It is January and we are excited to begin a new year and a new semester at North Hennepin Community College with more than 600 courses. We officially welcomed 4,500 students to the start of spring term on Jan. 13, a 13% increase over last spring semester. A big thank you to our students, faculty, and staff for creating a vibrant and engaged community on and off campus!
January is also the start of the 2025 legislative session. Thank you to our elected representatives who will begin reviewing discussing, and allocating funds for the biennium budget. Minnesota State, which is comprised of 26 colleges and seven universities with 54 campuses throughout the state, is requesting $465 million.
The request is designed to support students, strengthen communities through workforce and economic development, and provide the system resources necessary to maintain the programs and services critical for the success of all students. If fully funded, NHCC would receive $8.3 million to ensure availability of programs and maintain affordability, and $1.4 million to connect students with mental health resources, basic needs assistance, financial emergency grants, free course materials and other high-need support services.
When thinking of higher education as an investment, it is important to consider the return it provides. Graduates earn more over their lifetime if they have earned a certificate, diploma, or degree. Likewise, when our state invests in the colleges and universities of Minnesota State, employers benefit from a skilled and knowledgeable workforce that contributes to the vitality of our state’s economy.
For example, at North Hennepin Community College we are actively engaging industry experts and employers through their participation in advisory boards for our computer science and graphic design programs. This is a win-win relationship, informing and enhancing our programs that will improve learning outcomes and prepare our students to enter the workforce, including hands-on internship programs which often lead to full-time employment.
High school students also benefit from state investments in education. More than 1,700 high school students earned college credit during fall semester at NHCC through the Post Secondary Enrollment Options program, and 1,100 are enrolled for spring.
Alum Abbie Chandarath started at NHCC as a PSEO student and graduated in 2022 with an Associate of Arts degree. She said, “The PSEO program was great! I really enjoyed North Hennepin’s academic support, tutoring, and advising resources. I felt right at home as a PSEO student. I didn’t feel like I was in over my head. My professors really supported me. NHCC was a great steppingstone to starting college and prepared me for Hamline.”
The colleges and universities of Minnesota State provide essential workforce skills for many sectors of the economy, and they are tremendous assets contributing to the economic, social, and cultural vibrancy of the communities they serve. Minnesota State’s biennial request would represent a critical investment in North Hennepin Community College and the long-term vitality of our economy. We encourage legislators to fund it fully.