Tri-C Receives 2026 Civic Engagement and Community Service Award

National recognition from 'Insight Into Academia' magazine recognizes College's impact through service, civic involvement and community partnerships

CLEVELAND — Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C^®) received the 2026 Civic Engagement and Community Service Award from Insight Into Academia magazine. The Civic Engagement and Community Service Award recognizes institutions' innovative service and deep community collaboration through volunteerism, fundraising efforts for community causes, advocacy and public education, civic participation, voter engagement and more.

The College was one of 51 institutions nationally that received the award. Recipients will be featured in the April 2026 issue of Insight Into Academia, the largest and oldest publication defining and advancing best practices in higher education.

"Tri-C is honored to receive this national recognition that reflects our deep commitment to serving and strengthening both the college and Northeast Ohio through voter engagement and community partnerships," said Katie Montgomery, executive director of Government Relations at Tri-C. "Each year, our students, faculty and staff work side by side to empower our student body with accessible, student-driven voter education programs that make civic participation inviting and meaningful."

Insight Into Academia selected Tri-C for its voter engagement programs, offered each year by a team of students, faculty and staff working with the College's Government Relations office.

"This award affirms the impact of our work and inspires us to continue building a culture of service that uplifts our region and elevates every voter's voice," Montgomery said.

The center of Tri-C's peer-to-peer voting efforts is  The Voting Experience, an annual in-person and online voter education event for students by students. The award-winning program, uplifted into an Ask Every Student national toolkit from SLSV Coalition that all institutions can adopt, provides a fun and engaging educational model that helps educate the campus community about the voting process and serves as a capstone to the College’s Democracy Fellows’ year of service.

"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."

For more information about the 2026 Civic Engagement and Community Service Award, visit the Insight Into Academia website.

March 12, 2026

MEDIA CONTACT: Anthony Moujaes, 216-987-3068 or anthony.moujaes@tri-c.edu