Norwalk Conservatory College set to open in 2022

 

Inside Higher Ed posted "A New Arts College in Connecticut" in July 2021 with reporting by Emma Whitford. Whitford interviewed founders of the Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts, a nonprofit organization in Connecticut who are working to open Norwalk Conservatory College in 2022. 

You can visit the conservatory web site to learn more about the programs in musical theatre performance, musical theatre dance, and television/film performance.

Promising Start for California Indian Nation College

The LAist news site posted "Native American Students Feel Invisible. A New SoCal College Hopes To Change That," on November 14, 2019 with reporting by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez.

Guzman-Lopez focuses on a new institution, California Indian Nations College (CINC), that is offering classes in cooperation with the College of the Desert, University of California Riverside, and Cal State San Bernardino.

CINC enrolls 80 students and plans to reach 200 students  five years as administrators lay the foundation for independence and accreditation.





You can learn more about institutional programs and plans by visiting the CINC website.

CINC has been featured by The Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education in a number of recent posts, including "California Indian Nations College Is the Newest Tribal College," from August 11, 2019.

 An article on the Indian Country Today website, "California Indian Nations College opens, establishes degree program in partnership with local colleges," also offers an interesting description of CINC and institutional plans.

New 2-Year Nonprofit College Opening in Chicago

Interesting article by Emma Whitford at Inside Higher Ed, "A New 2-Year College in Chicago: A Chicago-based nonprofit is opening a private two-year institution aimed at Latino immigrants."

The college is founded by "...the Instituto del Progreso Latino, a Chicago-based nonprofit dedicated to helping Latino immigrants further their education, Instituto College will welcome its first class of about 24 students into a pilot nursing program."  You can visit the college website for more information.

The Daily Nurse posted a short audio clip with an article by Christina Morgan, "JPMorgan Chase Funds Community College Nursing Program Targeting Chicago’s Latino Community," with details of a major investment to assist the startup.

A New College Begins with Facilities of the Former Saint Catharine College

The Chronicle of Higher Education published an interesting article by Scott Carlson on May 6, 2018, "This Software Millionaire Is Building the Low-Tech College of His Dreams."  Carlson interviewed Kevin Runner who purchased the former Saint Catharine College in Springfield, KY and intends to create a "...research hub for renewable energy, a training ground for cutting-edge organic farming and ancient crafts, a life raft for a rural population...a utopian community based on cooperative living and practical skills."  

Runner is considering a number of different ideas for Runchero University at this point and he has hired several people with higher education experience to help with the startup process.  You can also like and follow the Runchero University page on Facebook to learn more.

Wayfinding Academy: New 2-Year College Featured on EdSurge

EdSurge published an interesting post on the Wayfinding Academy in Portland, OR, "This New 2-Year College is Unlike Any Other, And That Could Be Its Biggest Challenge."  Jeffrey R. Young provides an overview in the article of Wayfinding's unique curricular approach focusing on self-discovery.  Wayfinding Academy is now seeking applicants for its third cohort of students that will begin in fall 2018.

You can also read previous Small College Garden post on other artisanal or microcolleges:

• Tuesday, November 15, 2016 Small Liberal Arts Colleges: Positive Report from a Gathering of Presidents
• Sunday, August 28, 2016 A Call for more UltraSmall Colleges
• Thursday, March 30, 2017 Partnership offers Path to Degrees for Single Mothers

New Institution Announces Plans to Open this Fall on campus of the former Dana College

Two Nebraska newspapers are reporting that a new higher education institution is being organized with plans to occupy the former campus of Dana College in Blair, Nebraska.  

Leeanna Ellis, of the Washington County Pilot-Tribune and Enterprise of Blair, reported in "New university may find home at Dana," that a group of friends and alumni of Grace University registered with the state to organize Charis University.  Ellis notes that former Grace dean, Marv Overman, made the announcement.  

The Omaha World-Herald published, "New universityregisters with the state, will take Grace's place on old Dana College campus," by Nancy Gaarder.

Grace University of Omaha announced its intention to relocate to the Dana campus and these plans were interrupted when Grace decided to close at the end of the current academic year.  Now, the representatives of Charis University indicate they will be working to begin holding classes this fall.

Focusing on Chicago's South Side: Ward College Plans to Open in the Fall

WGN-TV in Chicago features reporting by Amy Rutledge with an interview of Daniel Geiter who, along with others, is working to open Ward College this fall.  Ward College will initially operate out of the Chicago Theological Seminary at the University of Chicago and the institution will focus on providing certificate programs and an A.A. degree on the south side of Chicago.

The Elijah Glenn Ward Family Foundation and Catalyst Educational Research Center, Inc. have joined together to create Ward College.  A GoFundMe page has also been created as a way to raise startup funds.

Interested in a new college? Outer Coast College seeks inquiries from students and others

Josh Logue has an interesting article December 11, 2015, "Another Deep Springs? But with Women," at Inside Higher Ed on efforts by Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins and others to start a new institution in Sitka, AK.  Outer Coast College is initially intended as a two-year institution and will be located on

the campus of the former Sheldon Jackson College.  You can visit the Outer Coast College website for more details.  The founders offer an institution modeled on Deep Springs College with emphasis on self-governance, labor, and service.

Sheldon Jackson College was founded in 1878 when Presbyterian missionaries opened a training school for Tlingit Indians. By 1884, it was known as Sitka Industrial and Training School. The name was changed to Sheldon Jackson School in 1910. A college program was added in 1944 and accreditation was received in 1966.  The institution suspended operation in 2007 and there have been a number of different proposals since then with the summer Sitka Fine Arts Camp the most recent.

There are a number of posts on the College History Garden blog featuring links to additional historical and architectural information about the campus.