Who We Are
Our purpose is to empower individuals and communities across Colorado to thrive. Explore our programs and resources and find opportunities to connect.
CSU Online
CSU Online offers undergraduate and graduate courses, allowing you to earn credits towards a degree with the flexibility to learn from anywhere.
CSU Extension
Extension delivers research-driven programs and resources through county offices statewide, offering expertise in agriculture, youth development, nutrition, and natural resources to support and enrich Colorado communities.
Professional and Continuing Education
Our Professional and Continuing Education courses provide noncredit opportunities for personal and professional growth, offering certificates upon completion to help you advance your career and enrich your personal development.
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)
OLLI is a membership-based community offering a wide range of virtual and in-person classes for adults aged 50 and up.
Colorado Water Center
The Colorado Water Center fosters collaboration and innovation in water research, education, and policy, providing valuable resources and expertise to address Colorado’s critical water challenges.
Provost’s Council for Engagement
The Provost’s Council for Engagement advances the practice and recognition of our integration of academic scholarship and community engagement. As a faculty-driven initiative, established in 2016, the Provost’s Council advances the scholarship of engagement, including engaged teaching, engaged research, and engagement with communities across Colorado and the world.
Member Responsibilities
- Serve as Campus Ambassadors and College Champions and identify, promote, and grow university/community engagement for the shared benefit of faculty, students, and communities.
- Advise University Leadership on opportunities to better encourage, support, and reward engaged scholarship.
- Lead Institutional and College-Level Initiatives for transformative and systemic impact.
Meet the Council
Convened by the Provost and Vice President for Engagement and Extension, the Council consists of a dozen faculty members representing all eight colleges and the Morgan Library, all nominated by their respective deans and supported by ex-officio champions from university leadership.
Faculty
About Outreach & Engagement
Universities change lives.
Through outreach and engagement, we engage, serve, and work in partnership with communities for the co-creation of knowledge, addressing the needs of today and tomorrow.
What is University-Community Engagement?
The Carnegie Community Engagement classification 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” (Carnegie Foundation, 2008).
Colorado State University applies this definition of community engagement across a spectrum of our engagement and outreach activities. University-community engagement includes communities of place, interest, purpose, and practice. If you live in Colorado, even if you have never been to a CSU campus, we consider you a part of our community.
What is Engaged Scholarship?
Engaged Scholarship is the integration of academic scholarship and community engagement. As a member of the Engagement Scholarship Consortium, our goal is to work with communities, providing university knowledge and resources to help build community capacity.
Introduced in 2019, the Continuum of Engaged Scholarship is a framework to identify the breadth of engaged research, teaching and service activities. Engaged scholars at CSU co-create solutions and new knowledge with communities, while offering a model to individual faculty and departments for documenting progress, demonstrating and evaluating impact. Adapted from the International Association for Public Participation, CSU’s Continuum of Engaged Scholarship provides a roadmap for us to challenge ourselves and with the goal of continuous improvement.
CSU’s National Designations for Community Engagement
CSU earned the Carnegie Foundation’s Classification for Community Engagement designation in 2000 and 2015, and continues to hold the designation. The classification is a rigorous nationally reviewed process and documents important aspects of institutional mission, identity and commitments to engaged scholarship. It is an evidence-based certification of institutional practice, similar to an accreditation process of self-study. Learn more about the Carnegie Engagement Classification.
In 2016, CSU earned the Innovation & Economic Prosperity (IEP) Universities Designation from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities. The IEP Awards Program recognizes institutions who have demonstrated exemplary commitment to and achievement in economic and community development – CSU received the “Place” Award in 2016. Learn more about the Innovation & Economic Prosperity Universities Program.
Colorado State University’s Awards & Recognition
In 2018, CSU earned the “Talent” Award from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities. The Innovation and Economic Prosperity Awards Program recognizes institutions who have demonstrated exemplary commitment to and achievement in economic and community development. Learn more about the Innovation & Economic Prosperity Universities Program.
CSU has been recognized on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll from the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Honor Roll identifies institutions that support exemplary service programs and raise the visibility of effective practices in campus community partnerships. Learn more about the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.
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