Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement

WashU working together with groups outside itself. This could be, but is not limited to, neighborhoods in St. Louis, nonprofits, schools, government agencies, small businesses, civic or advocacy groups, individuals, or other institutions in the region (or beyond).

This is the core idea: it’s not a one-way street. It’s not just WashU “helping” the community or the community being a subject of study. Both sides give and get something: 

• Knowledge — research findings, lived experience, cultural awareness, experiential learning, expertise, data 

• Applied practice — real-world skills, hands-on work, clinical or professional experience 

• Resources — funding, facilities, staff time, technology, etc. 

And “exchange” implies it flows in both directions — the university learns and benefits from the community just as much as the community learns and benefits from the university. 

This is the key phrase. It means: 

• Partnership — the relationship is collaborative, not hierarchical. The community isn’t just a passive recipient of university expertise; they are instrumental in shaping the goals and methods and their expertise is valued. 

• Reciprocity — there is a give-and-take. Both parties bring something valuable, and both benefit.

Earning this classification signals to students, partners, funders, and the field at large that our institution meets the rigorous standards of the Carnegie community engagement framework — proof that our work is genuinely reciprocal, deeply institutionalized, and built to last. 

Completing the self-study brings together teams across WashU who might otherwise rarely cross paths — surfacing a fuller, more connected picture of the community engagement work already underway across the institution. 

The self-study process pushes institutions to build lasting systems for tracking, assessing, and communicating their community engagement work — capacity that strengthens strategic planning and deepens institutional understanding of the impact of that work over time. 

When pursuing grants and partnerships that prioritize community engagement, holding the classification lends our work visibility and credibility with the funders and partners we’re hoping to reach. 

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has long championed and elevated higher education. Its classification carries real prestige, earning recognition both nationally and around the world.