Boise State University’s commitment to and work with the communities it serves has been nationally recognized.
Boise State is one of 40 U.S. colleges and universities to receive the 2024 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, a designation that indicates institutional commitment to community engagement. The American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching recently announced this year’s designation recipients.
“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.”
This important classification is awarded following a process of self-study by each institution, which is then assessed by a national review committee. The committee looked at programs like Boise State’s Rural Education Collaborative, which helps rural communities meet their educational needs by championing those rural partners and helping them identify and leverage their community strengths. Boise State’s Onramp Program is another example of community leadership, providing educators and learners with experiences regardless of their geography, circumstances or limitations. It addresses gaps in internet access, language barriers, economic differences and teacher availability, which contribute to the underrepresentation of certain segments of our population from study and work across technology fields.
“Across our university, we work for Idaho. We engage with businesses, government, schools, community organizations and more to problem-solve together, to develop programs and activities that transcend traditional fields of study, and to create opportunities for our students that prepare them to make immediate positive impacts in their communities,” said Dr. Marlene Tromp, Boise State president. “The path-breaking approaches we are taking continue to earn us national designations and awards. More importantly, they are helping improve the lives of Idahoans all across our state.”
The Carnegie Community Engagement Classification has been the leading framework for institutional assessment and recognition of community engagement in U.S. higher education for the past 19 years.
“Now is the opportune moment to pay attention to these recently classified and re-classified institutions, as they dedicate themselves to fortifying their public purpose missions. Let us draw inspiration from their remarkable contributions through community engagement, enhancing both teaching and research, and simultaneously benefiting the wider community,” said Ted Mitchell, president of ACE.