The University of Delaware has been recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching for its commitment to and excellence in collaborative, community-based partnerships that create positive change.

UD is one of more than 230 institutions recognized this year by the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement, the leading framework for assessing community engagement in U.S. higher education. 

“This designation is a fitting reflection of UD's commitment to work that matters,” UD President Laura Carlson said. “I want to thank everyone who contributed to the extensive effort to document our impact through our research, teaching and service. Such work is at the very foundation of who we are, how we work and what we do at UD.”

Since earning the Community Engagement classification initially in 2015, the University has worked to build a culture of community engagement, which was reflected in the recent submission for continued classification. 

Bringing together a committee of representatives from across UD, the Community Engagement Initiative (CEI) spearheaded the self-study effort, gathering evidence of how faculty, staff and students partner with local nonprofit organizations, agencies and businesses to serve the public good. 

“We should all be proud of this endorsement from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching,” said Michael Vaughan, chief community engagement officer and faculty director of CEI. “It demonstratively signifies our shared effort and is a testament to the community-focused, partner-enabled, and impact-driven work happening in every college and many units across our campus.”

The committee identified exemplary academic-community partnerships, including the longstanding Legislative Fellows Program, which links qualified students with the research needs of the Delaware General Assembly; New Directions Early Head Start, which supports Delaware families with very young children; and HEALTH for All, which provides workforce training via mobile physical and behavioral health screenings and health education throughout Delaware.

CEI, which is charged with enhancing University-wide capacity for community engagement, is looking to the future. Building on the momentum of the reclassification, CEI is working on several initiatives to advance the practice and understanding of community engagement, including on-demand foundational training and the systematic tracking of partnerships. 

For more information about community engagement at UD, visit the CEI website.