‌The Center for Community Engagement focuses on fostering a culture of community engagement through dynamic university-community partnerships that facilitate student learning, innovative teaching, scholarship, and outreach. The Center supports projects that address the needs of global and local communities, with a special commitment to the Great Lakes Bay Region of Michigan. This teaches civic responsibility and allows students to experience enhanced opportunities for learning and personal and social skill development. 

SVSU also has the distinct honor of receiving the 2015 Community Engagement Classification by the Carnegie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching. SVSU has provided evidence that community engagement aligns to our mission and is part of our campus culture. This unique distinction is held by less than 10% of colleges and universities nationwide, and by eight of the 15 public universities in Michigan.