College leadership, staff and students gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 13 to mark the café’s return, which will serve a growing NERC community. 

The café closed in March 2020, primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting shift to remote instruction, reduced on-campus activity, and public health considerations. As on-campus enrollment and student presence have steadily increased since then, the demand for accessible and affordable food options has also grown.

“Bringing the café back into service is a direct response to student feedback, campus surveys, and public health considerations as student enrollment and demand for accessible and affordable food options have increased,” said Dr. Alycia Marshall, president of Community College of Philadelphia. “You all took the time to tell us what the community needed, and we listened.”

The decision to reopen the café is student-centered and needs-driven, with student feedback, campus surveys and daily observations indicating a clear need for convenient food and beverage options that supported students who spend extended time on campus for classes, work and academic support services.

With the reopening of the café, a handful of student work opportunities have also become available. Mekhribon Asadullaeva and Justin Rhoades are two students who are working in the café this semester. “Working at the NERC Café has been a great experience so far. I really like the job, especially because it helps me develop strong communication skills while working with others and interacting with customers,” said Mekhribon.

And for Justin, he loves bringing joy to his fellow students. “The most important part for me is seeing the other students' faces light up when they realize they now have the option to grab lunch between classes, or before they start them,” he said. “The café was long overdue, and I'm glad to be a part of what we have now.”

The café is set to operate as a grab-and-go concept, offering quick, affordable and familiar food choices designed to accommodate busy student schedules. Planned offerings include

fresh salads and yogurt options, hot items such as fries and chicken tenders, coffee and tea selections, and convenient packaged and ready-to-eat items.

Contacts

Community College of Philadelphia:
Antwon R. Martin
267.666.7881
armartin [at] ccp.edu (armartin[at]ccp[dot]edu)

American Council on Education:
Jon Riskind
202.697.0741
jriskind [at] acenet.edu (jriskind[at]acenet[dot]edu)

Carnegie Foundation:
Kito Cetrulo
650.566.5100
kcetrulo [at] carnegiefoundation.org (kcetrulo[at]carnegiefoundation[dot]org)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 22, 2026

Community College of Philadelphia receives 2026 Community Engagement Classification from Carnegie Foundation
CCP is the only community college in Pennsylvania to receive the classification

PHILADELPHIA — The Carnegie Foundation announced that Community College of Philadelphia has received the 2026 Community Engagement (CE) Classification. The CE Classification is an elective designation awarded by the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching that highlights an institution’s commitment to community engagement.

CCP is the only community college in Pennsylvania to receive the CE classification, and is one of just 237 U.S. colleges and universities that received the designation this year. A listing of all the institutions that currently hold the classification endorsement can be found here.

“Earning the Carnegie Classification positions CCP as a national model for how community colleges can lead in community engagement, civic responsibility, and applied impact,” said Dr. Alycia Marshall, president of CCP. “The classification affirms CCP’s role as a public anchor committed to advancing educational equity, economic mobility, and inclusive growth across Philadelphia.”

The classification endorsement recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrate institutionalized, reciprocal, and measurable community engagement, which is a standard CCP met through decades of intentional partnership-driven work.

“This achievement underscores CCP’s role as a leader in community-engaged education across the Commonwealth,” said Dr. Seth Jacobson, acting vice president of Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement and executive director of the Octavius Catto Scholarship at CCP. “The application showcased long-standing partnerships with the City of Philadelphia, public schools, community-based organizations, employers, and nonprofits—all designed to address real community needs while supporting student success.”

The CE Classification is awarded following a process of self-study by each institution. The classification has been the leading framework for institutional assessment and recognition of community engagement in U.S. higher education for the past 19 years with classification cycles in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2020, 2024, and now 2026. The 2029 cycle will be for first-time applicants.

“Higher education is a vital economic engine for us all. Our colleges and universities not only fuel science and innovation, they build prosperity in rural, urban and suburban communities nationwide,” said Timothy F.C. Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation. “We celebrate each of these institutions, particularly their dedication to partnering with their neighbors—fostering civic engagement, building useable knowledge, and catalyzing real world learning experiences for students.”

The application highlighted the leadership of the College’s Institute for Community Engagement and Civic Leadership, which led CCP’s Carnegie self-study, coordinating cross-divisional data collection, narrative development, and evidence of impact to ensure an institution-wide, authentic representation of CCP’s community engagement work.

“Through its ongoing work, the Institute plays a central role in strengthening civic learning,” said Michelle Lopez, director of the Institute for Community Engagement and Civic Leadership at CCP. “By supporting faculty and staff engaged in community-based scholarship and practice, and by deepening reciprocal partnerships across Philadelphia, CCP is helping to institutionalize community engagement as a core value of the College and the students we serve.”

A total of 277 institutions currently hold the designation. The 2026 cohort includes a diverse range of institutions, with 157 public institutions, 80 private colleges and universities, and 81 Minority Serving Institutions represented among the recipients.

“The institutions receiving the 2026 Community Engagement Classification exemplify American higher education’s commitment to the greater good,” said ACE President Ted Mitchell. “The beneficiaries of this unflagging dedication to public purpose missions are their students, their teaching and research enterprises, and their wider communities.”

The application for the 2029 Community Engagement Classification will be available in January 2027. More information about the application and timeline can be found online.

