Bunker Hill Community College Earns Carnegie Foundation Recognition
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
For the second time in a row, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) has been recognized as a Carnegie Community Engagement Campus. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching selected BHCC as one of the 240 colleges and universities in the United States to receive the Foundation’s 2015 Community Engagement Classification. BHCC received the honor initially in 2008.
“We are delighted that the Carnegie Foundation has chosen BHCC for the community engagement classification,” said BHCC President Pam Y. Eddinger. “The recognition is especially important to us because community engagement ranks among the College’s highest commitments. It plays a central role not only in our curriculum but throughout our institutional culture.”
The Carnegie Foundation defines Community Engagement as the 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. In announcing BHCC’s award, the Carnegie Foundation praised the College for its “excellent alignment among mission, culture, leadership, resources and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy community engagement,” and singled out the College’s achievements in curricular engagement, outreach and partnerships.
The College’s community outreach and partnerships have expanded significantly since the 2008 Carnegie Classification. They now incorporate numerous college pathway and success programs, economic development programs, and community and civic engagement programs. Service learning has been integrated into nearly 300 courses, the College sponsors dual enrollment courses with 30 area high schools and community organizations, and the Learn and Earn Program offers students paid work experience at top companies in Massachusetts.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching develops networks of ideas, individuals and institutions to advance teaching and learning. The Foundation’s Community Engagement Classification, established in 2006, recognizes higher education’s commitment to community engagement and honors institutional commitment to deepening the practice of service and strengthening the bonds between campus and community.
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About Bunker Hill Community College
Celebrating 50 years of excellence, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is Massachusetts' largest community college, annually welcoming a diverse community of around 16,000 students. With campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, BHCC extends its reach across several locations in Greater Boston. BHCC is celebrated for its diversity, boasting a student body where 65% identify as people of color and more than half are women. The College also embraces a global perspective, with over 600 international students representing 90 countries and conversing in more than 65 languages. Our commitment to diversity is further reflected in BHCC's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).