Small Colleges and Boutique Hotels

Several small colleges are mentioned in an interesting post written by Laura Powell, "Luxury Boutique Hotels Become Part of the College Experience," published on the Skift website in early December 2017.  Powell interviewed college administrators and representatives of The Olympia Companies that have developed are operating hotel properties for Oberlin, Swarthmore, and Rollins College.

The Alfond Inn in Winterpark, Florida is owned by Rollins College and is the largest of the featured hotels with 112 rooms.  Powell indicates the property is exceeding expectations with an occupancy rate of 90% and estimated $50 million in annual revenue.  She also notes that any net profits are used for scholarships.

The Hotel at Oberlin with 70 rooms was developed by Smart Hotels of Shaker Heights, OH,  It has been open just over a year and meets U.S. Green Building Council LEED Platinum requirements by incorporating solar, geothermal, and radiant heating and cooling.  

The Inn at Swarthmore opened in May 2016 and is the smallest of the three with 40 rooms.  

Powell also briefly mentions Colby College is finishing a boutique hotel as part of a broader downtown redevelopment effort in Waterville, Maine.  You can read more details in an article, "Colby College picks Portland firm to build boutique hotel in Waterville," on the Portland Press Herald website with reporting by Amy Calder.

The Williams Inn at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts offers 116 rooms.  The property was initially built in 1974 and was acquired by the college in 2014.

Please leave a comment below if you know of other small colleges that are developing and operating hotels on their campuses or in the communities they serve.

Small Colleges are Thinking Strategically about Community Relationships

I enjoyed reading Douglas Belkin's article, "To Save Themselves, Small Colleges Offer Lifeline to Their Hometown," last week in the Wall Street Journal.  Belkin focuses his reporting on several small colleges that are thinking strategically about relationships with their respective communities.  He included references to Albion College, Monmouth College, Ripon College, Niagra University, and Emory and Henry College.

You can also read, "Ripon College Recognized for Renovation of Downtown Building," that was posted on the Small College Garden in September 2015.  In addition, the College Towns & University Cities blog includes posts featuring institutions working with their communities.

Small Town Colleges offer Perspective when Considering the Future of Higher Ed

Joshua Kim's offers several reasons for serving at a small college in a smaller town in his interesting post, "Small Town College Life and the Future of Higher Ed."  His article was posted on October 31, 2016 by Inside Higher Ed.

Kim initially writes that small colleges force diverse collaborations.  He follows by noting that a rural academic life requires cross-institutional collaborations and then concludes with reflections on liberal arts colleges and the future of higher education.

A couple of questions close out the post.  Kim's last question is probably the easiest for me to answer.  I have fallen in love with small town college life and just concluded a satisfying career in higher education that spanned both public and private liberal arts colleges in small towns.   I have also seen many colleagues who discovered opportunities where they can have an impact through their service, experiences where personal and professional rewards derive from active participation in life on campus or in the broader community.

I have, however, developed a more nuanced view of the last question.  While I have answered affirmatively and have even argued enthusiastically that small college towns are the best places to think big thoughts about the future of higher education,  I would now argue that small college towns are one place to think big thoughts...just not the only places.  

Small institutions in larger urban settings also offer fascinating opportunities where individuals can successfully collaborate to address challenges facing higher education or the broader society.  The College of St. Mary in Omaha is one example of a small institution in an urban area that identified a serious need then set out creatively and collaboratively to make a difference...faculty and staff  serving single mothers will serve as a model for many other institutions.

Paul Quinn College in Dallas is another example of a small institution creatively serving students and the urban neighborhoods that surround the campus.  And, there are many other examples of faculty and staff thinking big thoughts at small colleges in urban settings.

Students Positively Impact Economies of Local Communities

Darlene Swiger reports on the positive economic impact of returning students for The Exponent Telegram in Clarksburg, West Virginia.  

Ripon College is Recognized for Renovation of Downtown Building

Ripon College is recognized for renovating a building for use as an art and meeting space.  Alexandra Ronallo offers an excellent video report for Fox News 11 in Wisconsin that includes interviews with faculty and students.

Shared Strategic Commitments bring Benefits to Colleges and Towns

Daniel Porterfield, president of Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, wrote for Forbes on July 24, 2015 about the benefits that arise when small colleges and towns work together.  He provides specific examples of shared strategic commitments in the arts, health care, neighborhood development, and community engagement spanning several decades that are paying big dividends for all.  Porterfield indicates that not only are Lancaster and the college growing, the community is benefiting from a transition to a younger, more vibrant demographic.

The article also includes examples of other similar initiatives in Geneva, NY with Hobart & William Smith College and in Carlisle, PA with Dickinson College.

Dan Nephin, writer for Lancaster Online, passes along key points of Porterfield's comments.  

Salisbury, NC: A Unique College Town

Jeanie Groh of the Salisbury Post offers reflections on Salisbury, NC as a unique college town from interviews with economic development experts and college administrators and students.  Groh's highlights both benefits to the community and the ways in which the community is part of students' lives.  Referencing a recent report released by the the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, Groh notes that just under one-half of the students come from outside the immediate region and add $91.3 million to the regional economy each year.

Salisbury is home to four higher education institutions:  Catawba College, founded in 1851 with enrollment of 1,300 students; Livingstone College, with 1,175 students and Hood Theological Seminary, with 181 students; and, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, with 6,731 students.  Livingstone College, founded in 1879, and Hood Theological Seminary, founded in 1903, have historic ties with the AME Zion Church.

Students Matter...if you want to enhance Town and Gown Relationships

Stephen M. Gavazzi has an interesting article on The Conversation website offering a framework for assessing town and gown relationships.  One of the fascinating findings from their research...interactions with students appear to be a key, if not the most important, thing to think about if you want to enhance the image of your institution.