Penn State has earned the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification for its ongoing commitment to serving and supporting communities across Pennsylvania.

It honors faculty, staff, and students at Penn State for being recognized for their positive impact across the state through teaching, research, outreach, and service. Their work ranges from providing no-cost medical care to helping individuals find strong career paths and much more.

The classification acknowledges the collaboration of academic institutions and their communities at the local, regional/state, national, and global levels through the mutual exchange of knowledge and resources in partnership and reciprocity.

In a press release, Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi expressed how this award aligns with the school’s mission as a land-grant university.

“Community engagement is not simply an element of our work — it is a defining feature of who we are as a land-grant university. It is central to my leadership and embedded in our strategy, identity, and values,” Bendapudi said in the statement. “Our institution was founded on the promise of serving the people of Pennsylvania through education, research, and public service. For more than 170 years, we have honored that commitment through outreach and engagement efforts that span every county in the commonwealth and touch lives across generations and sectors. It is our responsibility — and our privilege — to ensure that this mission continues to thrive in ways that are meaningful and measurable.”

The university highlighted more than 100 community engagement programs, events, and courses that help not only those in Happy Valley but also beyond, including the LION Mobile Clinic, Local Climate Action Program, Interdisciplinary Study of Street Medicine, and the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program.

Penn State first received this classification in 2008 and is one of 237 institutions to earn this award in the 2026 cycle. The classification is valid until 2032.

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