Carnegie Classification
What is the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement?
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The George Washington University has earned the 2026 Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement, a prestigious national designation awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching sponsors elective classifications for those institutions that have made extraordinary commitments to their public purpose.
Institutions apply to be recognized by the Carnegie Foundation through a particular Elective Classification theme and make extraordinary commitments to that theme. It is an evidence-based documentation of institutional policy and practices focusing on areas such as institutional culture and mission, curricular and co-curricular programming, continuous improvement activities, and the recruitment and reward of faculty, staff, and students.
In honor of GW’s 2026 Elective Carnegie Classification as a Community-Engaged Institution, we are highlighting some of GW's notable community-engaged service partnerships.
GW Law School partners with community organizations such as Bread for the City, C3Cares and Empower DC to address the needs of low-income children, adults, and seniors by offering legal assistance for housing issues.
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Director of Advancement at Sasha Bruce Youthwork, Leigh Bailey, aids in strengthening the partnership between community organizations and human services learning at GW.