The Carnegie Foundation defines community engagement as “the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity. The purpose of community engagement is the partnership of college and university knowledge and resources with those of the public and private sectors to enrich scholarship, research, and creative activity; enhance curriculum, teaching, and learning; prepare educated, engaged citizens; strengthen democratic values and civic responsibility; address critical societal issues; and contribute to the public good.”

The Office of Community-Engaged Learning & Leadership has integrated this framework into learning and leadership opportunities at the University. Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) partnerships collaborate to build an effective University-community coalition focused on implementing best practices and achieving high-impact outcomes through both curricular and co-curricular community engagement. CEL also offers opportunities to explore different modes of engagement within an evolving landscape of language and understanding, allowing us to serve as an anchor institution for critical community engagement both nationally and internationally.

The University of Nevada, Reno adopts the Carnegie Foundation's definition as a framework for community engagement across the campus and received its Carnegie Community Engagement Classification in 2020. Through a collaborative effort between the Office of Government and Community Engagement and the Office of Community-Engaged Learning & Leadership, the University has successfully reapplied and maintained its Elective Classification for Community Engagement in the 2026 cycle until 2032. You can find more details on the University’s Carnegie dashboard.