UTA earns Carnegie recognition for community engagement
The University of Texas at Arlington has been recognized with the 2026 Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement, a national designation reflecting how community-engaged teaching, research and service are built into the everyday work of the University.
Awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, UTA is one of 277 institutions nationwide to receive the designation. The Carnegie Foundation noted UTA’s strong alignment among mission, leadership, resources and practices, highlighting its “dynamic and noteworthy” approach to community engagement during a period of significant federal policy and funding shifts. Unlike individual awards, the classification evaluates how consistently and intentionally engagement is supported, measured and integrated across the institution.
“Community engagement is a core theme of our strategic plan, and this designation is a recognition of our commitment. I’m proud we have achieved it,” UTA President Jennifer Cowley said. “I believe in the power of public higher education to serve and uplift, and I’m committed to UTA’s efforts to deepen our connection with the communities around us.”
At UTA, community engagement is not a standalone initiative. It is reflected in how faculty design courses, how students apply learning beyond the classroom, how researchers collaborate with external partners, and how staff build long-term, reciprocal relationships with the community—often alongside neighbors they see and serve every day. These efforts span Arlington, North Texas and beyond and are central to UTA’s public mission.
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Across campus, from classrooms to administration and from Student Affairs to the Follett Student Leadership Center, community engagement at UTA is driven by students and supported by staff who work closely with local partners to meet real community needs. Through biannual volunteer fairs, the annual Super Service Saturday event and student-organized service with community agencies, students build sustained relationships with nonprofit organizations while contributing their time, skills and leadership in ways that benefit both the community and their own growth.
One of the most visible examples is UTA’s long-standing partnership with Mission Arlington, a nonprofit located just across the street from campus that provides food, clothing, medical and dental care, and much more. Students, faculty and staff support Mission Arlington through volunteerism and service learning projects, building relationships that continue year after year and reflect a shared commitment to the people Mission Arlington serves. Many members of the campus community also benefit from Mission Arlington’s services, reinforcing the reciprocal nature of the partnership.
UTA’s work with the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation shows how academic engagement strengthens community capacity. Faculty-led service-learning projects helped students catalog local nonprofits, assess organizational capacity and share findings directly with nonprofit leaders, supporting informed decision-making across the sector.
Community engagement at UTA also extends to innovation and economic development. In 2024, UTA and the City of Arlington received the Tech-InnovaCity Seoul Smart City Prize for Institutions for their collaboration on RAPID, an on-demand autonomous shuttle service integrating self-driving vehicles into public transit—the first initiative of its kind in the United States. The project brings together university researchers, city leaders and transportation partners to explore how emerging technologies can improve everyday mobility and better serve residents.
Across the university, faculty and students partner with communities to address health care, housing and education needs. The Center for Rural Health and Nursing works with underserved rural communities to improve access to health professionals and strengthen health outcomes. The College of Architecture, Planning, and Public Affairs collaborated with the City of Arlington and nonprofit partners to help build homes for low-income older adults in east Arlington’s Wynn Terrace Senior Cottage Community.
Service learning remains central to UTA’s approach. Through the Center for Service Learning’s programs and trainings, faculty learn how to incorporate a service component into their courses, whereby students work in reciprocity with community nonprofit agencies on projects related to their coursework. Critical reflection is key to these real-life, hands-on experiences which prepare students for success both within and beyond the classroom.
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Advisory groups such as the President’s Campaign Leadership Council and the Innovation and Economic Prosperity Steering Committee bring alumni, civic leaders and industry partners into university planning, ensuring community voices help shape institutional priorities. Forums, surveys and focus groups further inform decision-making across campus.
For university leaders, the impact of this work is often most visible through students.
“When students and faculty apply what they’re learning and teaching to real-world challenges, it shapes not only their futures, but the future of their communities. That’s the kind of impact that stays with you,” said Tamara L. Brown, UTA provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “Higher education is not just about what happens in the classroom, but also about what happens when we step into the world and use our knowledge to lift others up.”
UTA continues to expand its community footprint through initiatives such as UTA West, a new campus planned to meet the educational and workforce needs of one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions. Community input is guiding academic priorities and development plans.
The Carnegie Classification recognizes a comprehensive, institution-wide commitment to engagement that connects teaching, research and service. For UTA, it reflects the day-to-day work of faculty, staff and students who partner with community members, translate knowledge into action and support projects that create real, lasting benefits with the communities they serve.
“I’m beyond happy to have been part of this process, which reflects my deep passion for community engagement,” said Susan Dequeant, associate director for the Center for Service Learning, and the campus lead for the Carnegie community engagement application process. "Our core team of UTA staff and faculty discovered so many meaningful ways we’re connecting with our community, locally and globally. This award is more than a ‘blue ribbon’—it tells the story of who we are: a community that truly cares about others.”
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of Dallas-Fort Worth. With a student body of over 42,700, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.