Community Engagement Voices

Quotes from Community Engagement Campuses

This process showed us how widespread engagement is at the University of Maine—much more than suspected in range and numbers at the start of the application process. It also, and this is significant, showed us ways we can improve, especially in tracking and assessment. We know that we will continue to develop the data requested here in our cross-campus and cross-division collaborations. This process has given us more ideas on how and why we need to do that. We also have discovered even more opportunities for connection and collaboration (and even campaigning) on community engagement initiatives.
  – University of Maine

The faculty and staff serving on the University's Civic Commitment Task Force appreciated the opportunity to prepare and submit this packet of information. While individually aware of specific community engagement activities, the Task Force members were pleased to be able to create documentation of the depth and breadth of the University's involvement with community.

  – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The framework for the Community Engagement Classification has challenged faculty, staff, and students to authentically reflect on how we as the Loyola University community engage in, with, and for the community. As an exercise in institutional reflection and inquiry, it has forced us to reflect on our structures, systems, and programs. In effect, it has caused us to pose challenging questions, such as, "Are we an institution that authentically focuses on community engagement? What is the evidence, structurally, systemically, and programmatically to support this?" Overall, it challenged us to question ourselves from the inside out, and to recognize areas of strength, weakness, and opportunities for growth. The framework provided a valuable guideline for our dialogue.

The value of this program is not the completed application, but rather the organizational learning that emerged from this documentation process. From this documentation framework, a report sharing the voices that contributed and reflected, as well as the information collected, will be disseminated, along with suggestions for improvement. In essence, our application is submitted only with the understanding that we are seeking to enhance our community engagement in several areas. This speaks to the value of the documentation framework and process.
  – Loyola University Chicago

This committee deems the Carnegie Classification and its review processes an excellent nationally-relevant vehicle for describing our relationships and commitments to the communities and constituencies we serve. It sharpens our awareness of important relationships between teaching and learning with faculty and students as we seek to enhance their academic success and their civic-minded preparedness in a world that is growing more mutually dependent every year. Most important, this review process provides clear evidence of how important this city and metropolitan area are to this university and our willingness to share the responsibility and efforts needed for mutual success in the future.
  – University Of Houston

Thank you for the opportunity and the methodology to reflect upon our community engagement activities and strategies. It has been an extremely helpful process, which will continue to impact MassArt as we move toward institutionalizing community engagement at every level of the college.
  – Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Developing the documentation for this application proved to be a salutary experience for our institution. The lessons learned from this self-study will result in greater awareness of engagement activities, both internally and externally, a comprehensive system for tracking those activities, policy revisions to better support engagement, and improvement of the quality and efficiency of our working relationships with communities across the region.
  – Northern Illinois University

We began this process with a committee which grew to include not only college representation, but also program managers and faculty council liaisons. Through regular exchanges, we increased our awareness of the engagement work done at all levels of the institution and found new areas for coordination. One immediate and positive outcome of this application process has been the decision to continue meeting as an internal review and "inreach" committee for the Office of Outreach and Strategic Programs.
  – Colorado State University

This application process was a productive way for Middle Tennessee State University to review its commitment to community engagement. Although partnerships and outreach are integral to our Academic master plan, this process provided us the opportunity to review many of our policies, procedures, and curricular offerings with somewhat of a different eye. It has given us another baseline to use to determine if we are honoring our commitment to community engagement as a core component of our community of learning.
  – Middle Tennessee State University

We appreciate the opportunity to apply for the Community Engagement Classification and for the challenging questions posed by this application. We are more appreciative of our institutional strengths in the area of community engagement and partnership than before we began this application process. At the same time, a number of institutional opportunities have become apparent, which we plan to pursue.
  – University of Central Florida

The process of application has provided Wentworth with valuable insights and reflection on its rapidly developing community and learning partnerships operations. While we now understand and appreciate the organic nature in which these efforts have developed, we see great opportunities to transform these cultural norms into institutional values, policies, and operations. This process of classification has become far more than an effort to attain the classification, but a foundation for advancement in community and learning partnerships.
  – Wentworth Institute of Technology

The process of providing documentation for the Carnegie elective classification has provided us with a useful focus and impetus for advancing in our institutional planning for, and assessment of community engagement. It followed very well on the work we recently did for our Middle States accreditation. Thank you for establishing this important classification, and for making the documentation process so valuable.
  – Niagara University