MESA, Arizona—The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized Mesa Community College’s (MCC) dedication to community outreach by awarding the 2015 Community Engagement Classification to the College.
MCC is one of 361 U.S. colleges and universities that now hold the designation, a status earned through a voluntary participation process by the campuses that have sought it. The College is one of three new community colleges to receive this designation and one of only 16 community colleges nationwide. The Foundation awards the designation to institutions that demonstrate campus mission, culture, leadership, resources, and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy community engagement.
“Mesa Community College is honored to be among a selective group of colleges and universities across the country that enjoy the designation of Carnegie Community Engaged Campus,” said Shouan Pan, President, Mesa Community College. “As guided by Maricopa Community Colleges Governing Board outcomes, MCC values student learning and development through community and civic engagement on and off campus. I want to express my deep appreciation to our faculty, students, and staff for their leadership and commitment to living out our value."
MCC has long been recognized for exceptional community outreach, collaborating with more than 366 community partners such as the American Cancer Society, Mesa United Way, A New Leaf, Paz de Cristo, Mesa Arts Academy, Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley, Special Olympics and local school districts.
Since 2002, MCC’s Center for Community & Civic Engagement has formally tracked service-learning students, their hours, courses and partners, as well as some community service projects. To date, 17,346 students have served a total of 530,088 hours. More than 200 faculty members have been involved in the efforts, representing every academic department, with a combined total of 3,586 courses.
Additionally, more than 3,300 AmeriCorps volunteers (students and community members) provided more than 1.6 million hours of service. The college has also received external funding in the form of grants that support community engagement. Examples include the Teachers of Language Learners Grant, the Geospatial Connections Promoting Advancement to Careers and Higher Education Grant and the EPA Environmental Education Grant.
“It is heartening to see this level of commitment and activity, wrote Carnegie Foundation President Anthony S. Bryk in a notification letter to MCC. “Clearly, higher education is making significant strides in finding ways to engage with and contribute to important community agendas.”
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View the Carnegie Foundation press release.
Contact
Dawn Zimmer (480) 461-7892, [email protected]
About Mesa Community College
Mesa Community College is nationally recognized for its high-quality educational programs, which include university transfer, career and technical, workforce development, and life-long learning. Host to 40,000 students annually, MCC offers more than 200 degrees and certificates at its two campuses and additional locations. Our diverse student body hails predominantly from the East Valley region of metropolitan Phoenix, and international students from 50 countries enrich the learning experience. Award-winning faculty dedicated to student success provide the education and training that empower MCC students to compete locally and globally. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015, MCC is one of 11 colleges that comprise the Maricopa County Community College District. For additional information, visit mesacc.edu.
About the Carnegie Foundation
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is committed to developing networks of ideas, individuals, and institutions to advance teaching and learning. We join together scholars, practitioners, and designers in new ways to solve problems of educational practice. Toward this end, we work to integrate the discipline of improvement science into education with the goal of building the field’s capacity to improve. For additional information, please visit http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/.
The Maricopa County Community College District is an EEO/AA institution and an
equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.