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April 30, 2012
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metro State honored by Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Metro State has received the President’s Award from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver in recognition of its support of the chamber’s leadership programs and its outreach to Latino students.
The chamber presented the award Thursday, April 26, during its 26th annual business awards luncheon.
Former Denver Mayor Guillermo “Bill” Vidal, chamber president and CEO, cited President Stephen Jordan’s leadership of a young professional’s group and Metro State’s assistance in developing a chamber leadership program “where we’re taking some of our young, emerging leaders and asking them to stretch themselves to really include in their own personal legacies a contribution to a greater good.”
He also applauded Metro State for reaching out to people of color, especially Latinos, and providing students a high-quality education.
“Metro this past year has really done a great job engaging the minority community, helping out the chamber…and overall has been a great asset to the community as a whole,” Vidal said.
In accepting the award, Deputy Provost Luis Torres said that the timing was perfect, given Metro State’s change to university status. He also reiterated the institution’s commitment to accessibility, particularly for students of color.
That commitment is reflected in Metro State’s Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) initiative, which has made significant progress in increasing the Latino student population. To achieve the federal designation of HSI, 25 percent of students must be Latino.
