MU recognized as community-engaged campus by Carnegie Foundation

This is the first time MU has received the classification.

By James Hatler

Published Feb. 16, 2009

MU was one of a select number of universities to be recognized as a community-engaged campus by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

The designation was granted based on the university's outreach and research programs.

"We were named that because of the success of programs like service learning, the research involvement of our students in entrepreneurial efforts and because of study abroad and the internships that are developed internationally," Chancellor Brady Deaton said. "So students have been very much at the center of why we were viewed by the Carnegie Foundation as deserving of this Community Engagement Classification."

An example of community engagement is Sustain Mizzou. Sustain Mizzou president Pat Margherio said the organization works to purchase local food during its fall food drive.

“We are raising money to purchase food from local farmers to donate to Central Missouri food bank,” he said. “We are completely focused on local food production and helping local people. The whole drive of that week is to support local people and the local economy.”

Deaton said it is a recognition of the hard work everyone has done.

"Our programs of teaching research and outreach are focused on those issues that are of great relevance to society," he said.

Examples of the outreach programs that showed the university was engaged in the community included the study abroad program, Show-Me State Games, the Family Violence Clinic and several other programs.

"The university is proud to be recognized as a university that strives to reach out and form partnerships and distribute our knowledge in any way that we can," MU spokesman Christian Basi said. "Not only are we helping our students to get out among the community, students have an opportunity to do study abroad programs. They have opportunities to get involved with our community right here locally, with a variety of different both academic programs and student groups."

MU was one of eight members of the Association of American Universities to receive this classification.

This is the first time the university has received this classification, and only the second year that the foundation has acknowledged community-engaged universities. MU was one of only 68 public universities to be recognized as community-engaged, of the 147 public and private institutions that applied for the classification.

Deaton said the classification is a recognition of a university that's very involved in today's society, and it addresses the key issues that are of a general nature in society.

"It reflects the fact that the programs have been designed to enhance student learning, and we think that's an exciting aspect of our university," Deaton said. "I believe students feel that way also. So we're very happy about the classification and the recognition."

Basi said the university is always striving to partner with various businesses. One of the university's main missions, he said, is to bring education and useful knowledge to the community.

"Originally that was one of the reasons for extension and getting out the word to the rural part of the state, getting out that knowledge to them so they can utilize the knowledge that we have generated," Basi said.