National Honors Highlight Morgan State’s Commitment to Democratic Engagement, Military-Affiliated Students and Women’s Leadership

Newsweek, U.S. Veterans Magazine and ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Recognize Civic Leadership, Student Support and Inclusive Excellence

Morgan State University continues to earn national recognition, receiving three distinguished honors that underscore the University’s commitment to preparing engaged citizens, expanding educational opportunity and fostering a welcoming campus community for all. The newly awarded distinctions include the Highly Established Action Plan Seal from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for civic participation, Newsweek’s inaugural America’s Best Colleges for Women 2026 ranking for inclusive excellence and the empowerment of women, and being named a Top Yellow Ribbon School by U.S. Veterans Magazine for Morgan’s dedication and commitment to the educational success of veterans and military-connected students. Together, the honors reflect Morgan’s holistic approach to student engagement and support.

“Our mission extends beyond educating students for careers—it is to prepare informed citizens, principled leaders and engaged members of society,” said Kara Turner, Ph.D., vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Success at Morgan. "These national recognitions speak to who we are as an institution and our commitment to creating opportunities that foster civic engagement, support those who have served our nation, and ensure that inclusion campus-wide—among faculty, staff and students—is more than a principle; it is exercised.”

Preparing Engaged Citizens

Morgan earned the Highly Established Action Plan Seal for the 2026 election cycle after receiving 31.1 out of 32 possible points on the Strengthening American Democracy Action Planning Guide Rubric, placing the University among just 233 colleges and universities nationwide recognized for developing exemplary nonpartisan strategies that promote civic learning, political engagement and student voter participation. The honor marks the third such distinction for Morgan, having received prior recognitions from ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge in 2022 and 2024.

The University’s initiative was led by the Office of Student Life and Development (OSLD) within Morgan’s Division of Student Affairs through a focused curricular and co-curricular plan designed to engage the campus community, nonprofit partners, and local election officials to promote informed student civic involvement, voter registration and voter participation. Activities have included National Voter Registration Day, Party to the Polls, HBCUs on the Hill, Weekly Voter Education Workshops, Homecoming Voter Engagement Rally, Debate Watch Party and Absentee Voter Education Programs. OSLD-led civic engagement activations enlisted nearly 1,000 Morgan student participants in the previous academic year.

Empowering Those Who Serve

The Yellow Ribbon School designation recognizes Morgan’s sustained commitment to serving veterans, active-duty service members, military spouses and dependents. Through Veterans Engagement Services, housed within the Office of the Registrar, Morgan provides comprehensive support that includes education benefits assistance, academic resources, individualized guidance and a veteran-friendly campus environment designed to promote student success.

The U.S. Veterans Magazine Top Yellow Ribbon Schools designation is awarded through a comprehensive national evaluation that recognizes institutions demonstrating a sustained commitment to veterans and military-connected students. Schools are assessed through a formal survey or an independent review conducted by the magazine’s research team, which examines veteran programs, public records, reputation, media coverage and community engagement. Qualifying institutions must provide dedicated support, such as a Veteran Resource Center, Student Veterans Organization, VA Certifying Official, military training credit or veteran-focused career services. The publication will officially recognize Morgan’s designation in its upcoming September 2026 issue.

A repeat recipient of the Top Yellow Ribbon School and Veteran Friendly School titles, Morgan also holds a Gold Status Military Friendly® School and Military Friendly® Spouse School designations for 2025-2026 from Viqtory Media and a “Best for Vets” Gold Star ranking by the Military Times.

Leading Through Inclusion

Morgan’s inclusion in Newsweek’s inaugural America's Best Colleges for Women 2026 further highlights the University’s leadership in expanding opportunities for women through academic excellence, research, leadership development and civic engagement. The recognition builds upon Morgan’s history of advancing gender equity, including previous honors from the Executive Alliance for promoting women into senior leadership and fostering workplace inclusion.

Developed by Newsweek in partnership with Gender Fair, the Best Colleges for Women ranking highlights institutions that support gender equality and empower women. The methodology is rooted in the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPS) and evaluates colleges across four key areas: leadership, pay and policies, safety and opportunity. 

Colleges with established structural and operational frameworks necessary to foster education and employment for women are ranked based on data from the U.S. Department of Education—including the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the Campus Safety and Security Database—as well as additional desk research. Only institutions meeting specific criteria for size and academic roles are included, ensuring the results reflect meaningful progress toward gender equity in higher education.

Collectively, the recognitions reinforce Morgan’s standing as Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University and demonstrate how the institution continues to advance educational excellence while preparing graduates to lead with purpose, serve their communities and make meaningful contributions across every sector of society.

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