University of Richmond students plant trees in downtown Richmond
Students, faculty, and community members planted trees in downtown Richmond as part of a research partnership between the Historic Jackson Ward Association and UR researchers.

University of Richmond Receives National Recognition for Commitment to Community Engagement

January 16, 2026

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND — The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has awarded the University of Richmond the 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification.

This national recognition honors the University of Richmond’s commitment to community engagement and community outreach. UR is one of 277 institutions to receive this classification.

“UR’s commitment to partnering with our community is clear all across campus,” said Sylvia Gale, director of the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement. “Across the five schools, our students and faculty connect and collaborate with a wide range of community organizations across the Richmond region. Students volunteer in academic-year and summer internships, conduct numerous research projects that directly impact the region, and 82% of our students in the class of 2025 took at least one community-based learning course during their time at UR.” 

UR engages with the wider Richmond community in many ways, including:

  • Accounting students volunteer as certified tax preparers with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program at United Way partner sites across the Richmond region.
  • The Richmond School of Law operates four in-house clinics that provide pro-bono law services to community members who may otherwise be unrepresented.
  • Students in UR’s Bonner Scholars Program serve up to ten hours each week at nonprofit organizations across the region.
  • Alongside faculty mentors, students conduct research with practical implications in Richmond. For example, a student-led research project on urban heat culminated in the planting of trees in downtown Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood.
  • The Spider Business Hub connects Robins School of Business students to local businesses to help solve real-world problems.
  • Access to the arts is made available through free performances from the Department of Music and Department of Theatre & Dance, tours of UR Museums for local K-12 students, and the Partners in the Arts program for local educators.

UR has held the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification since 2010.

###