Hsu Lay Wai is one of 60 community college students from across the country to receive the Cook Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. The scholarship will help Hsu Lay Wai, a biology graduate of Minneapolis College, complete her bachelor’s degree in medical lab science at the University of Minnesota.

At age 68, international student María Tobalina is building her skills, her knowledge, her resumé, and her network at Minneapolis College following a decades-long teaching career in her native Lima, Perú. 

María’s path hasn’t been easy. She raised three children, prioritizing their education. All three achieved college degrees and two have earned master’s degrees. Now she is a grandmother, far from home, adapting to modern technology and new ways of learning.

Minneapolis College is pleased to announce that WCCO reporter Reg Chapman will serve as the emcee for the 2026 Commencement Ceremony on May 18 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

A Gulf War veteran, Chapman earned his Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Nebraska Omaha. He is a recipient of the Edward R. Murrow Award for Investigative Reporting, multiple Associated Press awards, and honors from the Society of Professional Journalists. Additionally, the YMCA has recognized him as a Black Achiever.

The Minnesota State Transportation Center of Excellence is proud to announce that Anna Chadwick, Aircraft Maintenance Technician Program Instructor at Minneapolis College, has been named Outstanding New Educator of the Year. 

The Sustainability Committee in partnership with the American Indian Success Center, NSF STEM Grant Programs, and Student Life are coming together to host an Earth Day celebration: Minnesota in the Cosmos on Wednesday, April 22 in the T Plaza. The event will recognize and celebrate sustainability efforts across campus. 

Minneapolis College will waive application fees during “Minnesota State Week,” set for June 22–26, 2026.

At Minneapolis College, supporting students goes beyond the classroom. This spring, the College is expanding its commitment to basic needs by offering TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) commodities through the campus Food Pantry.

TEFAP is a federally supported program that provides free, nutritious food to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. With this addition, eligible students and community members can access additional grocery items—at no cost—to help stretch their budgets and support their well-being.

Minnesota State has completed its first year in partnership with Google and the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) to provide Google Career Certificates to students as co-curricular offerings or embedded into academic programs. In this first-in-the-nation partnership, Minnesota State is one of 11 higher education systems participating in this Microcredentials Community of Practice, an initiative of the Google AI for Education Accelerator.

Since 2020, the Minnesota Department of Health has partnered with the Adobe Illustrator course at Minneapolis College to encourage students to create illustrations for a public health campaigns. This year, six designs were selected from students in the class for a campaign about vaccines, offering them the opportunity to work alongside the Minnesota Department of Health creative team to hone their designs and earn a generous stipend for their work.

KATYANNA TAYLOR  
My Minneapolis College Story  

If you’re a student, parent, or educator, this story is for you.

During my upperclassman years of high school, I enrolled full-time at Minneapolis College through PSEO (Postsecondary Enrollment Options).

I remember telling my Pre-AP English teacher during lunch that I wanted to graduate high school with an associate’s degree. She and some girls laughed:

“You can’t do that, are you kidding?”