Press Release

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
Bunker Hill Community College is the largest community college in Massachusetts, enrolling approximately 18,000 students annually. BHCC has two campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, and a number of other locations throughout the Greater Boston area. BHCC is one of the most diverse institutions of higher education in Massachusetts. Sixty-five percent of the students are people of color and more than half of BHCC's students are women. The College also enrolls nearly 600 international students who come from 94 countries and speak more than 75 languages.