UT Arlington honored by prestigious Carnegie Foundation

ARLINGTON - The University of Texas at Arlington is one of 115 U.S. colleges and universities selected by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching for its 2010 Community Engagement Classification. These institutions join 196 schools identified in the 2006 and 2008 selection process.

Colleges and universities with an institutional focus on community engagement were invited to apply for the classification. Unlike the Foundation’s other classifications that rely on national data, this is an “elective” classification. Institutions who chose to participate submitted required documentation describing the nature and extent of their engagement with the community, be it local or beyond.

A critical part of that community engagement is taking shape just a few blocks from UT Arlington where the College Park District is being built. Spanning more than 20 acres and totaling more than $160 million, the emerging district comprises three major components. At its hub is College Park Center, a 6,500-seat special events center. To the north is College Park, a mixed-use development that will include a residence hall and apartments, retail shops and restaurants, an 1,800-space parking facility, and a new University welcome center. And to the south is The Green at College Park, an inviting new park for use by the entire community.

“Progress of this magnitude could not happen in a vacuum. Our growth and success are tied inextricably to that of our city, and we couldn’t ask for a stronger partnership or a better model for town-gown relationships,” said James D. Spaniolo, UT Arlington president. “Together we are creating a true college town environment that is changing the face of downtown Arlington.”

Through a classification that acknowledges significant commitment to and demonstration of community engagement, the Foundation encourages colleges and universities to become more deeply engaged, to improve teaching and learning and to generate socially responsive knowledge to benefit communities. “We are very pleased with the movement we are seeing in this direction,” said Carnegie President Anthony Bryk.

To learn more about the Foundation and the institutions in the Community Engagement Classification, visit http://www.carnegiefoundation.org.

The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive research institution of nearly 33,000 students in the heart of North Texas. Visit www.uta.edu to learn more.

Media contact: Bridget Lewis, Blewis@uta.edu, 817-272-3317

The University of Texas at Arlington, www.uta.edu

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