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The University of Massachusetts Amherst Office of Civic Engagement and Service-Learning (CESL) has received the 2026 Civic Engagement and Community Service Award from Insight Into Academia magazine, a publication that focuses on best practices and innovation in higher education. The university will be featured in its April 2026 issue.

The Civic Engagement and Community Service Award recognizes institutions for innovative service and deep community collaboration in volunteerism, fundraising efforts for community causes, advocacy and public education, civic participation, voter engagement and more. 

Insight Into Academia selected UMass Amherst’s CESL, which promotes learning for lifelong, democratic engagement and partners with communities on and off campus to work collectively for a more just world, for the award.

“CESL is UMass Amherst’s hub for community-engaged learning, and this award recognizes that our key programs – such as the Community Scholars Program, the Boltwood Project and Mentoring for Big Brothers Big Sisters – are grounded in the community’s vision and needs,” said Joseph Krupczynski, CESL director and professor of architecture. 

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“Our students’ commitment to their community partners and collaborative work toward shared goals strengthens their leadership skills and enhances their ability to participate in democracy in reflective, responsible and transformative ways,” he said.

UMass Amherst’s CESL was recognized for its impact, its alignment with the university’s mission and its dedication to reciprocal community engagement. As a 2026 award recipient, UMass Amherst joins a cohort of institutions nationwide recognized for their civic engagement efforts.

“Higher education has always been a driving force in societal progress,” said Holly Mendelson, owner and publisher of Insight Into Academia magazine. “These institutions remind us that the true measure of higher education lies not only in the degrees awarded, but in the lives they uplift. Their leadership strengthens communities, inspires students and sets a standard of excellence for all.”

Earlier this year, UMass Amherst earned the 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, a designation by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching that highlights an institution’s commitment to community engagement.