‘Transformational gift’ to support new health-education facility, career program

Plans to expand health education at Metropolitan State University of Denver got a big boost this month, thanks to a “transformational gift” by the CEO of a leading financial institution.

Financial support from Mariner and Megan Kemper, the Kemper family and the UMB Financial Corp. Charitable Foundation will help MSU Denver kick off a capital campaign to construct a building housing the University’s Health Institute, a collaboration of 10 health-related departments across campus that aims to bolster the state’s health care workforce while closing access gaps.

In addition to supporting the new Health Institute, the three-part gift will seed an endowed deanship for the new College of Health and Human Sciences and support the construction of the Classroom to Career Hub (C2 Hub), a University program that provides professional development and career-planning services to its students.

Mariner Kemper, president and CEO of UMB Financial Corp., and his wife, Megan, have been deeply involved and supportive of MSU Denver’s mission for years, but their recent gift is “truly special,” President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., said.

“The Health Institute and the C2 Hub are our highest priorities to transform MSU Denver into the modern educational environment that will offer life-changing opportunities to thousands of Coloradans,” she said.

The University is working to secure funding for a new 70,000-square-foot Health Institute tower on the Auraria Campus that will facilitate interdisciplinary learning and research and serve the public through two community-facing clinics. By helping to fund the project, the Kemper Family is helping MSU Denver address a critical shortage of health care workers in the state.

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The additional space will allow the University to increase the number of health care students it admits and graduates by 32%, school administrators said.

Meanwhile, with the contribution to the University’s new College of Health and Human Sciences, the Kempers are providing the college’s inaugural dean with flexible resources to fund innovation, attract top faculty members and support programs. It is the first endowed deanship at MSU Denver.

The gift from the UMB Financial Corp. Charitable Foundation to the C2 Hub capital project will provide essential space to facilitate comprehensive career exploration. Many MSU Denver students are among the first generation in their family to attend college. To successfully pursue their careers, they need to build professional networks, participate in career-related work experiences and gain awareness of job opportunities, program leaders said. The C2 Hub will connect students with employers across Colorado who are hungry for diverse talent.

“Megan and I believe in higher education — it’s the key to changing lives,” Kemper said. “We are excited to invest in MSU Denver because it not only offers an accessible education; it offers a high-quality educational experience. MSU Denver is so important because it focuses on serving Colorado students who will likely stay in our state and serve our community.”