About Anchor University
Anchor University
Community engagement has long been a hallmark of Sacramento State. Since the University’s founding, thousands of faculty, staff, and students have worked with community partners through service learning, research, creative, and community collaborations, and donated their time and resources to nonprofit organizations, local and state governmental agencies, and community-based initiatives.
In his 2018 Fall Address to the campus community, Sacramento State President Robert S. Nelsen outlined a vision to deepen and strengthen the University’s engagement with the community by transforming the campus into an “anchor university.”
"An anchor university is the opposite of the Ivory Tower. It aims to connect its students, faculty, and staff with the community and, in turn, help build and heal that community, achieving lasting solutions and improvements through inclusive civic engagement."
President Nelsen, The Sacramento Bee, August 27, 2018
Anchor University Task Force
To initiate the anchor mission, President Nelsen established a 50-member Anchor University Task Force and charged the Task Force to conduct a comprehensive review of the University’s existing community engagement efforts, conduct an assessment of community needs, and make recommendations on an organizational infrastructure that would develop and support the University’s anchor mission.
To undertake its work, the Task Force sought input from stakeholders internal and external to the University through community and faculty convenings and electronic surveys. The convenings informed our community and campus about the anchor initiative, solicited input and insights about how we should move forward as an Anchor University, and suggested priorities of action for deepening the University’s engagement with Sacramento and its residents. Two of the convenings were held in the community and a third was held on campus.
Anchor University Services
Connect with Anchor University
Find Us
Department of Public Affairs
Sacramento Hall,
Room 203
Mon - Fri,
8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Contact Us
Phone: (916) 278-8758
anchor@csus.edu