diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 71d0a2d71..f1d4a3d1c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ endif()
 set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS_INIT} ${LIBROM_FLAGS}" CACHE STRING "" FORCE)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_INIT} ${LIBROM_FLAGS}" CACHE STRING "" FORCE)
 
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
+set(CMAKE_CXX_EXTENSIONS OFF)
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
+
 if (CMAKE_HOST_APPLE)
     # Fix linker flags for OSX to use classic linker on XCode 15.0+:
     # https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode-release-notes/xcode-15-release-notes#Linking
@@ -121,9 +125,9 @@ endif()
 
 add_subdirectory(lib)
 
-# Use the C++11 standard as an entire feature instead of
+# Use the C++17 standard as an entire feature instead of
 # enumerating individual compiler features for simplicity
-target_compile_features(ROM PRIVATE cxx_std_11)
+target_compile_features(ROM PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
 
 if (ENABLE_EXAMPLES)
   if (USE_MFEM)
@@ -190,11 +194,12 @@ if (ENABLE_EXAMPLES)
       add_executable(${name} examples/${example_dir}/${name}.cpp)
 
       target_link_libraries(${name}
-        PRIVATE ROM ${MPI_C_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_C_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_C ${MPI_FORTRAN_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_FORTRAN_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_Fortran)
+        PRIVATE ROM ${MPI_C_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_C_LIBRARIES} ${MPI_CXX_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_C MPI::MPI_CXX ${MPI_FORTRAN_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_FORTRAN_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_Fortran)
       target_include_directories(${name}
         PRIVATE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
-        ${MPI_C_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-      target_compile_features(${name} PRIVATE cxx_std_11)
+        ${MPI_C_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+        ${MPI_CXX_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+      target_compile_features(${name} PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
     endforeach() # IN LISTS examples
     file(COPY examples/data DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/examples)
     file(COPY examples/merlin DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/examples)
@@ -211,11 +216,12 @@ if (ENABLE_EXAMPLES)
     add_executable(${name} examples/misc/${name}.cpp)
 
     target_link_libraries(${name}
-      PRIVATE ROM ${MPI_C_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_C_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_C ${MPI_FORTRAN_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_FORTRAN_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_Fortran)
+      PRIVATE ROM ${MPI_C_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_C_LIBRARIES} ${MPI_CXX_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_C MPI::MPI_CXX ${MPI_FORTRAN_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_FORTRAN_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_Fortran)
     target_include_directories(${name}
       PRIVATE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
-      ${MPI_C_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-    target_compile_features(${name} PRIVATE cxx_std_11)
+      ${MPI_C_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+      ${MPI_CXX_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+    target_compile_features(${name} PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
   endforeach(name) # IN LISTS misc_exmaple_names
 
   set(CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/tests)
@@ -231,11 +237,12 @@ if (ENABLE_EXAMPLES)
     foreach(name IN LISTS regression_test_names)
       add_executable(${name} regression_tests/${name}.cpp)
       target_link_libraries(${name}
-        PRIVATE ROM ${MPI_C_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_C_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_C ${MPI_FORTRAN_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_FORTRAN_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_Fortran)
+        PRIVATE ROM ${MPI_C_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_C_LIBRARIES} ${MPI_CXX_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_C MPI::MPI_CXX ${MPI_FORTRAN_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_FORTRAN_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_Fortran)
       target_include_directories(${name}
         PRIVATE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
-        ${MPI_C_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-      target_compile_features(${name} PRIVATE cxx_std_11)
+        ${MPI_C_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+        ${MPI_CXX_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+      target_compile_features(${name} PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
     endforeach(name) # IN LISTS regression_test_names
   endif()
 endif(ENABLE_EXAMPLES)
diff --git a/examples/dmd/de_dg_advection_greedy.cpp b/examples/dmd/de_dg_advection_greedy.cpp
index ce545bede..1cad8796c 100644
--- a/examples/dmd/de_dg_advection_greedy.cpp
+++ b/examples/dmd/de_dg_advection_greedy.cpp
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ double t_final = 10.0;
 double dt = 0.01;
 double ef = 0.9999;
 bool visualization = false;
-bool visit = false;
+bool use_visit = false;
 bool paraview = false;
 bool adios2 = false;
 bool binary = false;
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ double simulation()
     // Create data collection for solution output: either VisItDataCollection for
     // ascii data files, or SidreDataCollection for binary data files.
     DataCollection *dc = NULL;
-    if (visit)
+    if (use_visit)
     {
         if (binary)
         {
@@ -791,7 +791,7 @@ double simulation()
                 sout << "solution\n" << pmesh << u_gf << flush;
             }
 
