Quinnipiac University was recently awarded the 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement Certification, recognizing it for excellence in community engagement.
The certification is awarded yearly to colleges and universities across the United States. This year, Quinnipiac joins 237 other higher education institutions in recognition of their commitments to uplift neighboring communities throughout their local population.
“Recieving the classification affirms that Quinnipiac has demonstrated a deep, evidence‑based, institution‑wide commitment to meaningful, reciprocal partnerships that serve the public good,” Vice president for Academic Innovation and Excellence Annalisa Zinn wrote in an email to The Chronicle.
The classification recognizes universities that cement civic responsibility and public impact into the framework of their institution. For Quinnipiac, the recognition highlights service-learning initiatives, community-based research projects, health outreach efforts and civic engagement partnerships across the greater Hamden area.
“This distinction affirms the belief that higher education has both an academic and civic responsibility,” Zinn wrote.
Quinnipiac is one of several Connecticut colleges earning recognition for community engagement this year. Central Connecticut State University and Fairfield University were also awarded the distinction in the 2026 cycle.
Zinn emphasized that the achievement belongs not just to the university, but to the surrounding region as well.
“Both communities should feel proud because the classification celebrates shared work and mutual investment,” she wrote. “Quinnipiac earned this distinction not in isolation but through authentic collaboration with Hamden, North Haven and the region.”
While the classification is valid through 2032 the university is already focused on maintaining and strengthening their current efforts.
“Long‑term success in sustaining the classification means ensuring that community engagement remains deeply woven into the university’s mission, culture, academic programs, and student-led initiatives. It requires continuous assessment, strong and reciprocal partnerships, and demonstrable impact in the community,” Zinn wrote.
Quinnipiac provost Debra Liebowitz further explained what the certification means to the University.
“This recognition reflects the daily work of our faculty, staff and students work that strengthens learning, supports our region and advances the public good,” Liebowitz said in an interview with Connecticut By the Numbers. “This designation underscores that community engagement isn’t an initiative at Quinnipiac, it’s embedded in who we are. Creating opportunities for our students to make a difference is, indeed, a vital part of their learning and one reason they are so well-prepared for their careers.”
Furthermore, Zinn states the implications of maintaining the recognition past 2032 for Quinnipiac.
“Sustaining the classification long‑term reflects a university where community engagement is not a set of programs but a defining characteristic of institutional identity,” she wrote.
