Civic Engagement Earns Carnegie Endorsement
The Providence Campus of Johnson & Wales University joins 118 institutions of higher education nationwide — the only one from Rhode Island — selected by the prestigious Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching for a Community Engagement Classification for Curricular Engagement and Outreach & Partnerships. The campus garnered the elective designation after exhaustive documentation that showed service is embedded in the mission, culture, leadership, resources and practices of the university. The classification is the most allencompassing of the foundation’s three-tiered rating.

“We are honored to receive this high recognition from such a distinguished and well-respected organization as the Carnegie Foundation,” said Providence Campus President Irving Schneider Ph.D. “Johnson & Wales University is committed to the civic mission of higher education to promote responsible citizenship and strengthen our communities. The community, faculty and students are mutually enriched by sharing knowledge, skills and resources to meet local needs.” The Carnegie classification is one of the highest designations in the country for institutional dedication to civic engagement. It carries the weight of the organization’s endorsement for grant applications, fund-raising, advancement initiatives and student recruitment. It is used by a wide range of academic researchers, institutions and policymakers to analyze and develop tools to foster positive changes in education. “For us at the Providence Campus, this achievement underscores our ongoing commitment to the community,” said Susan Connery, director of the Feinstein Community Service Center, who spearheaded the application process.

In 2007, the Rhode Island-based Providence Business News presented JWU with its Business Excellence Award for Community Involvement. The Corporation for National and Community Service selected the campus for the President’s Higher Education Honor Roll in 2006, 2007 with distinction and 2008.

Green and Profitable, Too
“Humans are the only species that finds it acceptable to create waste. Recycling equals failure because there is waste; true sustainability means that after you consumed our product, you would eat the cup or bury it in a compost pile.” Humbling words from Gary Hirshberg, president, “CE-Yo” and founder of a seven-cow farm that has become the world’s largest organic yogurt company, Stonyfield Farm. Hirshberg’s October 2008 visit was the centerpiece for the campus’ Focus on Green fall events. He demonstrated how his company can be green while reaping greater profits by using milk from local farms, choosing fruits that are handpicked so only the best are used, accessing farms free of pesticides and fertilizers known to contaminate soil and drinking water, and offsetting all carbon emissions. His 25-year-old New Hampshire company, with annual revenues of $300 million, is a model of sustainability and business success.
above: Stonyfield Farm president and CEO Gary Hirshberg outlines global trends for students.