Over the course of the next 10 years,

Metropolitan State University of Denver intends to amplify national awareness of its signature educational experience of meeting students where they are, while enhancing its role of providing affordable and transformative undergraduate and graduate education for any student in pursuit of the American dream.

MSU Denver has launched its 2030 Strategic Plan, it is – as always – ready to rise.

The Approach

The process was a grassroots effort rather than a top-down mandate. For MSU Denver to maintain its unique identity, the University intends to coordinate the implementation of the themes of this Strategic Plan with faculty by infusing it into the curriculum for it to take hold. As with everything at MSU Denver, all plans, goals and visions are rooted in putting students first and making sure it is feasible to achieve their dreams.

MSU Denver’s 2030 Strategic Plan is the culmination of 18 months of work by faculty, staff, administrators, students, board members, alumni and University leadership around one overarching theme: how to reveal the promise and reality of the Roadrunner spirit as this leading public, urban University asserts its value to Colorado and further raises its profile in the nation. Creating a strategic plan is a process, an exchange of ideas and a way for key constituencies to send a clear message that MSU Denver is delivering what its students want and need to be successful.

Vision Statement

We are a nationally recognized leader for social mobility – where students of all ages and backgrounds build a better, more equitable Colorado through innovative and transformative education.

A strong vision statement anchors every successful strategic plan. By its nature, a vision statement is aspirational, serving to propel an organization toward a higher ideal. For MSU Denver, it is also an acknowledgment of what the University does every day to impact the lives of all Coloradans. With this vision statement, MSU Denver seeks to define its unique place in the higher-education landscape in Colorado, while also setting a nationally recognized standard of excellence.

See the Strategic Plan Vision, Mission and Core Values

5 Pillars

“MSU Denver becomes even more important in connecting diverse populations into the entire experience of higher education through our strategic plan and five pillars, so our students can find how they can be bigger than themselves.”

-Russell Noles, Vice Chair, MSU Denver Board of Trustees

Moving Forward

Students walking through Auraria Campus.From the President’s Office to the classroom – virtual or in person – MSU Denver’s community must fully invest and commit for the plan to succeed. The Roadrunner spirit has carried the University for nearly six decades, preparing a well-educated workforce for Colorado. Now is the time for MSU Denver to reach its full potential. Through innovative and transformative education, the University will prepare each person who enrolls to pursue their dreams of greater social and economic mobility while also building a more equitable Colorado.

We are the future of higher education. And the future is now. Together, Roadrunners rise.