OREM, Utah — Utah Valley University (UVU) is one of more than 230 United States colleges and universities to receive the 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement (CE) Classification, an elective designation awarded by the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The designation highlights an institution’s commitment to community engagement.
“Education can help our communities become more cohesive, caring, and successful. UVU values its local community and commits fully to mutually rewarding partnerships” said UVU President Astrid S. Tuminez. “Through meaningful connections and opportunities to serve in our region, our students gain transformative, real-world experiences that prepare them for success in work and life.”
UVU was recognized for excellence in reciprocal community relationships through internships, project-based learning initiatives, and mentorship. UVU’s dual-mission model provides students course and programs that prepare them for their careers. As Utah’s Silicon Slopes grows, UVU delivers graduates ready to drive innovation.
Additionally, UVU maintains strong relationships with local and regional chambers of commerce, including the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce and Silicon Slopes. Through the UVU Business Resource Center, the Chelsea and Casey Baugh Entrepreneurship Institute, and the Center for Social Impact, UVU provides support through training, incubator spaces, and seed funding for local businesses and entrepreneurs.
UVU also strives to provide engaging learning and networking opportunities for community members and students alike through the UVU Women’s Leadership Summit, the Utah Data Governance Summit, and the UVU Business and Economic Forum.
“Higher education is a vital economic engine for us all. Our colleges and universities not only fuel science and innovation; they build prosperity in rural, urban, and suburban communities nationwide,” said Timothy F.C. Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation. “We celebrate each of these institutions, particularly their dedication to partnering with their neighbors — fostering civic engagement, building usable knowledge, and catalyzing real-world learning experiences for students.”
The CE Classification is awarded following a process of self-study by each institution. The classification has been the leading framework for institutional assessment and recognition of community engagement in U.S. higher education for the past 19 years, with classification cycles in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2020, 2024, and 2026. The 2029 cycle will be for first-time applicants. UVU first earned the classification in 2015.
About Utah Valley University
At Utah Valley University, we believe everyone deserves the transforming benefits of high-quality education — and it needs to be affordable, accessible, and flexible. With opportunities to earn everything from certificates to master’s degrees, our students succeed by gaining real-world experience and developing career-ready skills. We continue to invite people to come as they are — and leave ready and prepared to make a difference in the world.
About the Carnegie Classifications
The Carnegie Classifications are the nation’s leading framework for categorizing and describing colleges and universities in the United States. Utilized frequently by policymakers, funders, and researchers, the classifications are a critical benchmarking tool for postsecondary institutions. ACE and the Carnegie Foundation announced a partnership in February 2022 to reimagine the classifications to better reflect the diversity of postsecondary institutions and more completely characterize the impact that today’s institutions have on society.
About the American Council on Education (ACE)
The American Council on Education (ACE) is a membership organization that leads higher education with a united vision for the future, galvanizing our members to make change and collaborating across the sector to design solutions for today’s challenges, serve the needs of a diverse student population, and shape effective public policy. As the major coordinating body for the nation’s colleges and universities, our strength lies in our diverse membership of nearly 1,600 colleges and universities, related associations, and other organizations in America and abroad. ACE is the only major higher education association to represent all types of U.S. accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities. For more information, please visit www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on X @ACEducation and LinkedIn.
About the Carnegie Foundation
The mission of the Carnegie Foundation is to catalyze transformational change in education so that every student has the opportunity to live a healthy, dignified, and fulfilling life. Enacted by an act of Congress in 1906, the foundation has a rich history of driving transformational change in the education sector, including the establishment of TIAA-CREF and the creation of the Education Testing Service, the GRE, Pell Grants, and the Carnegie Classifications for Higher Education. Today, the foundation is dedicated to the transformation of the American high school and making the postsecondary sector a more vital engine for economic mobility.
