UofL, initially designated as a community engagement university in 2008, was among 277 schools reclassified by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on ����ֱ��.

“The University of Louisville is proud to receive the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification for another six years,” UofL President Gerry Bradley said. “This achievement is a testament to our partnerships across Louisville, and the work we’re doing on campus and beyond.”

In 2025, the Carnegie Foundation once again named UofL a Research 1 (R1) institution for its elite status as a top research university and named UofL an Opportunity College and University (OCU) for its work fostering student success. UofL is one of only 13 universities nationwide to earn R1, OCU and Community Engaged designations from Carnegie and is the only ACC school to receive the OCU title. 

manages partnerships and programs at UofL with organizations across Louisville, the Commonwealth, and surrounding regions to drive impact in four areas: education, health and quality of life, social and human services and economic development. These programs focus on key areas of partnerships and engaged scholarship defined by the Carnegie classification, including the and the .

“This recognition highlights our dedication to integrating community engagement into UofL’s core mission,” UofL Vice President for Community Engagement Douglas Craddock said. “This distinction reaffirms our role as a trusted partner in advancing the public good.”

 of all institutions that hold this distinction.

Committed to advancing the science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) community, the SOA is focused on a strategy to build a STEMM workforce that reflects the culturally rich, innovative and diverse talent pool of the United States.

SOA has engaged hundreds of partners to implement STEMM Equity and Excellence 2050: A National Strategy for Progress and Prosperity, with the goal of helping 20 million people from historically excluded and marginalized communities enter, contribute to and thrive within STEMM fields.

For UofL, this is a transformative effort that includes the College of Arts & Sciences, College of ����ֱ�� & Human Development, J.B. Speed School of Engineering, and School of Medicine in networking with national foundations, companies and the federal government to offer scholarships and expand the opportunity for STEMM careers to more students.

“For too long, many students have had to swim upstream to pursue careers in STEMM and UofL is joining the vital effort to seek fundamental, systemic change. Complex problems require multifaceted, creative, and innovative solutions, which are best addressed with diverse teams bringing distinct perspectives to achieve scientific excellence,” said James Orlick, director of grant writing and innovation for UofL’s Office of Institutional Equity. “Equity and excellence are connected.”