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 14 years. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching aims to build a field around the use of improvement science and networked improvement communities to solve long-standing inequities in educational outcomes.
“Merrimack College is delighted to be recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for its deep commitment to working with community partners in order to address societal problems and increase our collective impact to improve the lives of many, especially in the cities of Lawrence, North Andover and Andover,” said Merrimack’s President, Dr. Christopher E. Hopey. “Our institutional commitment to service and community engagement is born from our Augustinian identity and values where we continually endeavor to foster a just, peaceful and sustainable world. What’s more is that these partnerships are absolutely critical to the education of our students as future engaged citizens.”
This designation speaks to Merrimack’s strong history of community engagement and efforts to create collective impacts. The College supports a wide spectrum of programs and activities across the Merrimack Valley, especially within the city of Lawrence, in the areas of teaching, research and student engagement that seeks to deepen and sustain external partnerships and advance community capacity building and change.
Each institution awarded the Classification undergoes a process of self-study which is then assessed by a national review committee. Carnegie deems classified institutions as exemplars in publicly engaged teaching and research.
“We are enriched by our relationships with the community. This designation recognizes and celebrates the work that our faculty, staff, students and community partners do, and have done together since Merrimack’s founding,” said Mary McHugh, executive director of civic and community engagement at Merrimack. “Through President Hopey’s leadership and our institutional commitment to civic and community engagement, the College will continue to explore new and exciting ways to deepen our existing partnerships and create new ones to meet the challenges of the 21st century.”
Examples of College-wide civic and community engagement efforts include:
Contact
Bethany LoMonaco
lomonacob@merrimack.edu | 978-837-5616
