Enhancing Access and Social Mobility: Metro State University's Liberal Arts Mission in Action

Authors

• Kristen Lillvis, Metro State UniversityFollow
• Kate Ries, Metro State UniversityFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

Kristen Lillvis: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6836-3962

Kate Ries: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0199-2964

Abstract

This article examines how a liberal arts framework has guided Metropolitan State University’s responses to political, financial, and social pressures on higher education. Drawing on the university’s history as an access-oriented, urban institution, the authors present two case studies—the North Star Promise scholarship and emergency grant funding—to demonstrate how mission-driven investments in students’ basic needs advance social mobility and strengthen institutional sustainability. The authors argue that prioritizing student supports, including those available through short-term or contingent opportunities, yields long-term benefits for learners, their communities, and the university.

Submitted: April 13, 2026

Accepted: May 21, 2026

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Lillvis, Kristen, and Kate Ries. "Enhancing Access and Social Mobility: Metro State University's Liberal Arts Mission in Action." Critical Humanities 5, 1 (2026). DOI: https://doi.org/10.33470/2836-3140.1120