![\"Members](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IFCHelene-1200x800.jpg\")
Members of FSU’s Interfraternity Council help move a tree limb following Hurricane Helene in Perry, Florida, on Sept. 29, 2024. (Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life)\t\t<\/p>\n\t\tMembers of FSU’s Interfraternity Council help move a tree limb following Hurricane Helene in Perry, Florida, on Sept. 29, 2024. (Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life)\t\t<\/p>\n
Florida\u00a0State\u00a0University\u00a0has\u00a0once again received the\u00a0Carnegie Community Engagement Classification<\/a>, a prestigious designation awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching that recognizes institutional commitment to community engagement.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n This is the third time FSU has earned the\u00a0honor.\u00a0FSU first received the Carnegie Community Engagement designation in 2010 and then again in 2020.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe celebrate each of these institutions, particularly their dedication to partnering with\u00a0their neighbors \u2014 fostering civic engagement, building useable knowledge and catalyzing real world learning experiences for students,\u201d said Timothy F.C. Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation.\u00a0<\/p>\n FSU is among 237 U.S. colleges and universities that have earned the 2026 classification. The Carnegie Classifications are the nation\u2019s leading framework for categorizing and describing colleges and universities in the United States. Utilized\u00a0frequently\u00a0by policymakers,\u00a0funders\u00a0and researchers,\u00a0the classifications\u00a0are a critical benchmarking tool for postsecondary institutions. \u201cAs a public Research I institution, Florida State University exists to serve the people of Florida and beyond, from our Tallahassee neighborhoods to communities across the nation and around the world,\u201d said Jarrett Terry, assistant vice president and assistant provost for Academic Affairs. \u201cWhether supporting local schools and economic development, contributing to state and national policy solutions, or collaborating on global health and sustainability initiatives, FSU\u2019s community engagement reflects the scope and scale expected of a top-rated public university.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The 2026 designation follows an intensive process of self-study and reflects the university\u2019s community engagement efforts to ensure the work of faculty,\u00a0staff\u00a0and students is meaningful and furthers the work of community partners.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact that we have been consistently successful with reclassification is an honor and testimony to FSU\u2019s commitment to community engagement,\u201d said Amy Hecht, vice president for Student Affairs. \u201cIt validates FSU\u2019s efforts to fulfill our mission to unleash the potential of every student, enrich their experience through service, discovery and innovation, and be a supportive partner to the many communities we serve.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhether supporting local schools and economic development, contributing to state and national policy solutions, or collaborating on global health and sustainability initiatives, FSU\u2019s community engagement reflects the scope and scale expected of a top-rated public university.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2013 Jarrett Terry, assistant vice president and assistant provost for Academic Affairs<\/p>\n FSU defines community engagement as the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources between the university and local, regional,\u00a0national\u00a0and global communities.\u202fThe application highlighted the importance FSU places on ensuring that university-community partnerships foster dynamic relationships based on mutually beneficial and reciprocal goals and that initiatives center around community voices.\u00a0<\/p>\n Joi Phillips, director of the\u00a0Center for Leadership & Service<\/a>\u00a0(CLS), led the nine-month long, university-wide team effort to earn recertification. She noted that over the last several\u202fyears, FSU has refined and deepened their commitment to the community.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The team\u00a0highlighted several of\u00a0FSU\u2019s\u00a0many partnerships, such as the\u00a0Experience Recognition Program<\/a>\u00a0hosted by the Experiential Learning team within the\u00a0Career Center<\/a>, formative experience\u00a0opportunities\u00a0offered by\u00a0the\u00a0Division of\u00a0Undergraduate Studies<\/a>, service\u00a0and\u00a0community-based\u202flearning\u00a0options\u00a0housed out of CLS, and participatory research that is connected to every academic unit and\u00a0 initiative across the institution.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, the focus is on appreciation and gratitude to the community for allowing us to share space with them,\u201d\u202fPhillips\u202fsaid.\u202f\u201cI\u202fdon\u2019t think we can express enough appreciation for their willingness to allow us to learn from them.\u201d\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n FSU also provided data extracted from the\u00a0ServScript\u202fProgram, which has been the primary means to track student community engagement across the university since the system was implemented in the late 1990s.\u202fDuring the 2023-2024 academic year, more than 4,452 students documented\u202f226,777 hours\u202fof service.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Here are some other noteworthy data shared:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n FSU students make a significant impact through community engagement and service in supporting the Tallahassee economy, contributing\u00a0$7.5 million in volunteer hours<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n 427 faculty\u202facross 26 departments\u202fteach community-engaged designated courses accounting for 20.2% of FSU faculty teaching such courses.\u00a0<\/p>\n 14,697\u202fundergraduate\u202fstudents (46%\u202fof\u00a0the\u00a0undergraduate student\u202fbody) are enrolled in\u202fcommunity engaged designated courses,\u00a0an increase of 4,737 students since the last application cycle.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Carnegie_Elective_Community-Engagement.jpg-1-256x256.png\")
<\/p>\n