Focus on Work Colleges: Lower Levels of Student Borrowing and Debt

The PBS Newshour posted, "Century-old 'work college' model regains popularity as student debt grows," on September 1, 2017, written by Timothy Pratt of The Hechinger Report.  He interviewed students and staff at several of the institutions and offers a picture of what it is like to attend the work colleges and administer the programs.  Pratt's primary focus is on the fact that work college students depend less on borrowing to finance their education and graduate with lower levels of student debt.

Pratt notes there have historically been seven institutions designated as work colleges and all are small institutions with enrollments under 2,000 students.  Paul Quinn College (TX) and Bethany Global University (MN) have just joined, raising the number of work colleges by two.  Silver Lake College (WI) is currently seeking the designation and hopes to do so next year.  

Warren Wilson College (NC) and Berea College (KY) are also highlighted in the post.

You can review several previous posts on the Small College Garden that feature Work Colleges:

•  Monday, March 27, 2017, Paul Quinn College: 1st HBCU and 1st urban institution to receive 'Work College' Designation
• Friday, September 16, 2016, PBS Series Features Paul Quinn College this Week
• Tuesday, August 30, 2016, Paul Quinn College and Michael Sorrell are featured in Washington Monthly
• Thursday, August 25, 2016, Spotlight on Sterling College as a model Work College
• Friday, August 28, 2015, Blackburn College & College of the Ozarks Highlighted as Work Colleges
• Wednesday, July 1, 2015, Weaving Program at Berry College Featured

College of Saint Benedict Announces Large Gift

The College of Saint Benedict announced a large gift this week that will be used to complete construction of new athletic fields.  The Corborn Family Foundation committed $500,000 for the College Avenue Athletic Fields that will include two soccer/lacrosse fields, two softball fields, three intramural/multi-use fields, and an athletic center featuring locker rooms and a training room, with restrooms and concessions for spectators.

CSB is located in St. Joseph, MN and enrolls just over 1,900 students.  The institution was founded by the Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict in 1887 and was initially known as St. Benedict's Academy.  It became St. Benedict's College and Academy in 1913 and the College of St. Benedict after 1927.

Pricing and Discounting Strategies at Four Small Institutions

The September 2015 issue of Business Officer includes and article by Margo Vanover Porter that provides more context for the group's annual NACUBO Tuition Discounting Study.  Porter interviewed key administrators at four institutions to identify how the campuses are working to attract students in an environment with stiff competition from other institutions and a focus of families on cost and value.  Porter concludes the article by highlighting eight strategies identified through conversations with the selected administrators.  The featured institutions include:

• Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA with enrollment of 1,353
• Concordia College in Morehead, MN with enrollment of 2,398
• University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, AR with enrollment of 587
• and, Saint Michael's College in Colchester, VT with enrollment of 2,618.