Clemson University has earned the 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement (CE) Classification, an elective designation awarded by the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching that highlights an institution’s commitment to community engagement.
“We are honored that the Carnegie Foundation has again recognized Clemson as a national leader,” said Corliss Outley, provost fellow for Clemson’s CE classification project, professor and director of the REYSE Collaboratory at Clemson. “From first being recognized in 2008, achieving reclassification in 2015 and now securing our status through 2032 is not a fluke — it’s a 17-year institutional commitment to making community engagement a core part of our identity and mission as a public, land-grant institution.”
In addition to Outley, Clemson’s Carnegie Reclassification process is led by Julio Hernandez, assistant to the president for community outreach and engagement, and George Askew, special advisor to the provost.
The collaborative process is guided by a senior steering committee and by three faculty- and staff-led working groups, comprising over 30 members across Teaching and Learning, Research and Public Service. The process featured active participation from community partners, whose input and validation were essential to documenting relationships between Clemson and the community.
The CE Classification is awarded following a self-study process of self-study by each institution. The classification has been the leading framework for institutional assessment and recognition of community engagement in U.S. higher education for the past 19 years.
The Carnegie Foundation requires recertification of the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification on a 10-year basis and then, every five years. To be reclassified, Clemson must submit an application detailing how the University has expanded, deepened and integrated community engagement work into all aspects of our institution.
“This recognition demonstrates that our pledge to integrate teaching, research, and service for public good isn’t just an aspiration; it’s an institutionalized, evidence-based practice woven into our policies, our culture, and our identity,” said Outley. “This achievement honors the collective work of our entire university community, and it proves that Clemson lives its mission not in isolated moments, but through a sustained, reciprocal partnership with the people of South Carolina.”
The team will use the self-study for the 2026 certification as the blueprint to further institutionalize community engagement through 2032, when Clemson will seek the honor again.
“Our self-study will guide us in deepening partnerships, leveraging community assets, and directing our collective expertise toward solving the most urgent societal challenges with even greater clarity and impact,” said Outley. “We are committed to transforming lives statewide and beyond.”
