The Excellence in Civic & Community Engagement Programming Award, part of Campus Compact's Impact Awards, was introduced in 2024 to recognize the many forms that effective on-campus civic and community engagement can take to address areas of need and make deep and long-lasting positive change.

The MSU Center for Community Engaged Learning was presented the Excellence in Civic & Community Engagement Programming Award for the Community-Engaged Learning Index at the Compact25 conference.

Team members: Renee Miller Zientek, executive director of the Center for Community-Engaged Learning at Michigan State University, Michelle Snitgen, assistant director of the Center for Community-Engaged Learning at Michigan State University, Stephanie Brewer, assistant director of the Center for Community-Engaged Learning at Michigan State University, and Sam Rothwell, program coordinator at the Center for Community-Engaged Learning at Michigan State University

The Michigan State University (MSU) Community Engaged Learning (CEL) Index, developed by the Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL), is a powerful tool that not only tracks and evaluates CEL activities across campus but also amplifies their positive impact. Created to meet the university’s need for data on within and beyond the classroom CEL activities, the Index’s primary goal is to highlight and maximize the value of community-engaged learning efforts by MSU students, faculty, staff, and community partners, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and underscoring the social contributions of the MSU community. The data, published annually, highlights the importance and outcomes of CEL initiatives, creating a robust narrative of MSU's dedication to social responsibility and civic engagement and serving as a key resource for promoting long-term partnerships and accountability in community engagement.

"Since its inception, the Index has been an essential resource for assessing and tracking community-engaged learning efforts at MSU, celebrating the contributions of the university's students, faculty, and community partners in alignment with community engagement goals," said nominator Dr. Kwesi Brookins, vice provost of University Outreach and Engagement at Michigan State University. "Under the guidance of the Center for Community Engaged Learning, the Index has become a sustainable and institutionalized resource that continues to adapt to the evolving needs of both the university and the community."