ORAU University Consortium grows to 172 institutions with the addition of 13 new members

ORAU welcomed 13 new institutions to its 172-member university consortium. The announcement was made during the ORAU Annual Meeting of the Council of Sponsoring Institutions on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Several member institutions were presented with awards for their level of engagement in University of Consortium activities.

“Adding 13 new members to our University Consortium demonstrates that the value proposition for our members continues to attract interest and new institutions,” said Ashley Stowe, Ph.D., ORAU chief research and university partnerships officer. “ORAU’s University Consortium is a force multiplier in bridging federal and state agency interests with academia and industry. Our new consortium members will build upon the momentum our team has created to strategically position ORAU for the future.”

Five community colleges are among the institutions that joined the ORAU University Consortium. The addition of community colleges reflects how the academic landscape is changing, said Rebekah Hirsch, Ph.D., associate vice president of research innovation at George Mason University and outgoing chair of the ORAU Council of Sponsoring Institutions.

“We were at an inflection point for how folks come to higher education,” Hirsch said. “Many students come through community colleges, and they want to go on to a four-year institution or go on to work now and to a university years later. This is a win for the community colleges and a win for ORAU, and I could not be more excited.”

The five community colleges that joined the ORAU University Consortium as affiliate members are:

• Central Carolina Community College is a public, two-year, non-profit institution accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
• Chattanooga State Community College is a public, two-year, non-profit institution accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
• Montgomery College is a public, two-year, non-profit institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
• Pellissippi State Community College is a public, two-year, non-profit institution accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
• Roane State Community College is a public, two-year, non-profit institution accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. 

Seven universities joined the ORAU University Consortium as sponsoring institutions. Sponsoring institutions must be a non-profit accredited institution of higher learning granting doctoral degrees in areas of interest to ORAU and its members. 

• Kansas State University is a public, non-profit institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and is a Carnegie Research University R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production with major research areas in life sciences, engineering, and physical sciences.
• Old Dominion University is a public, non-profit institution accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and is a Carnegie Research University R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production with major research areas in engineering, physical sciences, and life sciences.
• San Jose State University is a public, non-profit institution accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission and is a Carnegie Research University R2: High Research Spending and Doctorate Production with major research areas in psychology; geosciences, atmospheric and ocean sciences; and physical sciences. 
• University of Massachusetts Boston is a public, non-profit institution accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education and is a Carnegie Research University R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production with major research areas in life sciences, social sciences, and other non-science and engineering fields.
• University of North Carolina Greensboro is a public, non-profit institution accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and is a Carnegie Research University R2: High Research Spending and Doctorate Production with major research areas in life sciences, physical sciences, and other non-science and engineering fields.
• University of Oregon is a public, non-profit institution accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and is a Carnegie Research University R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production with major research areas in life sciences, Psychology, and other non-science and engineering fields.
• Washington State University is a public, non-profit institution accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and is a Carnegie Research University R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production with major research areas in life sciences, engineering, and other non-science and engineering fields.

One institution joined the ORAU University Consortium as an associate member. Associate members an accredited institution of higher learning offering bachelor’s, master’s and a limited number of doctoral degrees, and be recommended by a sponsoring institution.

• Kennesaw State University is a public, non-profit institution accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the third largest university in Georgia, and is a Carnegie Research University R2: High Research Spending and doctorate Production with major research areas in life sciences, engineering, and non-science and engineering fields.

Several ORAU University Consortium members were honored with awards for their degree of engagement in membership benefits, such as grant programs, partnership agreements, research collaborations, quarterly dialogue calls and the Annual Council Meeting.

Virginia Tech was named Sponsoring Institution of the Year. Fayetteville University and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley were named Associate Members of the Year. Southern Methodist University was named Most Improved Sponsoring Institution for the largest percentage increase in engagement over the past year. Fayetteville University and Navajo Technical University were named Most Improved Associate Members.