We are proud to share that Kristin Medlin, Collaboratory co-founder and Director of Research and Development, has received the Community Engagement Excellence Award from the Institute for Community and Economic Engagement at UNC Greensboro.
This recognition honors Kristin’s longstanding contributions to community engagement at UNCG and beyond. As a UNCG alumna, senior scholar, co-founder, and field leader, Kristin has helped shape how institutions understand, support, and strengthen community-engaged work. We are especially excited to see her recognized for advancing the responsible and ethical use of AI for community engagement, an area where her leadership continues to make an important contribution to both practice and the broader field.
Kristin has been instrumental in shaping Collaboratory's approach to AI. Her work has centered on a critical question: How can institutions use emerging technologies to bring greater precision, transparency, and coherence to the way they define, classify, and assess community engagement? That question is vital not only for driving institutional effectiveness, but for safeguarding the trust and reciprocity that serve as the bedrock of authentic community-campus partnerships.
Kristin has helped lead that conversation with a clear commitment to responsible practice. She has brought together expertise in assessment, data stewardship, and technology to ensure that AI is used in ways that are responsible, practical, and grounded in the values of community engagement.
Kristin’s impact extends beyond a single initiative or role. From Collaboratory’s early beginnings at UNCG to its growth as a national platform, she has helped build infrastructure that makes engagement more visible, actionable, and strategically aligned with institutional priorities. Under her leadership, Collaboratory supports institutions in documenting partnerships, understanding patterns of engagement, and using data to inform planning and decision-making. Her work has also contributed to national conversations around standards, classification, and capacity-building in higher education community engagement.
We are thrilled to celebrate Kristin and this well-deserved honor. This award recognizes not only a remarkable record of service and leadership, but also the importance of approaching innovation with integrity.
Kristin’s work continues to help institutions tell a richer story about their partnerships, their impact, and their public purpose. We are grateful for her vision, proud of her leadership, and excited for the ways her work will continue to shape the future of community engagement. Congratulations, Kristin, on this meaningful recognition!