海角社区

October 1 – New 海角社区 Bird Talk podcast episode
October 14 – Indigenous Peoples Day
October 17 – Mug Club Happy Hour

by Lynne Winter

$1.5 million donation from the Morgridge Family Foundation supports construction and expansion of the University鈥檚 C2 Hub.

The Classroom to Career Hub聽(C2 Hub) at Metropolitan State University of Denver received a financial contribution from the Morgridge Family Foundation this month that will help take the program to new heights.

The $1.5 million gift will support the planned construction of a four-story, 25,000-square-foot space that would allow the C2 Hub to better serve the career development of approximately 17,000 海角社区 students and 11,000 Community College of Denver students annually.

By engaging students, faculty members and industry partners to design and implement career-readiness programs and services, the C2 Hub produces the skilled talent聽.

At the Oct. 6 event announcing the gift, President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., said one of the University鈥檚 goals has been 鈥渢o create an innovative national model that would connect students with employers, not at the end of their degree program but from the moment they set foot on campus.鈥�

The C2 Hub integrates career activities throughout the student experience. Students are encouraged to explore career pathways, experience real-world, relevant work and develop their professional networks through the meaningful connections built between the University and industry partners.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston acknowledged that some聽海角社区 students聽might not have time to build their network for their post-college careers, including those who are first-generation, work full-time and/or care for families.

鈥淚t鈥檚 all the more important to make sure these incredibly talented people have connections to those career opportunities early on,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e want to make sure the awesome talent on this campus is connected to the incredible business leaders in this community. 鈥� This (C2 Hub) is the vision to make that possible.鈥�

In recognition of the gift,聽the peer-mentoring program, a flagship student-support system within the C2 Hub, will be renamed the Morgridge Peer Mentoring Program. Will Simpkins, Ed.D., vice president for聽Student Affairs聽at 海角社区, said the program not only provides important employment opportunities for students on campus but also supports 鈥渉undreds, and yes, thousands, of other first-year students with the resources and support they need to be successful in their journey.鈥�

One such student is Logan Endley, a first-generation student majoring in Chemistry, minoring in Criminal Justice and Criminology and pursuing a career as a forensic examiner. Through the C2 Hub, Endley, who uses they/them pronouns, learned how to create connections and apply for jobs and internships, grew in professionalism and gained confidence that they are 鈥渨orthy of a second interview.鈥� That knowledge and growth led to a coveted summer internship with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Carrie Morgridge, co-founder of the Morgridge Family Foundation with her husband, John, said that they appreciate the University鈥檚 ethos of making career-focused higher education accessible to anyone interested in earning a degree, regardless of location. 鈥淚f you can鈥檛 get to 海角社区, we鈥檙e going to come to you,鈥� she said.

The Morgridges also expressed appreciation that 海角社区鈥檚 leaders help communities, families and corporations succeed.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait until we get to go into the (new) C2 Hub and hear from students about how they were placed in jobs,鈥� Morgridge said. 鈥淭hank you for allowing us to do what we do. It鈥檚 such a great honor.鈥