(Jan. 12, 2026) – Grand Canyon University has earned the 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement (CE) Classification, an elective designation awarded by the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching that highlights an institution’s commitment to community engagement. GCU becomes one of 277 institutions to hold this designation and one of only two in Arizona.
For decades, GCU has been committed to lifting and revitalizing its surrounding community. In 2015, the university created an ambitious and groundbreaking Five-Point Plan to bring about long-term transformation – first by meeting families’ basic needs, increasing safety and improving their homes and neighborhoods, then providing equal opportunity pathways to educational opportunities and finally creating high-paying job pathways that can change a family’s trajectory for generations to come.
Some of the specific initiatives include:
- GCU CityServe which has provided over $18 million worth of household goods to families in need.
- 27Collab which brings together schools, businesses, neighborhood associations and the Phoenix Police Department to transform the area into a safe and thriving community for residents, education and businesses.
- Habitat for Humanity partnership which has renovated 604 homes in the community and increased home values by 876% since 2011.
“This designation affirms what has always been at the heart of GCU – servant leadership,” said GCU President Brian Mueller. “Our Five-Point Plan is not just a conceptual vision or a future goal – it is a living effort that is already restoring neighborhoods, expanding opportunities and helping families thrive. As a Christian university, we believe service is a calling, and we are honored to see this work acknowledged as we continue investing in the flourishing of our community.”
The CE Classification is awarded following a process of self-study by each institution. The classification has been the leading framework for institutional assessment and recognition of community engagement in U.S. higher education for the past 19 years with classification cycles in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2020, 2024, and now 2026. The 2029 cycle will be for first-time applicants.
“Higher education is a vital economic engine for us all. Our colleges and universities not only fuel science and innovation, they build prosperity in rural, urban and suburban communities nationwide,” said Timothy F.C. Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation. “We celebrate each of these institutions, particularly their dedication to partnering with their neighbors -- fostering civic engagement, building useable knowledge, and catalyzing real world learning experiences for students.”
In the 2026 cycle, 237 institutions earned the CE Classification, joining the 40 institutions classified in 2024 for a total of 277 institutions that currently hold the designation. Of the institutions recognized in 2026, 48 are receiving the classification for the first time, while 189 have previously held it. The 2026 cohort includes a diverse range of institutions, with 157 public institutions and 80 private colleges and universities represented among the recipients.
“The institutions receiving the 2026 Community Engagement Classification exemplify American higher education’s commitment to the greater good,” said Ted Mitchell, President of ACE, which encompasses nearly 1,600 colleges and universities, related associations and other organizations. “The beneficiaries of this unflagging dedication to public purpose missions are their students, their teaching and research enterprises, and their wider communities.”
