Major Project 3: Summary Analysis Response Paper

Gal Bornstein 

Prof. Rebecca Weaver 

English 1102 

March 9, 2022 

Summary/Analysis/Response Paper on Metro State University at Denver 

Summary 

Metro State University of Denver uses the large rhetorical strategy of Imagining Ideal Readers and the APATSARC strategy of “Purpose” to target whom they want to attend their school. The ideal student they are looking for is one who has big dreams but also wants to have an affordable, but high-quality education. Throughout the website, there are many examples of the fact that they are trying to target an audience from all walks of life to enroll in their school. This shows that MSU is searching for students from whatever background they come from to pursue a higher degree and contribute to society. 

Analysis 

MSU is a public university located in Denver, Colorardo. The University was founded in 1965 and was originally established as an alternative school. The purpose of this was so students from all sorts of backgrounds could have an equal opportunity to pursue the education they desired. 

In the strategy of Imagining Ideal Readers, MSU states in their website on their “About” section “Committed to fostering social equity. All while offering an accessibly excellent experience” (MSU Denver, About Section 1). This statement makes it very clear that they are trying to target potential students who come from a background where they cannot necessarily get into an expensive college but have the work ethic to enter the workforce of a respected career. MSU Denver using this rhetorical strategy makes it easy to read the website for the average reader as well as makes it feel very inviting. The structure of the writing on the website feels very positive and uplifting, which makes the average reader have a desire to continue browsing through the website. 

In the About section, when clicking on “Strategic Plan 2030,” they use “Purpose” from APATSARC strategy to not only state their intentions of the types of students they desire to have enroll in the school, but also to inform the reader about how they have already been enrolling students from a wide range of demographics in the past and plan on bolstering this idea. “Others are working to make a midlife career change, are traditional students attending a university for the first time or are new Americans striving to reap the benefits of higher education.” (MSU Denver Strategic Plan 2030 1) This sentence emphasizes the type of students they aim to have apply. They are not necessarily looking for the type of person that already has access to large wealth, but more so for the person who did not have the chances for those types of opportunities as ones in upper class society do.  

The core values of MSU are “Community, access, diversity, respect, and excellence” (about, Core values 1). This area defines the purpose of the university. With community, it is stated on the page that they are promoting the “well-being” (About, Core Values 1) of the student body and faculty at large. This not only means to care for one’s physical health, this means to have a supportive environment academically, culturally, and economically (About, core values 1). They are trying to benefit not only the university they are in, but also the public. 

Furthermore, MSU continues to use the purpose of inclusivity. With 57% of students being first-generation American and 48% being of color, (Admissions, First Time Students 1) it is one of the most diverse universities in the state of Colorado. The university takes inclusion so seriously to the point that they have a “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council” (About, Office of Diversity and Inclusion 1). They describe it as being one of the core values of the school, (About, Office of Diversity and Inclusion 1) and clearly state that diversity is part of their identity. 

Response 

I really enjoyed reading about the history of the school and the philosophy they have. There are many universities that already have strong academic programs but do not necessarily have a system set up to make people from different minorities, socioeconomic statuses, etc. feel welcomed in the university. I am already in a university which was my top choice in the state I live in. The reason why I chose it was because I preferred paying in-state tuition rather than out-of-state. I would have chosen this school solely because of its geographic location. Being in Denver gives them strong opportunities to continue having more diversity and provide good education for their students. 

Even though I come from a background that is statistically speaking not necessarily discriminated against in the academic or professional system, seeing MSU that take inclusivity as seriously as they do is very impressive to me. Because of this, it seems that the school continues to grow and receive more funding from the state. This will greatly benefit not only the school, but also the current and future students who will attend.  

Because I am intending on entering the nursing program where I currently am, it is very likely I will attend MSU for their Bachelor’s in Nursing bridge program.  I will continue to emphasize the fact they are in Denver would not only benefit me academically but also professionally. This would give me great networking opportunities in the city and the surrounding areas. With the NCLEX passing rate being at almost 95%, it is about 10% higher than the national average. This gives me a great amount of confidence that if I were to attend, I would be guaranteed success.  

With a small student-to-faculty ratio, there is a much better chance of getting help from the professors if you need it. A big problem with nursing schools in prominent universities is an excess of students. With that being said, not only would I be more likely to get help when I need it, but the professors would also be more focused on the help they provide to me.  

I think that even though MSU tends to target students from less privileged backgrounds, it is an excellent choice to pursue a degree regardless. At the end of the day, once you enter the workforce, employers in many different fields do not look at the prestige of whatever college you went to. That is why for nursing, I did not bother with looking at expensive schools. In the end, if the school is accredited and with a good reputation, it does not matter.

Works Cited

Metro State University, https://www.msudenver.edu/

 

 

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