-            if (visit)
+            if (use_visit)
             {
                 dc->SetCycle(ti);
                 dc->SetTime(t);
@@ -946,15 +946,11 @@ double simulation()
         VisItDataCollection dmd_visit_dc("DMD_DG_Advection_Greedy_" +
                                          to_string(f_factor), &pmesh);
         dmd_visit_dc.RegisterField("temperature", &u_gf);
-        if (visit)
+        if (use_visit)
         {
             dmd_visit_dc.SetCycle(0);
             dmd_visit_dc.SetTime(0.0);
             dmd_visit_dc.Save();
-        }
-
-        if (visit)
-        {
             for (int i = 1; i < ts.size(); i++)
             {
                 if (i == ts.size() - 1 || (i % vis_steps) == 0)
@@ -1148,7 +1144,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     args.AddOption(&visualization, "-vis", "--visualization", "-no-vis",
                    "--no-visualization",
                    "Enable or disable GLVis visualization.");
-    args.AddOption(&visit, "-visit", "--visit-datafiles", "-no-visit",
+    args.AddOption(&use_visit, "-visit", "--visit-datafiles", "-no-visit",
                    "--no-visit-datafiles",
                    "Save data files for VisIt (visit.llnl.gov) visualization.");
     args.AddOption(&paraview, "-paraview", "--paraview-datafiles", "-no-paraview",
@@ -1271,7 +1267,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     else if (build_database)
     {
         MFEM_VERIFY(rdim != -1, "rdim must be set.");
-        MFEM_VERIFY(!visit
+        MFEM_VERIFY(!use_visit
                     && !visualization,
                     "visit and visualization must be turned off during the build_database phase.")
         std::ifstream infile(io_dir+"/dg_advection_greedy_parametric_data");
diff --git a/examples/dmd/de_parametric_heat_conduction_greedy.cpp b/examples/dmd/de_parametric_heat_conduction_greedy.cpp
index b0a3aff09..5b550614e 100644
--- a/examples/dmd/de_parametric_heat_conduction_greedy.cpp
+++ b/examples/dmd/de_parametric_heat_conduction_greedy.cpp
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ double greedy_relative_diff_tol = 0.01;
 int greedy_subset_size = 2;
 int greedy_convergence_subset_size = 3;
 bool visualization = false;
-bool visit = false;
+bool use_visit = false;
 int vis_steps = 5;
 bool adios2 = false;
 const char *baseoutputname = "";
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ double simulation()
                                  to_string(radius) + "_" + to_string(alpha) + "_" + to_string(cx) + "_" +
                                  to_string(cy), pmesh);
     visit_dc.RegisterField("temperature", &u_gf);
-    if (!de && !online && visit)
+    if (!de && !online && use_visit)
     {
         visit_dc.SetCycle(0);
         visit_dc.SetTime(0.0);
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ double simulation()
                     sout << "solution\n" << *pmesh << u_gf << flush;
                 }
 
-                if (!de && !online && visit)
+                if (!de && !online && use_visit)
                 {
                     visit_dc.SetCycle(ti);
                     visit_dc.SetTime(t);
@@ -732,15 +732,11 @@ double simulation()
                                          to_string(radius) + "_" + to_string(alpha) + "_" +
                                          to_string(cx) + "_" + to_string(cy), pmesh);
         dmd_visit_dc.RegisterField("temperature", &u_gf);
-        if (visit)
+        if (use_visit)
         {
             dmd_visit_dc.SetCycle(0);
             dmd_visit_dc.SetTime(0.0);
             dmd_visit_dc.Save();
-        }
-
-        if (visit)
-        {
             for (int i = 1; i < ts.size(); i++)
             {
                 if (i == ts.size() - 1 || (i % vis_steps) == 0)
@@ -1017,7 +1013,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     args.AddOption(&visualization, "-vis", "--visualization", "-no-vis",
                    "--no-visualization",
                    "Enable or disable GLVis visualization.");
-    args.AddOption(&visit, "-visit", "--visit-datafiles", "-no-visit",
+    args.AddOption(&use_visit, "-visit", "--visit-datafiles", "-no-visit",
                    "--no-visit-datafiles",
                    "Save data files for VisIt (visit.llnl.gov) visualization.");
     args.AddOption(&vis_steps, "-vs", "--visualization-steps",
@@ -1054,7 +1050,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     if (build_database)
     {
         MFEM_VERIFY(rdim != -1, "rdim must be set.");
-        MFEM_VERIFY(!visit
+        MFEM_VERIFY(!use_visit
                     && !visualization,
                     "visit and visualization must be turned off during the build_database phase.")
         std::ifstream infile("de_parametric_heat_conduction_greedy_data");
diff --git a/examples/prom/de_parametric_maxwell_greedy.cpp b/examples/prom/de_parametric_maxwell_greedy.cpp
index 86a283d88..80f608a00 100644
--- a/examples/prom/de_parametric_maxwell_greedy.cpp
+++ b/examples/prom/de_parametric_maxwell_greedy.cpp
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ bool static_cond = false;
 bool pa = false;
 const char *device_config = "cpu";
 bool visualization = false;
-bool visit = false;
+bool use_visit = false;
 bool fom = false;
 bool offline = false;
 bool online = false;
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ double simulation()
 
