Colgate University earned the 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, a national designation that places Colgate among a select group of institutions recognized for deep, sustained partnerships connecting academic work with public impact.

The elective classification is awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching to universities that demonstrate strong collaboration with communities through teaching, research and service. It highlights institutions where engagement is embedded across departments and programs rather than limited to individual projects.

Colgate began its application for in spring 2024. The process involved a cross-campus steering committee that gathered documentation of the University’s community-engaged courses, student-faculty research initiatives and off-campus partnership programs.

Colgate’s submission emphasized long-term reciprocal relationships with local and regional organizations, as well as opportunities to integrate community-based learning into the student experience. University programs cited in the application include the Upstate Institute, which connects faculty and students with central New York communities through applied research and public-facing projects, the Max A. Shacknai Center for Outreach, Volunteerism and Education and Off-Campus Study programs.  

The Carnegie Community Engagement Classification is valid through 2032, with participating institutions eligible to apply for renewal in the 2031 review cycle.