Dr. Carmine Perrotti (he/him) is Assistant Professor of Public and Community Service Studies, Director of the Feinstein Institute for Public Service, and Founder and Director of the Neighborly Engagement Research Lab (NERLab) at Providence College, his undergraduate alma mater. His teaching and research focus on the philosophy, pedagogy, and practice of service learning and community engagement in U.S. higher education. Committed to collaborative scholarship, Carmine partners with students and community members to explore how colleges and universities can cultivate more equitable community-campus relationships.​

 

In recognition of his scholarly contributions, including his work with the NERLab, Carmine received the 2025 Early Career Award from the International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE). He also serves on the IARSLCE Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees of College Unbound, an institution with which he regularly collaborates.

 

His scholarship has been published in academic journals, including the Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, International Journal of Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement, and Metropolitan Universities, as well as in other higher education journals and edited volumes focused on community engagement in higher education.

 

Before joining the Providence College faculty, Carmine was Assistant Director of Community-Engaged Scholarship at the Swearer Center for Public Service and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Education at Brown University. He earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and a Master of Public Policy from American University. Earlier in his career, he held political appointments in the Obama-Biden Administration, primarily in the Office of the Under Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education.

 

Carmine lives in the Elmhurst neighborhood of Providence, RI, with his partner, Molly, and their dog, Bear.