METROSPHERE
THE COST OF DIVERSITY Megan Hickins Think Piece
This year has not been easy. Uncertainty, job loss, grief, and the pandemic have been looming in the minds of people everywhere. It would have been easy for students and faculty at the collegiate level to abandon academia. However, many remained steadfast in their pursuit of education. Students took on constant virtual meetings in their bedrooms, cars, kitchen counters, and employee breakrooms. Professors restructured their entire classes to accommodate online platforms. Those involved with in-person courses worked on creating a safer learning environment on campus by following
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CDC guidelines. Metropolitan State University of Denver is no exception, but what makes the community especially distinctive in times of difficulty is the student body itself. According to the Institutional Research Data Book on the MSU Denver website, over 50% of MSU Denver students are first-generation. 48.4% identify as students of color. Roughly 5,000 students over the age of 30 attend classes at MSU Denver. Around 80% of students have full-time jobs, and many have children and families. Several support themselves through their college education. Essentially, the community is made up of trailblazers and hard workers who have conquered and continually overcome a multitude of challenges.
