St. Paul, Minn., January 14, 2019 – Saint Paul College is participating in an event at the state Capitol on Tuesday, January 29, 2019, with other colleges and universities of Minnesota State that brings together legislators, trustees, presidents, students, faculty and staff to highlight the importance of the Minnesota State FY2020-FY2021 legislative budget request.
Saint Paul College alumna, Eloisa Segura, class of 2013, is being highlighted as an example of the outstanding work our colleges and universities are delivering statewide every day. A first-generation college student, Segura was born into a Spanish speaking single parent household, with a family income below the poverty line. “I am a success story, however none of this would have been possible without Saint Paul College and the opportunity it presented to me,” she says. Her mother immigrated to the United States with only a 9th grade education, working as a nanny and housekeeper. Barely getting by academically in high school, Segura wasn’t offered a scholarship to the small college in Iowa she wanted to attend. She felt she wasn’t worth investing in. But she rallied from her disappointment, ready to start a new path and fully dedicate herself to doing her absolute best. She chose Saint Paul College for its affordability and accessibility. She excelled in her studies, became a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, and received academic scholarships. “The possibilities are endless once you walk through Saint Paul College’s doors. There’s a whole team rooting for your success. I left well-prepared and graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree from a local university in 2016,” says Segura.
Segura is now employed as a commercial insurance analyst for a national commercial real estate capital solutions provider. The success and employability of our students helps drive Minnesota’s economy by providing the talent employers need. Each year, Saint Paul College generates $281.4 million in economic impact, as well as produces 1,400 graduates, and supports and sustains 2,432 jobs.
The biennial budget request is focused on serving our current and future students, protecting our commitment to affordability, and building capacity for innovation. It represents a critical investment in the success of our students. With over 10,000 credit-seeking students, a fully funded request for Saint Paul College will provide support for high-demand programs and course offerings, grants for more than 600 students, and maintain essential personnel who ensure student access to college and academic success. Not fully funding the request will reduce the number of graduates in high-demand STEM programs by 400–500 annually, and cut specialized courses and services for underprepared students. It will also reduce funding for our Power of YOU™ and Make It Count programs, decreasing access for 50 full-time students annually.
Fully funding the request ensures that Saint Paul College’s diverse student population (64.7% students of color) has greater access to modern, relevant, functionally improved, and attractive instructional spaces for high-demand programs and services.
About Saint Paul College
Saint Paul College was established in 1910, and is the only public 2-year college in St. Paul, MN, offering over 120 different degree, diploma and certificate programs in the areas of liberal arts, STEM, business, health sciences, service, and career and technical education: www.saintpaul.edu/programs
About Minnesota State
Minnesota State includes 30 community and technical colleges and seven state universities serving approximately 375,000 students. It is the fourth-largest system of two-year colleges and four-year universities in the United States.
Contact
Audrey Bergengren, Executive Director of Marketing, Communications and Recruitment
Office: 651.846.1305
audrey.bergengren@saintpaul.edu
