Metropolitan State

University: An
urban school with
eye on the future
Metropolitan State University of Denver
will celebrate its 50th anniversary this
year with an eye toward the future as
it develops new programs to meet the
demands of a changing world. But its core
vision remains the same: to be one of
the premier urban baccalaureates in the
country.
We are fully engaged with the
community. Its our reason for being, says
MSU Denver President Stephen Jordan.
In this urban environment, we have an
opportunity to put theory and practice
together in real time.
The schools Hospitality Learning
Center with the SpringHill Suites Denver
Downtown hotel provides downtown hotel
and conference space as well as realworld experience for students in hotel,
restaurant and tourism management.
MSU Denvers Center for Visual Art in the
arts district on Santa Fe Drive provides
a space for the universitys 1,000 arts
majors to display their work and gives
them an opportunity to meet and learn
from artists who visit from around the
world.
The new $20 million Regency Athletic
Complex is the center for MSU Denvers
NCAA Division II teams as well as club
and intramural sports. But it also was
designed for the surrounding community.
The complex provides sports-related
programs such as tennis and soccer
for inner-city youth and has a walking
path around the building that residents
can use. MSU Denver will play host to

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between 800 and 1,000 student athletes

at the Spring 2016 NCAA Division II sports
festival.
MSU Denver is embarking on an
innovative project that aims to integrate
several disciplines to meet a growing
demand for a skilled workforce that also
will keep graduates in Colorado. The
Aerospace and Engineering Sciences
Building will combine aerospace science
and engineering; industrial design; civil,
mechanical and electrical engineering;
and computer science and computer
information systems. Some 28 new
courses are planned, and classes will
begin in 2016.
Colorado has the second-largest
workforce in aerospace in the private
sector, Jordan says. But the industry
cant find the workforce. Companies like
Lockheed Martin are recruiting out of
state.
MSU Denver leaders have proposed a $60
million public-private partnership with $20
million from the state, $20 million from the
school and $20 million from the private
sector. MSU Denver has received $5.8
million from the state for design work.
Jordan says current plans are to break
ground in the summer, with the building
opening its doors in fall 2017.
Jordan says faculty members from
the various disciplines as well as
representatives from Lockheed Martin are
working together to develop curriculum.
This will fill a unique niche, Jordan says.
It will provide a trained workforce and

ProgressCO.org | Progress Colorado 2015

give students an opportunity to work and

stay in Colorado at starting salaries of
$60,000 to $65,000.
The program also will continue MSU
Denvers growth in STEM (science,
technology, engineering and
mathematics) sciences. MSU Denver has
seen a 30 percent growth in STEM, and
Jordan is particularly surprised by the 68
percent growth in enrollment of students
of color in this area.
In all, 34 percent of MSU Denvers 22,000
students are students of color.
In 50 years, MSU Denver has graduated
more than 80,000 students and its seeing
an increase in the number of degrees it
awards from 2,280 10 years ago to 3,545
in 2014. And 85 percent of graduates stay
in Colorado.
Were doing a better job of getting
kids to the finish line, putting people
in the workforce in meaningful ways,
Jordan says. Thats why we created the
university. We dont have the highest ACT
scores. It might take our students a little
longer to complete school. But these are
scrappy kids who want to change their
lives.