For the third time in a row, Portland State has been honored by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for its commitment to community engagement.
The Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement is a voluntary classification that requires a substantial application process that includes data collection and documentation of important aspects of the university’s institutional mission, identity and community commitments.
“For Portland State, it’s become increasingly clear that engaging with our region not only helps us ‘Let Knowledge Serve the City,’ but it provides the best outcomes for our students who graduate with hands-on experience and a deeper understanding of the importance of civic engagement,” said PSU President Ann Cudd. “Today we celebrate the fact that PSU is more embedded than ever in our community and renew our commitment to true partnership.”
PSU was among the first universities in the country to garner the community engagement classification from Carnegie in 2006, one of just 76 universities in the country to be recognized. The classification was renewed in 2015 and the current designation will be valid until 2032.
As part of the application process, Portland State conducted a comprehensive review of the many ways the university engages with the community surfacing multiple examples of deep and ongoing partnerships between students, faculty, staff and regional organizations — with nearly every department on campus involved.
The application highlighted the strong institutional commitment to community-based learning through programs like University Studies and the Senior Capstone. Graduate students in programs from Urban Planning to Social Work delve into projects and practicums throughout the region while community engaged research projects address regional concerns from wildfires to effective elementary education. PSU’s approach to racial justice and social equity has also centered on ongoing community partnerships.
“We engaged dozens of faculty, staff, students and community members in this self-study of our community engagement efforts at PSU,” said Amy Lubitow, Professor of Sociology and member of the application team. “Our goal was not only to share the successes we’ve seen, but also to identify opportunities to grow and deepen that work. There’s no doubt that Portland State is interconnected with the health of the region and we recognize that in this period of rebuilding it’s more important than ever for the university and city to work together.”
Recommendations for improving community engagement include better coordination and connection across Portland State’s broad set of engagement activities and strengthening the process of assessing the effectiveness of community engagement projects.
“We recognize these institutions for their exceptional commitment to community engagement, and their work to transform knowledge into meaningful action,” said Timothy Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. “They exemplify the true spirit of the Carnegie endorsement and the power of serving the public good.”
One of 40 institutions classified in the 2024 cycle, Portland State remains one of the 368 institutions recognized by the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement for excellent alignment among campus mission, culture, leadership, resources, and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy community engagement.