By Josh Verges

St. Paul Pioneer Press

Hoping to help close the academic achievement gap, trustees for the University of St. Thomas voted Thursday to open a two-year college at its downtown Minneapolis campus next fall.

St. Thomas President Julie Sullivan said the new two-year college will serve up to 300 low-income students at a time, paying as little as $1,000 a year, thanks to private donors and government grants. The program is designed to boost access for students from diverse and economically disadvantaged backgrounds who otherwise may not pursue a college degree.

Donors have raised nearly $18 million for the college, including a gift from Michael and Kathy Dougherty. A St. Thomas trustee and alumnus, Michael Dougherty is the president of Dougherty and Company LLC, a Minneapolis investment bank and brokerage firm.

The new college will be called the Dougherty Family College at the University of St. Thomas.

Students who earn an associate’s degree will be eligible to transfer those credits to any of the state’s private and public four-year colleges, Sullivan said in a letter to the community.

“I am optimistic the Dougherty Family College will be an important step in reducing the educational attainment gap in Minnesota and, in particular, the Twin Cities area,” she said.

The first class will be about 150 students and will focus on a core curriculum of liberal arts classes, St. Thomas announced Thursday. Students will also receive paid internships with local businesses.

St. Thomas is applying for accreditation for the two-year college.

Loyola University Chicago opened a similar school last fall, which is serving as the model for the Minneapolis school. Arrupe College opened in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood with nearly 160 students from low-income families offering associate’s degrees with transferable credits to other schools.