The American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching have announced the institutions that earned the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement for 2026, and Vanderbilt University is among them. This is Vanderbilt’s first time receiving the classification.
This designation honors institutions that are deeply committed to working alongside their communities. It recognizes colleges and universities that build strong, mutually beneficial partnerships; connect community engagement to teaching and learning; and apply their knowledge and resources to help address real-world challenges.
“Close collaboration with our community is indispensable to our success as a university,” Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. “High-profile efforts like the Nashville Innovation Alliance or our planning for an innovation neighborhood might get the most attention. But the Carnegie Foundation’s recognition shows that community engagement happens in countless ways throughout our university and informs much of our work. This is true in Nashville, and it will underpin success in our new campuses as well.”
National recognition
The Carnegie Elective Community Engagement Classification is widely known as the national standard for best practices in community-engaged research and learning. The classification informs how policymakers, granting agencies, foundations and researchers evaluate institutions.
Vanderbilt joins a cohort of 237 institutions in the 2026 cycle, a group acknowledged for advancing mutually beneficial partnerships, leveraging community assets and addressing societal challenges.
About the process
The classification follows an intensive, evidence-based self-study that is assessed by a national review committee. The Division of Government and Community Relations led Vanderbilt’s self-study with broad input and significant contributions from faculty, staff, students and community partners. The review highlighted radical collaborations in education, arts and culture, STEM pathways, and health and mobility, among other areas.
The effort was supported by the Vanderbilt Community Engagement Collaborative and highlighted established partnerships and programs like NashvillePEER, Immersion Vanderbilt and the STARS Network. These programs are just a few of the many initiatives underway across the university.
Real-world impact
This recognition reaffirms Vanderbilt’s long-standing commitment to working alongside the community. Through research, educational programs and outreach efforts, Vanderbilt translates scholarship into meaningful action across Nashville and beyond.
“Our approach to community engagement is grounded in making a lasting positive impact,” said Nathan Green, vice chancellor for government and community relations. “This recognition reflects the collective efforts of our faculty, staff, students and community partners who work together to turn Vanderbilt’s expertise into a real, measurable difference across our city and region.”
Moving forward
The Get Connected volunteer platform, launched in fall 2025, makes it easier for students, faculty and staff to serve across Nashville. The platform helps connect campus talent and resources with community-identified priorities, which expands opportunities for measurable local impact.
The Vanderbilt Community Relations team consistently supports campus-community collaborations and partnerships through the Community Engagement Collaborative, the Community Engagement Collaboration Fund and external partnership facilitation.
As Vanderbilt celebrates its first Carnegie Community Engagement Elective Classification, the university will continue to build and deepen collaborations that reflect shared goals, align missions and deliver lasting outcomes with the communities it serves.
