Brookings Mountain West is pleased to release a new policy brief from Brookings Senior Fellow in Economic Studies Richard Reeves titled "Making a Middle Class: Colleges and Cities in the Mountain West." In the piece, he explores how a stronger middle class is important for the economic and political future of both cities and nations. Higher education can serve students from middle-class backgrounds, helping them sustain a middle-class standard of living and rise up the economic ladder, as well as providing “on-ramps” to the middle class for those from low-income backgrounds. He also examines the contribution of colleges in the Mountain West to serving and strengthening the middle class. This brief is a part of the Las Vegas and the Middle Class Initiative — a major project exploring public policy initiatives designed to improve the quality of life of the middle class in Las Vegas, and to increase the number of people rising to join its ranks. Learn more in an online video.