USU Reclassified with Carnegie Community Engagement Classification

LOGAN, Utah — Utah State University has been reclassified with the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification.

This classification is the highest recognition for community engagement that a higher education institution can receive and affirms USU’s commitment to community. It was awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

The 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification is a prestigious designation awarded to institutions that demonstrate a sustained commitment to community engagement. It recognizes collaboration between universities and their communities for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources. The classification encourages alignment of teaching, research, and service with community-identified needs, promoting civic responsibility and positive societal impact.

“As Utah’s land-grant institution, community engagement is a central pillar of USU’s mission,” said USU President Brad Mortensen. “We take pride and responsibility for connecting the research and learning that happens on campus to communities throughout the state. To achieve this reclassification for a second consecutive cycle demonstrates how much USU values our connection to all of our statewide communities and moving forward for a better Utah.”

USU received its initial classification in 2020, and it has been recertified for the second consecutive cycle. David Anderson, associate vice provost for Community Engagement, was tasked with the university’s preparation and submission of the 2026 application. This involved gathering quantifiable data and evidence that showed USU’s commitment to community engagement.

“The Carnegie definition of community engagement talks about a mutually beneficial relationship, to work with our stakeholders in a spirit of reciprocity,” said Anderson. “The renewal of our classification as a Carnegie community engaged institution reinforces and highlights the amazing work our students, faculty, and staff are doing here at USU. We are working with our community partners in a reciprocal way – responding to their needs and providing support.”

This 2026 reclassification shows not only sustained excellence, but further expansion of USU’s commitment to community. Since USU’s initial classification in 2020, the university has strengthened how it listens to communities, learns alongside partners and integrating community engagement across teaching, research, and outreach.

In its application, USU was tasked with providing numerous examples in numerous categories of how they have affected change and served community needs. These examples highlight USU’s excellence in outreach, teaching and learning and research.

As a land-grant institution, USU embraces its responsibility to engage with and contribute meaningfully to communities throughout the state, fostering a wide range of partnerships across nonprofit, government, and business sectors, spanning hundreds of projects.

In 2024, faculty reported 130 community-engaged courses, 261 creative works and performances, and 1,567 professional or public service commitments. In addition, major Extension programs supported local needs in natural resources, business and community, food, health and wellness, home, finance and relationships, as well as the longstanding support of youth and Utah 4-H.

USU has worked to strengthen the infrastructure for community-engaged learning. The USU Center for Community Engagement (CCE) has partnered with the Office of Advancement to initiate targeted fundraising efforts. These aim to increase the number of CEL courses, expand community partnerships, and enhance the university’s capacity for direct community impact. These efforts are designed to sustain and scale community engagement across campuses and communities statewide.

USU students were also active in community engagement. With support from faculty mentors, students applied research, creative work, and service to address areas such as food insecurity, youth development, sustainability, housing access, and health equity. Whether designing nonprofit systems, expanding gardens, mentoring youth, or conducting ecological fieldwork, students enhanced their learning while advancing community goals.

Kate Stephens, director of the USU Center for Community Engagement, says this Carnegie recognition is about the collective work of faculty, staff, students, and community partners who live out USU’s land-grant mission every day.

"At its core, this recognition is about how USU shows up for communities,” said Stephens, who served as lead writer of the application. “Efforts like the Faculty Fellowships in Community Engagement and the creation of an associate vice provost for community engagement help ensure that this work is supported across the university and built in collaboration with communities."

There are currently 277 institutions who hold the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification.

For more information about Community Engagement at USU visit the USU Center for Community Engagement and USU’s Community-Engaged Scholar Network.