Elon earns Carnegie community engagement classification, boosting local partnerships

Elon University was awarded the 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification on Jan. 12, a national designation that recognizes sustained campus commitment to community and civic engagement. The elective honor follows a recent ranking that named Elon second in the nation for service-learning and reflects an intensive self-study confirmed by external validation from community partners.

The application highlighted collaborations across academics, student life and local nonprofits, naming Athletics and Allied Churches of Alamance County, Project Pericles and Sarvodaya (Sri Lanka), the Kernodle Center for Civic Life, and human service studies among partners. The classification is bestowed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in partnership with the American Council on Education, and is intended to signal that community engagement is embedded in institutional practice rather than a series of isolated projects.

The designation matters locally because it formalizes Elon's role as a civic actor in Alamance County. Validation by community partners indicates that local nonprofits and service providers have been active participants in the review process, giving them a voice in how university resources and student time are deployed. That accountability is particularly relevant as counties and municipalities weigh how to coordinate with higher education institutions on workforce development, social services and civic education.

Jon Dooley, vice president for Student Life and associate professor of education, framed the recognition in terms of impact: “While we are honored by the national recognition for excellence for service-learning, what matters most is the lasting impact that our students and faculty create through engagement in their communities.”

Elon plans a campus reception on March 6 to celebrate the designation, an opportunity for county leaders, nonprofit directors and residents to assess existing partnerships and identify gaps. For local organizations that rely on student volunteers, the classification can serve as leverage when applying for grants or seeking formal partnerships, because it signals institutional commitment and external verification of community-engaged practice.

Institutionally, the Carnegie designation reinforces expectations for transparency and measurable outcomes for service-learning. As campuses nationwide face scrutiny over the civic value and equity of community-engaged programs, external validation provides a framework for tracking who benefits from partnerships and how benefits are distributed across the county.

Our two cents? Attend the March 6 reception or reach out to the Kernodle Center for Civic Life to learn how local groups can plug into student projects. Use this recognition as a chance to press for clear goals, reporting and sustainable funding so Alamance County residents see real, long-term returns from campus-community collaboration.