Paul Smith’s College today announced it has received a $2.8 million Title III Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) grant. The highly competitive grant will support the initial phases of the college’s new Work College model, making it the first institution to pursue this approach to higher education in New York. Funding will support the development of campus enterprises, facility renovations, work-oriented first-year programming and faculty preparedness to navigate the Work College model.

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Concern around the cost of higher education continues to be a national conversation. At the same time, college students are facing an uncertain job market. Entry-level positions require years of prior work experience, which recent grads often don’t have, limiting their ability to secure employment.

The Work College model is Paul Smith’s answer to these challenges by making professional experience an integral part of students’ college experience. Instead of treating internships, co-ops or service learning as supplemental opportunities, students participate in structured, paid work assignments connected to their academic studies.

“We are reimagining what a college education can deliver for students,” said Dan Kelting, president of Paul Smith’s College. “We are grateful to the U.S. Department of Education for recognizing the gravity of this work and supporting our vision with this grant. Work College graduates go on to have higher employment rates, higher earnings and lower loan default rates than their peers at comparable institutions; introducing this model strengthens our ability to serve our students and set them up for success beyond graduation.”

The grant comes at a time of great momentum for Paul Smith’s College. Its plans for a new career-focused educational model are already taking shape through the Work Experience Program, alongside its rising enrollment and philanthropic support, including a transformative donation from hotel developer Joe VanWhy.

The Work College model will be implemented in phases, with work opportunities beginning in Fall 2027 and expanding in subsequent years.

The grant is funded through the U.S. Department of Education’s Title III SIP, administered by the Department of Labor. For more information on Paul Smith’s College, please visit paulsmiths.edu.

About Paul Smith’s College

At Paul Smith’s College, it’s about the experience. As the only four-year college located in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York, Paul Smith’s provides real-world, hands-on learning in fields such as business and hospitality, culinary management, forestry, environmental sciences and natural resources. We are able to draw on industries and resources available in our own backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere. Our community of resourceful, enterprising, supportive and adventurous individuals collectively provide experiential education, student support in the classroom and beyond and meaningful opportunities for our alumni. We pride ourselves on research and advocacy on issues that improve our planet and the lives of the people who inhabit it. Learn more at paulsmiths.edu.

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