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M State, Concordia announce new affordable pathway from two-year to bachelor’s degree

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M State President Carrie Brimhall and Concordia College President Colin Irvine shake hands after signing a Memorandum of Understanding at a special event on the M State Fergus Falls campus on September 9, 2026.
M State President Carrie Brimhall and Concordia College President Colin Irvine shake hands after signing an agreement establishing the M State-Concordia Affordability Pathway at a ceremonial event on the M State Fergus Falls campus on September 9. 

 

Concordia College and Minnesota State Community and Technical College (M State) announced today a new partnership designed to create a more affordable and clearer pathway for eligible M State students to complete a bachelor’s degree at Concordia.

The M State-Concordia Affordability Pathway is a two-year pilot program and will provide selected eligible students with a renewable tuition award that limits their share of Concordia tuition to no more than $2,500 a semester for up to five semesters. Remaining eligible tuition costs will be covered through a combination of federal, state and Concordia gift assistance, based on individual eligibility.

The pathway is designed particularly for eligible M State students at the Fergus Falls campus who graduated from one of the 21 designated Blue and Gold Scholars Program high schools in west central Minnesota. Students must complete an M State Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree, earn at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA, be admitted to Concordia and meet other program requirements.

Concordia College President Colin Irvine and M State President Carrie Brimhall signed a Memorandum of Understanding today, with announcements made at both the M State Fergus Falls campus and Concordia campus. 

“This partnership is about more than affordability. It’s about helping students discover who they are called to become and how to use their gifts in service to others and their communities,” Irvine said.

“At M State, we're proud to offer an affordable and high-quality education,” Brimhall said. “Our students work hard to earn their associate degrees, and this partnership reinforces the value of that achievement. It provides students with confidence as they consider their next steps and helps make the dream of a bachelor's degree more realistic and achievable.” 

The two institutions will work together on academic alignment and advising to help students stay on pace to complete a bachelor’s degree in approximately two additional years when possible. 

The pilot will be open to 10 students per academic year. Additional students who are interested will be added to a waitlist. The institutions will evaluate participation, student outcomes, demand and other measures during the pilot to determine a potential expansion or changes to the program.

The partnership builds on existing M State-Concordia transfer pathways. In May 2025 the two schools signed an agreement for transfer pathways in psychology, biology and business, with additional areas under development.

Additional information can be found at ConcordiaCollege.edu/MState.