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Year-End Reflections and New Beginnings

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Year-End Reflections and New Beginnings
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4/29/22

It’s hard to believe we’re coming to the end of another academic year and summer is nearly upon us. I’m encouraged by the progress we made during this challenging year, and I’m confident our work will only deepen as we focus on fall 2022.

I’ve been reflecting on Minneapolis College as a complex, organic organization. We can all recount various initiatives or activities we’ve undertaken this past year. They are all important and contribute to the larger movement, rooted in where we’ve been and pointing to the future we envision.

Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, our course forward has been driven by the vision and values expressed in our strategic plan. At the core we are a mission-driven community that puts our students first. 

Our students continue to remind us of the changes we need to make. They hold us accountable for walking our talk. 

Forward Momentum

I’m grateful for the work undertaken by our faculty and staff, and for the often-unseen work carried out by Student Affairs, IT, Operations and our support departments. All this work, aligned with the College’s strategic goals and priorities, drives us forward. 

There are several notable examples of recent progress:

  • Two hundred potential students visited our campus the evening of April 26 for an Admissions Open House. This event, led by Enrollment Management, was successful largely due to the collaborative effort of our campus community.
  • Renewed conversations are in progress with Wellstone International High School and Minneapolis Public Schools about increasing its presence on our campus. In addition to offsetting operational costs, this partnership would make PSEO courses more convenient for Wellstone students while offering them opportunities to engage further in education at Minneapolis College.
  • The skyway from the Technical Building to Kopp Hall will soon undergo a much-needed renovation for structural repairs. This is part of an ongoing effort to provide our students, faculty and staff with a safe, warm and dry learning environment. Expect alternate routes to your campus destinations this fall as construction will be underway and the skyway ramp will be offline.
  • Minneapolis College was invited to participate in an expanded Second Chance Pell Experiment announced by the U.S. Department of Education. First established in 2015, it provides Pell Grants to incarcerated individuals to allow access to postsecondary education programs. When fully implemented, legislative changes will allow eligible students in college-in-prison programs to access Federal Pell Grants.

Celebrating Our Graduates

In the coming days many of you will be involved in year-end events, like our in-person GradFest in early May and our virtual graduation celebration on May 13. Whether you’re supporting students through work you do, cheering them on at online and in-person events, or simply taking the time to check in on someone, our community continues to be there for each other in extraordinary ways.

I’m forever honored to be president of Minneapolis College. And as we end this academic year, I couldn’t be prouder.

Have a great summer. Stay engaged and keep learning. And set your sights high as we prepare for a more vibrant and active campus in the fall!

Sincerely,

President Sharon Pierce

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