Tallahasee, Fla. - Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) has achieved a distinguished honor, earning dual recognition in the 2025 Carnegie Classifications as both a Research 2 (R2) university and an Opportunity College & University (OCU). This designation places FAMU among an elite group of just 27 institutions nationwide recognized for excellence in both advancing research and expanding student opportunity.

“This two-tiered distinction is a powerful affirmation of who we are as a university. At FAMU, we believe every student deserves access to a high-quality education and the opportunity to rise,” said Interim President Timothy Beard, Ph.D. “We don’t have to choose between cutting-edge research and access for our students. We are committed to both. This acknowledgement reflects the heart of our mission and the dedication of our entire Rattler family.”

The Carnegie Foundation’s updated classifications, released in full this year, highlight institutions that demonstrate strong research activity while also ensuring access and upward mobility for students. The R2 classification identifies doctoral universities with high research activity, while the OCU designation—introduced as part of the new Student Access and Postsecondary Earnings Classification—acknowledges colleges that provide both educational access and competitive post-graduate earnings.

“Florida A&M University’s dual recognition as a Carnegie R2 research institution and an Opportunity College affirms our unique role as a national model in higher education,” said Provost Allyson L. Watson, Ph.D. “We are advancing impactful research while expanding access and economic mobility for our students—proving that bold research and broad access can thrive together to transform lives.”

FAMU’s inclusion in both categories underscores the University’s commitment to academic innovation and socioeconomic impact.

“With the full range of 2025 Classifications now final and public, we are excited to see the emergence of exceptional groups such as R2s that are also OCUs. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University is rare in so clearly advancing both opportunity and innovation. Thank you for all you do for your students and for our country as a whole, said Timothy Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, in a letter notifying FAMU of its status.   

The OCU recognition was announced at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on April 24. In total, 479 institutions across the country earned the OCU designation, reflecting a growing emphasis on student-centered outcomes in higher education. The R2 classification, reaffirmed in February, includes 139 institutions that drive significant research and scholarship without reaching the scale of R1 universities.

As FAMU continues to expand its research footprint and open doors for the next generation of scholars and leaders, this recognition signals a telling endorsement of the university’s trajectory and impact. It also positions FAMU as a national model for how higher education can meet the twin goals of innovation and empowerment.

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