CSUMB recognized by Carnegie for community engagement

Cal State Monterey Bay has received the 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, one of only 237 colleges and universities nationally to be so honored. The designation is awarded to institutions that meet a standard of commitment in partnering with local agencies and the community at large. 

“Cal State Monterey Bay’s recognition in the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification affirms community service as a defining value of the university,” said CSUMB President Vanya Quiñones. “The designation reflects strong regional partnerships, meaningful service learning and our commitment to making a lasting difference in the community.”

CSUMB played a key role in establishing the designation. Amy Driscoll, the founding director of the Center for Teaching, Learning and Assessment, was one of the people who put the program together and helped CSUMB achieve its first award in 2006, the inaugural year of the program. Since then, CSUMB has maintained its classification, one of only 38 institutions to do so. 

The university’s Service Learning Institute and its service learning requirement for students are key elements in meeting the classification standards. In 2024-25 the program provided 82,000 volunteer hours at 471 sites in the tri-county region, making an impact of $2.8 million on the local economy.

“The continued legacy of the Service Learning Institute is important to the community,” said Jennifer Lovell, an associate professor of psychology and acting director of the institute. “Our community partners understand the university’s impact because they work alongside our students year after year. Carnegie re-certification affirms that this is not just about placing students in the community, but it’s about meaningful, sustained engagement that strengthens both student and community wellbeing.”

The classification’s focus is on programs that  "prepare educated, engaged citizens; strengthen democratic values and civic responsibility; address critical societal issues; and contribute to the public good." Student-based programs and activities on campus encourage advocacy, leadership and social justice. Additionally, one of the four areas of scholarship used to evaluate faculty for tenure focuses on community engagement and positive social impact. 

Lovell, along with CSUMB colleagues Netta Avineri, Chrissy Hernandez and Tritia Moneypenny, put together the portfolio for the classification application. 

The community engagement designation is awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The award is given following a process of self-study by each institution. The classification has been the leading framework for institutional assessment and recognition of community engagement in U.S. higher education for the past 19 years, with classification cycles taking place every two to three years. 

“The institutions receiving the 2026 Community Engagement Classification exemplify American higher education’s commitment to the greater good,” said ACE President Ted Mitchell. “The beneficiaries of this unflagging dedication to public purpose missions are their students, their teaching and research enterprises, and their wider communities.”