San Antonio College Earns Prestigious Carnegie Leadership for Public Purpose Classification

San Antonio College is one of the 25 U.S. colleges and universities to receive the first Carnegie Leadership for Public Purpose Classification. This elective designation is awarded by the American Council on Education (ACE), the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University, and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

This classification recognizes institutions that have committed to campus-wide efforts to advance leadership in pursuit of public goods like justice, equity, diversity, and liberty.


“I am immensely proud that San Antonio College has been awarded the prestigious Carnegie Elective Classification for Leadership for Public Purpose,” said Interim President Dr. Francisco Solis. “This recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment to fostering leadership that serves the greater good. Congratulations to our dedicated faculty, staff, and students who make us all SAC proud!"

“ACE is proud to welcome the inaugural recipients of the Carnegie Elective Classification for Leadership for Public Purpose,” said ACE President Ted Mitchell. “The institutions in this cohort serve as models in higher education, demonstrating excellence in nurturing leaders who are prepared to address and solve pressing public challenges, which is sorely needed in our society right now.”

Representing 19 states across the United States, of the 25 institutions classified in the inaugural 2024 cycle, 15 are public institutions, 10 are private, and two are service academies. Seven are Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), with one MSI also designated as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution.

“For several years the Doerr Institute for New Leaders has substantively supported the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation’s collaborative efforts to establish the classification. We are excited about continuing such efforts in service of improving higher education’s commitment to fostering integrated and intentional leader development for students,” said Bernard B. Banks, director of the Doerr Institute for New Leaders.

“Congratulations to these pioneering recipients of the inaugural Carnegie Leadership for Public Purpose Classification,” said Carnegie Foundation President Timothy F.C. Knowles. “These institutions have demonstrated a relentless commitment to fostering leaders dedicated to the pursuit of vital public goods. Students from these institutions will undoubtedly shape a brighter future for us all, upholding fundamental American values and advancing opportunity for the nation.”

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