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NewsKPBS Public MediaSeptember 1, 2026San Diego

Greenway Institute plans to launch new engineering-focused college in Vermont

The Greenway Institute is developing a new, low-amenity engineering college in Montpelier, Vermont, tentatively scheduled to open in the fall of 2027. The model focuses on hands-on, project-based learning and apprenticeship, aiming to reduce costs by eliminating traditional campus amenities like meal plans and gyms.

higher educationeducational reformengineeringcollege affordabilitywork-based learning
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Why It Matters

The project represents an experimental attempt to address rising higher education costs and declining enrollment by stripping away non-academic services and emphasizing direct industry experience.

Key Facts

  • The Greenway Institute plans to open a new engineering college in Montpelier, Vermont, in the fall of 2027.
  • The college model eliminates traditional amenities such as meal plans, gyms, and large administrative layers to reduce costs.
  • The curriculum focuses on engineering, utilizing real-world projects and faculty mentorship rather than conventional lectures.
  • Students are expected to live on campus for two years, then complete two years of apprenticeship with an employer.
  • The institute has raised $4.5 million toward a $30 million fundraising goal to be met by 2031.
  • The project received a grant from the National Science Foundation, shared with Elizabethtown College.
  • Greenway purchased its campus in 2023 from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
  • A prototype semester was conducted in 2025 with four students from other universities.
  • 152 colleges and universities have closed or merged since 2016, with 442 others identified as at risk.
  • Seven private colleges in Vermont have closed in the last 10 years.

Who's Mentioned

personMark Somerville“Founding president of the Greenway Institute.”organizationProject Polymath“An experimental education project planning to mentor students starting in 2028.”organizationNational Science Foundation“Provided a grant to the Greenway Institute.”organizationGreenway Institute“A new college startup focused on engineering and work-based learning.”organizationFuture Universities Alliance“A group of experimental higher education institutions organized by Duke Universi”organizationElizabethtown College“A partner institution for the Greenway Institute's prototype semester.”