Meeting Our Mission
Minnesota State system schools are given room to devise their own distinct missions.
M State’s current mission, approved in 2018, states, “明尼苏达州立社区和技术学院专门提供负担得起的特殊教育, service, and workforce training. We welcome all students and engage them in shaping their futures and their communities.”
Here's how we do it.
Welcoming and engaging all students
M State’s student body has grown increasingly diverse over the past 20 years, and the college seeks out initiatives, events, 合作伙伴关系和其他机会，以包容的方式接触和吸引当前或未来的学生.
The Office of Equity and Inclusion works to empower M State students, faculty and staff to explore a deeper respect for diversity in all its forms, 定期协调项目并促进有关公平和文化理解的对话.
M州参与了一些合作努力，比如州系统的“设计公平”倡议, and in innovative partnerships aimed at inclusivity. In 2022, for example, 大发彩票平台与Xcel能源公司和明尼苏达州卓越能源中心合作，推出了一项新的, 电气线路工作包容性培训项目——一个以双城为基地的项目，旨在吸引更多具有不同背景的学生.
Today, there are more students of color enrolled at M State than ever before. In 2023, 28% of M State students identified as Black, Hispanic, Asian, 美国印第安人或其他非白人种族身份——比大发彩票平台四个校园社区的一般人口比例要高.
Since 2003, the majority of M State students – 60% – have identified as female, 20% have been among the first generation in their family to go to college, and 34% have been eligible for federal Pell grants, meaning they displayed an exceptional financial need. Those percentages have all been on the rise in recent years, most significantly the number of students who are Pell-eligible, which is now at 50%.
When student and community needs change, M State responds by adapting its programs or services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, 当更多的学生面临经济困难，努力满足他们的营养需求, M State introduced new or expanded food pantries at all four campuses. 该学院还强调了其免费咨询服务，并向学生宣传了其他可用的心理健康资源.
“与几年前相比，我们服务的学生有更多的需求，我们服务的社区也有不同的需求,” says President Brimhall. “While we worry about these challenges, I know M State is strong and well-positioned to respond in meaningful ways. 为了我们的学生和社区的利益，我们总是开放地磨练和提高我们的服务.”
Affordability
M State has one of the lowest college tuition rates in the state, at $180.80 per credit for Minnesota residents. What’s more, thanks to innovative programs and partnerships, more than half of all M State students attend completely tuition-free – 52% in 2022.
大发彩票平台很幸运，有两个基金会为学院和学生倡导和筹集资金:大发彩票平台基金会和校友, and Fergus Area College Foundation. 这些非营利组织募集的捐款用于学生奖学金和教室资源. 在2022财政年度，基金会颁发了221个学生奖学金，总额超过35万美元.
In addition, the college continues to implement new Z-Degree (Zero Textbook Cost) programs and courses, 在为期两年的课程中，哪些可以为学生节省数百甚至数千美元. 大发彩票平台在去年宣布，它将很快提供两个新的60学分的z学位课程——这是该州第一个超越基本文学副学士学位的z学位课程.
Exceptional Education and Service
超过一半的大发彩票平台学生在毕业后转入四年制学院或大学. 得益于与七所明尼苏达州立大学系统大学以及亚利桑那州立大学和康考迪亚学院的合作关系, M State offers seamless transfer pathway programs and degrees in many interest areas, including psychology, history, political science, business, art, accounting and more.
M State is also part of Tri-College University, 一个由该地区五所高等教育机构组成的联盟，通过合作为学生提供更多的课程和项目选择. Through the course exchange program, 在大发彩票平台注册的学生每学期可以在其他三学院机构选修两门课程, at the M State tuition rate and without going through separate admissions procedures.
In addition to college and university partnerships, 大发彩票平台与明尼苏达州中西部农村地区的35个学区合作，为高中生提供大学水平的课程. M State’s concurrent enrollment program, or CEP, 是该地区最早的大学之一，自2016年以来一直获得全国同步招生合作伙伴联盟的认可. Along with other M State dual credit programs, like Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) and eCampus in the High School, the CEP allows high school students to earn M State college credits.
In fiscal year 2022, M State served more than 2,300 registered dual credit students, who earned over 30,500 credits prior to their high school graduation. Over the past three years, 大发彩票平台的双录取学生平均高中毕业时已经修满了20个大学学分.
Exceptional Workforce Training
多年来，M State的劳动力发展解决方案部门(WDS)取得了巨大的增长. WDS在每年为数千名参与者提供劳动力发展服务和其他响应性培训项目方面享有悠久而良好的声誉, serving a clientele of more than 500 regional businesses and industries.
In 2022, WDS provided 101,904 hours of training to 5,466 people from 172 businesses. The division saw record-setting revenues and expects to do so again in 2023.
WDS将继续扩大规模，以满足本地区及其他地区的劳动力培训需求.L. Tucker, executive director of WDS. “Our model of providing any customized training solution, at any time and any location, allows our business and industry partners to schedule training when it is convenient for them. 以这种方式定制培训解决方案为合作伙伴增加了价值，并确保其员工获得成功所需的基于技能的培训.”
As a recent example of the kind of innovative services WDS can provide, and the unique partnerships it seeks out, 今年春天，该部门与卡斯县治安官办公室启动了一个试点项目，为县监狱的囚犯提供有针对性的劳动力培训. 这是该县第一次在监狱提供大学水平的课程基础课程.
WDS的定制培训是在大发彩票平台学生参加任何基于学分的技术项目或课程时所接受的有针对性的指导和培训之外提供的. 大发彩票平台的技术课程是根据地区商业和行业领导者的意见制定的，以确保毕业生为他们选择的领域的工作做好充分的准备, and students often gain hands-on experience in real-world work environments like laboratories, healthcare settings or manufacturing facilities.
In addition, 大发彩票平台目前有13个地区商业和行业合作伙伴，为学生提供赞助学位或学费报销奖励, in a wide range of career fields. The college’s newest such sponsor, Fargo biomanufacturing company Aldevron, is offering sponsored diplomas and degrees in Bioscience. 该合作伙伴关系解决了生物制造领域的特定劳动力需求，同时为大发彩票平台的学生提供全额资助，并保证他们毕业后能找到工作.
Beneficial partnerships and opportunities like these will only continue to grow at M State. 联邦和各州在公平获得教育和高薪工作方面的投资正在增加, as is the regional need for skilled workers. Just this past spring, M State was awarded a $4.2 million grant from the U.S. 这是该学院历史上最大的一笔拨款，旨在扩大医疗保健和其他关键地区行业就业培训的公平机会.