Puerto Rico Study Abroad Project Wins National Community Engagement Award
The OSU-Puerto Rico Community Resilience Study Abroad Project in the College of Agricultural Sciences has been selected as one of five recipients of Campus Compact’s 2026 Excellence in Community-Engaged Partnerships Award, a national honor recognizing impactful campus– community collaboration.
Presented by Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to civic engagement, the award honors programs that build meaningful partnerships to address real-world challenges. This year’s additional recipients include Chemeketa Community College, University of Rochester, Southern Connecticut State University and University of Kansas.
The OSU-Puerto Rico Community Resilience Study Abroad Project is a multi-year, faculty-led initiative co-led by Rachel Jones, College of Agricultural Sciences director of student engagement; Wanda Crannell, instructor in BioResource Research; Doris Cancel-Tirado, Associate Dean for Student Services and Well-being in the College of Health; as well as members from the International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, and OSU MANRRS. The program connects undergraduate students with Puerto Rican community organizations to support locally identified priorities in ecological restoration, sustainable agriculture and environmental education.
Designed as an interdisciplinary service-learning experience, the program emphasizes equity and access by actively recruiting first-generation, low-income and Spanish-speaking students, many from historically underrepresented backgrounds. Participants have contributed to projects including mangrove restoration, community garden construction, water quality monitoring and community health education efforts.
"This award honors the deep partnerships and community‑engaged learning at the core of our Puerto Rico program,” said Jones. “It also highlights how essential these opportunities are for students—especially those who have been underserved in higher education—to build confidence, leadership, and a sense of belonging through real‑world, culturally immersive experiences."
Campus Compact’s Excellence in Community-Engaged Partnerships Award recognizes initiatives that model reciprocity, collaboration, sustainability and transdisciplinary engagement. Recipients are selected for their ability to address complex community needs while engaging community partners as active collaborators.
The award will be presented in mid-March at Compact26, Campus Compact’s annual conference.