Dominican Earns National Carnegie Distinction for Community Engagement

Dominican University of California has earned the prestigious 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement (CE) Classification, a national designation which recognizes the university’s deep commitment to community engagement.

The CE Classification, awarded by the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, has been the leading framework for institutional assessment and recognition of community engagement in U.S. higher education for the past 19 years. The institutions receiving the 2026 Community Engagement Classification exemplify American higher education’s commitment to the greater good. 

Dominican’s Carnegie application was the result of a year-long, collaborative self-study process led by Julia van der Ryn, executive director for Dominican’s Center for Community Engagement and Partnerships. The designation recognizes the important and ongoing collaborative work of Dominican’s faculty, students, and community partner organizations to address barriers that limit access and opportunities for disenfranchised people and communities.   

Nationwide, just 277 institutions currently hold the designation, awarded to those demonstrating that community engaged-principles are embedded broadly across students’ research-based or creative activities. The 2026 cohort includes 157 public institutions, 80 private colleges and universities; of these, 81 are Minority Serving Institutions (MSI). Dominican also was classified by Carnegie previously, in 2008 and 2015.

Broadly, community engagement describes the intentional, mutually beneficial collaboration between a college or university and its larger communities for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources between organizations. This work is a core component of the university’s educational model, known as the Dominican Experience, says Dominican University of California President Nicola Pitchford.  

“We know the Dominican Experience is an equity engine, supporting exceptional outcomes for our students from all backgrounds. One of its four central commitments is that every Dominican student, undergraduate or graduate, will learn in at least one hands-on, community-engaged context — be that in an industry internship or research partnership, in problem-solving and service with nonprofit or governmental partners, or in a clinical setting,” President Pitchford says.

Dominican’s comprehensive approach to embedding community-based learning in the curriculum and developing long-term and sustainable partnerships ensures that  high quality community engagement remains a central and evolving component of the university’s mission.

“Community engagement is deeply ingrained in Dominican’s institutional framework. This classification represents our profound commitment to preparing students to develop critical awareness and build the capacity to navigate complex issues and do transformative work,” President Pitchford says. 

Dominican’s Center for Community Engagement and Partnerships advances the university’s work connecting classroom, campus, and community through reciprocal partnerships. Guided by van der Ryn and a coalition of faculty from academic disciplines across campus and external stakeholders, the Center for Community Engagement and Partnerships facilitates meaningful opportunities for all students to enrich their education and contribute to the public good. 

Dominican has developed enduring partnerships designed to evolve with community interests, says van der Ryn.
 
“Community engagement is guided by the expressed interests of community members. This ensures that initiatives are relevant and beneficial. Community partners are co-educators, sharing their expertise and vital context with students. This critical and asset-based approach encourages students to learn from and value the community's contributions and strengths.”

Examples of community engagement at Dominican include:

• Community-Engaged Art Classes (CEA): For the past six years, students have been involved in creating art that addresses local social justice issues. Notable projects include the “Marin City Counts” banners created in collaboration with Marin City’s Black community.
• Lighting the Beauty of the Canal: A participatory action research project focused on
  enhancing public safety and lighting in the Canal Latinx community. Research findings helped
  secure $100,000 in public funding for neighborhood improvements.
• Gateways, Bridges, and Pathways to College: A collaboration with a local elementary school, a non-profit arts organization, and UC Berkeley’s Y-Plan. This initiative involves service-learning students working with fourth graders, hosting campus visits, and addressing student recommendations on how Dominican can support their educational journey.

Learn more about the Center for Community Engagement and Partnership’s approaches, projects, and strategic planning.