The USM's strategic plan, Vision 2030, challenges each USM university to achieve the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement. This designation signifies a deep commitment on the part of higher education institutions to communities they serve.

As characterized by Carnegie, “Community engagement describes collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity.” Furthermore, this classification recognizes partnerships that “enrich scholarship, research, and creative activity; enhance curriculum, teaching, and learning; prepare educated, engaged citizens; strengthen democratic values and civic responsibility; address critical societal issues; and contribute to the public good.”

At present, Towson University, Salisbury University, and University of Maryland, Baltimore County have earned this distinction. USM is working to support our other universities in their efforts to achieve this status in the 2026 application cycle. First, USM provided mini-grant support for campus-based work in preparation for this application. Second, USM has also offered system-wide sessions and hands-on, intensive workshops led by experts from the American Council on Education in November 2023 and August 2024 to prepare for the application.