WashU faculty and staff are invited to join a universitywide effort to earn the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement, a designation that recognizes higher education institutions that embed community engagement into their mission, culture and operations.
Initiated by the Confluence Collaborative for Community Engagement and led by a committee of staff leaders and faculty, the application process will assess the depth and effectiveness of WashU’s community engagement work across schools, departments and programs, explained Katie Houck, associate director of the Confluence Collaborative. She hopes the process will celebrate successful engagement models that can be replicated across campuses and spot opportunities to deepen WashU’s commitment to community engagement.
“The value of the Carnegie classification is not the gold star we get at the end of the process. It is the process,” Houck said. “It is creating a network of accountability, raising awareness so we can work together, and finding new ways to strengthen genuinely reciprocal relationships with the community.”
To that end, the collaborative is holding a Carnegie classification kickoff event, “Building a Culture of Community Engagement at WashU,” from 1-4 p.m. Oct. 21 at Hillman Hall’s Clark-Fox Forum. Patrick M. Green, a nationally recognized leader in community-engaged scholarship from Loyola University Chicago, will serve as facilitator. Campus leaders, including Sean Armstrong, dean of WashU Continuing & Professional Studies; Timothy Eberlein, director of the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center; Feng Sheng Hu, dean of Arts & Sciences; Sandro Galea, dean of Bursky Public Health; Anna Gonzalez, vice chancellor for student success; Stefanie Lindquist, dean of WashU Law; Charlie White, dean of the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts; and Sherree Wilson, associate vice chancellor of diversity, equity and inclusion at WashU Medicine, will speak about WashU’s role in the community and share how faculty and staff can support the application process. For a full agenda and to RSVP, visit the Confluence Collaborative website.
The university’s application will be evaluated based on a broad range of criteria, from the quality of its community partnerships to the strength of its free-speech policies to the prevalence of opportunities for community-engaged teaching, research and service. The university has made great strides in these areas since the launch of the “In St. Louis, For St. Louis” initiative in 2023 and establishment of the Confluence Collaborative in 2024. Still, there’s more work to do, Houck said.
“We are in this moment of flagging public trust in higher education,” Houck said. “So it’s vital that we showcase the impactful work already taking place with our communities, and surface where we can do better, so that people see WashU as an asset for the entire region.”
The Carnegie Classification kickoff is part of the inaugural Community Engagement Week Oct. 19-23. Other events include:
‘Primary Care & Public Health: Transforming Health Through Partnership’
When: 9 a.m.– 12:30 p.m. Oct. 20
Where: Eric P. Newman Education Center, 320 S Euclid Ave., WashU Medical Campus
Through keynotes and panel discussions, national leaders in primary care, health policy and workforce design will discuss new models of care, the role of the academic research community and community partnerships. Presented by Bursky Public Health and the WashU Medicine Division of General Internal Medicine.
WashU Serves Volunteer Fair
When: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 20
Where: Hillman Hall, Clark-Fox Forum
Faculty and staff can meet with representatives from more than 100 nonprofits to explore volunteer opportunities ranging from one-time projects to ongoing individual and team service.
Nonprofit Speed Networking for Young Professionals
When: 4-6 p.m. Oct. 20
Where: Hillman Hall, Clark-Fox Forum
WashU young professionals ages 21–40 are invited to build connections with nonprofit organizations.
Civic Café: ‘St. Louis on the Rise’
When: 5:30-7 p.m. Oct. 21
Where: Stix House
Martha Garcia Kampen, of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis; Ron Kitchens, of Greater St. Louis Inc.; Beth Noonan, of Community and Economic Development Solutions; and Stephen P . Westbrooks, of St. Louis Development Corporation, speak about their work to invigorate the local economy and the outlook for St. Louis. Presented by the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement.
‘The Power of Partnership: A Community Engagement Convening‘
When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 22
Where: Delmar Divine, 5501 Delmar Blvd.
Community-based organizations, community members and academic partners convene for a day of honest exchange and shared learning to begin collective problem-solving. Presented in partnership with the St. Louis Integrated Health Network.
‘Transforming Healthcare in Missouri, Part XI: Strengthening Public Health Infrastructure for Impact‘
When: 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Oct. 23
Where: Hillman Hall, Clark-Fox Forum
The Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research brings together stakeholders from across Missouri through its “Transforming Healthcare in Missouri” series to exchange ideas and explore solutions to the state’s health services policy challenges.