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About Community College of Philadelphia
Community College of Philadelphia is the largest public institution of higher education in the City of Philadelphia. With an open admissions policy, the College serves all who may benefit – regardless of age, income, or ability. For 60 years, the College has lived up to its mission and goals by providing educational access for over 700,000 Philadelphians, setting families, businesses and neighborhoods on the path of shared prosperity and opportunity. For information on the College's degree and certificate programs, workforce development strategies, and community engagement initiatives, visit ccp.edu and follow us on social media @CCPedu.

About the Carnegie Classifications
The Carnegie Classifications are the nation’s leading framework for categorizing and describing colleges and universities in the United States. Utilized frequently by policymakers, funders, and researchers, the Classifications are a critical benchmarking tool for postsecondary institutions. ACE and the Carnegie Foundation announced a partnership in February 2022 to reimagine the Classifications to better reflect the diversity of postsecondary institutions and more completely characterize the impact that today’s institutions have in society.

About ACE
ACE is a membership organization that leads higher education with a united vision for the future, galvanizing our members to make change and collaborating across the sector to design solutions for today’s challenges, serve the needs of a diverse student population, and shape effective public policy. As the major coordinating body for the nation’s colleges and universities, our strength lies in our diverse membership of nearly 1,600 colleges and universities, related associations, and other organizations in America and abroad. ACE is the only major higher education association to represent all types of U.S. accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities. For more information, please visit www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on X @ACEducation and LinkedIn.

About the Carnegie Foundation
The mission of the Carnegie Foundation is to catalyze transformational change in education so that every student has the opportunity to live a healthy, dignified, and fulfilling life. Enacted by an act of Congress in 1906, the Foundation has a rich history of driving transformational change in the education sector, including the establishment of TIAA-CREF and the creation of the Education Testing Service, the GRE, Pell Grants, and the Carnegie Classifications for Higher Education. Today, the Foundation is dedicated to the transformation of the American high school and making the postsecondary sector a more vital engine for economic mobility.

As Community College of Philadelphia celebrates its 60th anniversary, the College’s Department of Nursing hosted a CCP staple that has honored Nursing students for more than half of the institution’s history. The Nursing Student Day, held every fall semester, dates back more than 30 years.

The celebration brings together all the College’s Nursing students, including first-year, second-year and post-baccalaureate students, for a day of professional development, connection and celebration. During last semester’s Nursing Student Day, attendees packed the Great Hall in the Winnet Student Life Building where they heard from professionals in the industry and a panel of Nursing graduates.

The keynote conversation was led by Dr. Laureen Tavolaro-Ryley, professor of Nursing and the Independence Foundation chair in Nursing at CCP, and featured Dr. Elaine Tagliareni and Rhonda Carter. Dr. Tagliareni is a former professor of Nursing at CCP, the College’s first Independence Foundation chair, and current professor emerita in the School of Nursing at the MGH Institute of Health Professionals. Rhonda Carter is a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Philadelphia Health Management Corporation.

“It’s an important thing, the compassion and the realization that you are truly helping other people live their best life,” Rhonda said during the discussion. “I think that is the most amazing part of the job for me. Just being able to help people get to the next day.”

Dr. Tagliareni spoke about her time as an educator at CCP and the many possibilities an education in Nursing provides.

“When an opportunity comes your way, a lot of times grabbing onto it, even though you may not feel you are fully prepared, will take you in directions you can’t even imagine now,” she said. “No one starts out knowing where they’re going to end up, but I am grateful that I started here, which was really the development of me as a leader.”

“It’s wonderful as a nurse to go through life to know that you’re doing meaningful work,” Rhonda added. “And so many people don’t have that luxury.”

Attendees also heard from Wenonah M. Carney, financial literacy student success coach at CCP, about practical ideas for financial wellness and ways to cultivate an “abundance mindset” to help students support their growth as caregivers and the growth of their communities.

Nursing Student Day presentations concluded with a panel of former students who all graduated from CCP Nursing programs. Alumni panelists included Idris Caldwell, Ashley Castle-Smith, Shaun Collins, Zaphir Kennedy, Jehna Stainthorpe, and Rebecca Weinstein.

The Community College of Philadelphia and Spring Garden Records 2025–2026 Artist in Residence is Mikel Patrick Avery, a percussionist, composer/improvisor, filmmaker, photographer, and designer of modern pedal and electronic instruments. Avery doesn’t limit himself to the confines of what music and art traditionally are, but instead explores outside all artistic boxes, encouraging his collaborators to do the same. This year, his collaborators are CCP Music students, who have been very receptive to Avery’s creative process.

“I'm a full immersionist, I love diving into and obsessing about topics,” Avery said. “And when it comes to where that topic lives, I'll pick anything from film to music to dance. Whatever allows the idea to be best expressed.” Avery explains that his creative process really stems from a love of exploring something completely unknown and leaning on his creative mind to lead it somewhere. When he first began playing and making music at the age of 11, Avery was entirely self-taught, and he continues to lean on those self-teaching skills now.

“Working with CCP, it's been a joy,” Avery said. “I don't see myself as a musician only, so I talk about a lot of different forms of making. And hopefully, talking about the different types of making, the students can relate to it and apply it to their own process or their own journey.” Avery hopes to instill some of his out-of-the-box thinking in the students he’s working with this year, and so far, he feels he’s been successful. “All the students have been responding to it,” he said. "I like the openness of the students to kind of just run with me and trust that it's worth engaging with.”

The College is grateful to work with Avery this year and is excited to experience his final project, to be released this summer, the culminating activity of the residency. You can learn more about Avery’s work on his website.