, Storrs, Tolland, Union, Vernon, and Willington, in addition to Manchester.

The MCC campus is situated on 160 acres (0.65 km2) in the southwest corner of Manchester, near the town lines with East Hartford and Glastonbury as well as I-384.

There are also six smaller single-classroom buildings located in the center of the college's courtyard, collectively known as "The Village," which house some of the specialized programs, including manufacturing technology and the musical arts.

Special facilities include PC and Macintosh computer labs, a library, a television studio, the SBM Charitable Foundation Auditorium, science and allied health labs, the Hans Weiss Newspace Gallery and fine art studios, and numerous study spaces.

The campus also features a large pond behind the bandshell, which is frequented by the early childhood education program as a sample field trip site.

In addition to traditional tutoring, the Writing Center serves as a place where students can receive drop-in assistance with essay development and structure.

The MCC Career Services and Cooperative Education department provides employment guidance and resources for students, including for the internship program.

These are courses of general interest to the local population, typically on topics related to personal development, culture, and hobbies such as gardening and photography.

MCC has hosted a variety of special events and programs in recent years, including performances by artists such as Chris Botti, Katz, and Peterson Toscano; major campaign appearances by Ned Lamont and John Larson; lectures by Scott Ritter, Bernie Siegel, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Ralph Nader; and a visiting professorship by E. R. Braithwaite.

MCC has the largest student activities budget within the Connecticut Community Colleges and also receives separate institutional funding for its athletics teams.

All teams, known as the Cougars, competed in Region XXI of Division III of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Upon graduation from Great Path, the average GPA student has already earned 30 college credits, which they can then transfer to another institution or apply towards an MCC degree.

Manchester began construction during the 2007-2008 academic year for a new wing for Great Path, which is expected to eventually increase enrollment to about 300 students.

Opened in June 2009, the new Great Path wing, named for the college's president emeritus Jonathan M. Daube, added additional classroom and student space.