HPU Receives 2024 Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement

HIGH POINT, N.C., Jan. 10, 2024 – High Point University is one of just 40 colleges and universities in the nation to receive the 2024 Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement, an elective and voluntary designation that highlights an institution’s commitment to community engagement and is awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

This is the first time HPU has received the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement, which is awarded to higher education institutions that are making significant strides in finding ways to engage with community partners, build on community assets and address a wide array of community challenges.

“This Carnegie classification honors the sustained and reciprocal partnerships HPU’s Service Learning program has forged over more than a decade of service within the High Point community,” said Allison Walker, director of Service Learning and instructor of English at HPU. “What began as a few service learning classes in a few departments has blossomed into service opportunities across the university, from undergraduate to graduate curricular and co-curricular programs, and HPU’s Center for Community Engagement that champions the university’s enduring empathic connections both within and beyond our campus.”

A Commitment to the Community

The designation reflects HPU’s commitment to the community. HPU students, faculty and staff volunteer 500,000 hours of service every year. Their efforts include a variety of community initiatives, such as serving at local nonprofit organizations, hosting an annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service with numerous volunteer opportunities, donating thousands of pounds of food to pantries and shelters, providing free health care services such as dental checkups, health assessments at local schools, and physical therapy services at HPU’s Pro Bono Physical Therapy Clinic, and much more.

In addition, HPU’s Center for Community Engagement houses numerous programs and initiatives such as the 50 Bonner Leaders and 16 AmeriCorps VISTAs, who are all dedicated to helping nonprofits in the community.

Brad Bowers, executive director of West End Ministries, said he is grateful for the support of the university’s staff and students.

“It shows that our young people believe in this community, they believe in what we’re doing and they’re here to serve,” said Bowers. “That is a tremendous thing to witness, and it’s an inspiration to us all to see those students get behind us.”

“Being a part of the VISTA program, you see those actions firsthand in our community,” said Iyanna Salters, an HPU AmeriCorps VISTA leader. “Whether you are working on campus or at the various nonprofits, you see the web of community that the university has built within our city, and you feel honored to continue to be a part of that work. HPU’s commitment to serve is felt throughout our city.”     

Osliany Mora-Morejon, an HPU student and Bonner Leader, shared a similar perspective about her work with D-Up, a local nonprofit and afterschool program aimed at teaching children to live healthy lifestyles.

“D-Up Inc. provides a holistic helping hand to High Point families and children through enrichment childcare and other supplemental resources,” said Mora-Morejon. “As a Bonner Leader, I have been in the forefront in cultivating these relationships between the nonprofit organization and the community members. Through this work, I have become a trusted person in the lives of these High Point families and children, being able to be a steady figure that promotes the common good.”

A Growing Legacy of Service

“HPU’s attainment of the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement reflects our university’s unwavering commitment to fostering positive change and forming meaningful connections in the High Point community,” said Kimberly C. Drye-Dancy, executive director of HPU’s Center for Community Engagement. “It serves as a testament to our institution's pursuit of cultivating strong partnerships within the community, actively contributing to the well-being of those we serve. Through hands-on learning experiences, we aim to strengthen student, staff and faculty leadership, teamwork, critical thinking, communication, and, most importantly, civic engagement skills. We believe that an engaged and empowered campus community is essential for developing well-rounded and socially responsible leaders. This recognition also provides an opportunity for institutional reflection, prompting us to assess our current community engagement efforts and identify areas for amplifying our impact. This classification reinforces our dedication to excellence, community service and the holistic development of our students as catalysts for profound social change in pursuit of justice and the common good."

Walker led the HPU team that applied for the Carnegie classification for the first time. The team members consisted of staff from the Center for Community Engagement, including Drye-Dancy, Assistant Director Lovelle McMichael and additional team members, Jo Delossantos, adjunct instructor of English, and Dr. Brianna Clark, assistant professor of event management in the department of Sport, Event and Hospitality Management. Members of the Partnership Council of Center for Community Engagement provided letters of support for the application and were instrumental in the review process. The work of former faculty members Rev. Dr. Joseph Blosser and Dr. Cara Kozma was also key to the successful application process, said Drye-Dancy.

The classification HPU achieved is valid until 2032.

“We recognize these institutions for their exceptional commitment to community engagement, and their work to transform knowledge into meaningful action,” said Timothy Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. “They exemplify the true spirit of the Carnegie endorsement and the power of serving the public good.”