UW-Milwaukee has once again been recognized for its high level of commitment to community engagement. This is the third time, starting in 2015, that UWM has been honored by the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement.
The American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching awarded the designation to 237 universities nationwide.
“This designation reflects our collective commitment,” said Chia Youyee Vang, vice chancellor for community empowerment and institutional inclusivity. “After nearly two decades at UWM, I know this: For my colleagues, community engagement isn’t optional — it’s the driving force behind real and lasting impact.”
What’s more, UWM is the only institution in Wisconsin and one of only 32 institutions nationwide that Carnegie has recognized for excelling in three key areas: community engagement, broad access to education and top-tier research.
“I am incredibly proud of this achievement, which reflects our campus’ mission, culture and practices of working closely with the community we serve,” UWM Chancellor Thomas Gibson said.
The engagement designation recognizes universities that reach beyond their walls to build partnerships and have a positive impact on their communities.
“The institutions receiving the 2026 Community Engagement Classification exemplify American higher education’s commitment to the greater good,” said Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education. “The beneficiaries of this unflagging dedication to public purpose missions are their students, their teaching and research enterprises, and their wider communities.”
The Carnegie engagement classification has been the leading framework for institutional assessment and recognition of community engagement in U.S. higher education for almost two decades.
