The University of Minnesota Morris is one of the more than 230 U.S. colleges and universities to receive 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.
The Carnegie Elective Classification recognizes UMN Morris’ dedication to partnering with their neighbors—fostering civic engagement, building usable knowledge, and catalyzing real world learning experiences for students.
“For more than 25 years the University of Minnesota Morris has been dedicated to campus-community partnerships that address community needs in small towns and ensure that our students can learn from—and become—the leaders Minnesota needs, particularly in our rural communities,” said Argie Manolis, administrative director of civic learning and engagement.
The UMN Morris Benson Center for Community Partnerships partnered with 87 organizations and served more than 500 people across its programs for fall semester 2024.
The Center for Small Towns, which is part of the Benson Center, coordinates the Connecting Students, Faculty, and Community program to support projects proposed by community members who might benefit from coordination, faculty expertise, student interns, or all three. Some of these partnerships include the Zone after-school program at the Morris Area Elementary School.
Zone Coordinator Cody Hickman, a UMN Morris alumnus, gets to watch college students develop connections with elementary students and the community. “We are incredibly fortunate to have a close relationship with the University of Minnesota Morris to provide aid in childcare, recreation, and enrichment opportunities. We have a volunteer and staffing tree that brings students off campus and into their new home on the prairie. Many of the UMN Morris students find more than employment, they find a passion, sometimes one they didn’t know they had. We are better off for it!”
The RUSC Kinship program partners with university students and staff for several projects, something that Executive Director Lisa Denzer is thankful for. “We have worked to develop the Morris Community Garden and host the annual Community Garden Spring Party, among other collaborations. This partnership enhances volunteer connectivity while creating new opportunities for engagement with college students. They create opportunities to expand our mentor base, increase diversity, and strengthen connections between college students and our local youth. With each new student volunteer comes the potential for innovative collaborations, creative projects, and expanded programming that will further enhance RUSC Kinship’s impact in the community.”
According to Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Dean Jordan Cofer, “We create partnerships that give Minnesota communities access to the resources of the university, and the skills and energy of students, faculty, and staff who want to make a difference. In turn, these communities give our students an opportunity to apply their learning, deepen their skills, and build career readiness.”
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Sandy Olson-Loy emphasizes that “our campus approach to community engagement embodies our joint commitments to preparing UMN Morris students as engaged citizens and to recognizing our public university responsibilities to the communities that surround us. From meaningful connections with kids, to language translation and support for language learners, to native prairie seed harvests and data analysis with the Fish and Wildlife Service, to in-depth analysis of crime victim services and community court initiatives, to food systems studies and creation of community gardens, our students contribute to stronger communities, build meaningful connections, and develop the skills to think critically and problem solve on teams that address real life community needs. Everybody wins in these long-stranding campus–community collaborations.”
UMN Morris is one of eight institutions in Minnesota to earn the classification–-five of which are University of Minnesota campuses. UMN Morris has been recognized as a community-engaged campus since 2015. This latest recognition will remain in place through 2032.
About the Carnegie Classifications
The Carnegie Classifications are the nation’s leading framework for categorizing and describing colleges and universities in the United States. Utilized frequently by policymakers, funders, and researchers, the Classifications are a critical benchmarking tool for postsecondary institutions. ACE and the Carnegie Foundation announced a partnership in February 2022 to reimagine the Classifications to better reflect the diversity of postsecondary institutions and more completely characterize the impact that today’s institutions have in society.