     // 27. Save data in the VisIt format.
     DataCollection *dc = NULL;
-    if (visit)
+    if (use_visit)
     {
         if (offline) dc = new VisItDataCollection("de_maxwell_local", pmesh);
         else if (fom) dc = new VisItDataCollection("de_maxwell_local_fom", pmesh);
@@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
                    "--no-partial-assembly", "Enable Partial Assembly.");
     args.AddOption(&device_config, "-d", "--device",
                    "Device configuration string, see Device::Configure().");
-    args.AddOption(&visit, "-visit", "--visit-datafiles", "-no-visit",
+    args.AddOption(&use_visit, "-visit", "--visit-datafiles", "-no-visit",
                    "--no-visit-datafiles",
                    "Save data files for VisIt (visit.llnl.gov) visualization.");
     args.AddOption(&visualization, "-vis", "--visualization", "-no-vis",
@@ -738,7 +738,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         MFEM_VERIFY(!offline
                     && !online,
                     "offline and online must be turned off during the build_database phase.");
-        MFEM_VERIFY(!visit
+        MFEM_VERIFY(!use_visit
                     && !visualization,
                     "visit and visualization must be turned off during the build_database phase.")
         std::ifstream infile("de_parametric_maxwell_greedy_algorithm_data");
diff --git a/lib/CMakeLists.txt b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
index 873fd3db2..4b2af4a42 100644
--- a/lib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ endif()
 # but is done here to ease a potential rollback to CMake 2.8 or CMake
 # 3.0.
 target_link_libraries(ROM
-  PUBLIC ${MPI_C_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_C_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_C ${MPI_FORTRAN_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_FORTRAN_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_Fortran ${HDF5_LIBRARIES}
+  PUBLIC ${MPI_C_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_C_LIBRARIES} ${MPI_CXX_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_C MPI::MPI_CXX ${MPI_FORTRAN_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_FORTRAN_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_Fortran ${HDF5_LIBRARIES}
   ${LAPACK_LIBRARIES} ${BLAS_LIBRARIES} ${MFEM} ${HYPRE} ${PARMETIS} ${METIS}
   PRIVATE ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES} ZLIB::ZLIB)
 
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ target_include_directories(ROM PUBLIC
   ${PARMETIS_INCLUDES}
   ${HDF5_C_INCLUDE_DIRS}
   ${MPI_C_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+  ${MPI_CXX_INCLUDE_DIRS}
   ${MFEM_C_INCLUDE_DIRS}
   PRIVATE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
 
diff --git a/unit_tests/CMakeLists.txt b/unit_tests/CMakeLists.txt
index fb242ebd2..37b89e02f 100644
--- a/unit_tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unit_tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ set(unit_test_names
 foreach(name IN LISTS unit_test_names)
     add_executable(${name} ${name}.cpp)
     target_link_libraries(${name} PRIVATE
-                          ROM ${MPI_C_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_C_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_C
+                          ROM ${MPI_C_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_C_LIBRARIES} ${MPI_CXX_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_C MPI::MPI_CXX
                           ${MPI_FORTRAN_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_FORTRAN_LIBRARIES}
                           MPI::MPI_Fortran)
     target_include_directories(${name} PRIVATE
-                               ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} ${MPI_C_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-    target_compile_features(${name} PRIVATE cxx_std_11)
+                               ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} ${MPI_C_INCLUDE_DIRS} ${MPI_CXX_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+    target_compile_features(${name} PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
 endforeach(name)
 
 set(unit_test_stems
@@ -53,12 +53,12 @@ set(unit_test_stems
 foreach(stem IN LISTS unit_test_stems)
     add_executable(test_${stem} test_${stem}.cpp)
     target_link_libraries(test_${stem} PRIVATE
-                          ROM ${MPI_C_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_C_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_C
+                          ROM ${MPI_C_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_C_LIBRARIES} ${MPI_CXX_LIBRARIES} MPI::MPI_C MPI::MPI_CXX
                           ${MPI_FORTRAN_LINK_FLAGS} ${MPI_FORTRAN_LIBRARIES}
                           MPI::MPI_Fortran GTest::GTest)
     target_include_directories(test_${stem} PRIVATE
-                               ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} ${MPI_C_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-    target_compile_features(test_${stem} PRIVATE cxx_std_11)
+                               ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} ${MPI_C_INCLUDE_DIRS} ${MPI_CXX_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+    target_compile_features(test_${stem} PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
     target_compile_definitions(test_${stem} PRIVATE CAROM_HAS_GTEST)
 
     add_test(NAME test_${stem} COMMAND test_${stem})