Partnerships were the theme as Metropolitan State University inaugurated Ginny Arthur as its seventh president last Friday. President Arthur specifically recognized the Central Corridor Anchor Partnership (CCAP) and the reciprocal, positive relationships among institutions that such partnerships foster. She noted the alignment of this partnership with the innovative, non-traditional institutional environment envisioned by Metropolitan State’s first president Dr. David Sweet.
“President Sweet’s observation, that Metropolitan State is not an ‘enclave within the cities’ for those who want to retreat from the urban environment and its issues, is exemplified today through partnerships that work with hospitals and major health care employers in the Central Corridor Anchor Partnership to address the region’s nursing shortages,” she said.
Sharon Pierce, President of Minneapolis Community & Technical College, took part in the inauguration and praised President Arthur’s commitment to collaboration with community colleges. The Central Corridor College (C3) Fellows program is one highly successful initiative that benefits both MCTC and Metropolitan State students. C3 Fellows connects college students to healthcare providers along the Green Line to gain part-time work experience in health careers.
Metropolitan State is also serving as lead academic partner in CCAP’s new Nursing Initiative, designed to increase BSN nursing workforce diversity through a program offering Central Corridor RNs employer tuition support, scholarship funding, and specialized onboarding experiences.
Founded in 1971, Metropolitan State University has a deep commitment to community engagement. A leader in four year college campus diversity, students of color and American Indian students account for nearly 50% of Metro State’s 2016-2017 class.