A Commitment to Community Engagement
Carnegie Mellon is committed to leveraging knowledge and elevating our cultural, economic and societal impact at every level – regionally, nationally and globally – for the greater good.
Meaningful community engagement involves:
• Active and collaborative partnerships.
• Authentic connections with individuals and organizations.
• Inclusive, respectful, culturally competent and accountable programming.
• Valuing community-held experience and knowledge.
CMU advances innovative, sustainable, and productive community-centered change in a number of ways. These channels of engagement include research, teaching, programming and services that aim to address community-identified opportunities, priorities and needs.
Scroll down to learn more about how we work with our community neighbors and partners.
Supporting K-12 Education
Carnegie Mellon is deeply committed to supporting K-12 education, educators and students. This commitment includes hosting pre-college programs, summer camps and academies, free and accessible online learning, and continuing education credits for teachers.
Each year, thousands of teachers and students utilize CMU resources. Our academic colleges and schools offer a wide range of programs and provide unique educational experiences to more than 10,000 K-12 students and teachers annually.
Learn more about many of CMU’s educational outreach initiatives by visiting the Leonard Gelfand Center for Service Learning and Outreach, the Simon Initiative, or browsing CMU’s various departments and programs, like the College of Engineering Outreach Program.
Community-Engaged Research
Carnegie Mellon faculty, students and staff across every discipline are committed to partnering with the community to advance research that benefits our neighbors, near and far.
Through the Center Community Committee (C3), CMU’s Center for Shared Prosperity collaborates with community members to design and launch issue-specific pilot interventions.
The Remaking Cities Institute in CMU’s School of Architecture partners with the community to leverage design research aimed at advancing social, racial, and environmental justice in the built environment.
Our Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholar Development supports student research in every field of study and – through the Community-Based Research-to-Practice Program – funds 8-10 weeks of summer research for CMU undergraduates seeking to positively impact the Greater Pittsburgh Region community.
Community Programming
In addition to a variety of lectures and symposiums that are open to the public, Carnegie Mellon regularly offers programming that is free and accessible to the broader community.
This programming spans everything from exhibits, festivals and film screenings to student performances, robotics demonstrations and live figure-drawing. It also includes faculty-led mini-courses through the Osher Institute on everything from financial literacy to folk dancing.
Browse upcoming CMU events here.
Visitors explore the SoA Thesis Exhibition: Past Futures, The American Rustbelt, 2023.
Fostering Connections
Carnegie Mellon faculty and staff are dedicated to understanding and incorporating the interests and input of neighbors and businesses in our backyard. University community members regularly attend neighborhood meetings and events and actively maintain ties with a number of neighborhood associations.
Get Involved
Volunteer or partner with us to help create lasting economic and community impact in the region.