SBWI students and staff attended the Michigan Mass Timber Update in Kalamazoo, connecting with industry leaders, exploring new career pathways, and touring the mass-timber renovation of the Kalamazoo Country Club. With Michigan’s momentum growing and a first-of-its-kind MSU curriculum underway, the future looks bright for students entering mass timber careers.

“For a while it was just a dream, like, what if I went to woodworking school?” she says. She began researching the program, imagining what it might look like to go back to school and get the experience she’d been craving. “I kept thinking about it more seriously — what would this actually look like?” When she finally visited the campus, everything clicked. “I really fell in love with the building, and the people,” she says. “It just seemed like where I was meant to be. So I took the leap and did it.”

We’re thrilled to share that the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute (SBWI) is partnering with Michigan State University’s Construction Management program to design the nation’s first non-union Mass Timber workforce curriculum.

This collaboration is a huge step forward for our students, our community, and the future of sustainable building in Michigan.

Something extraordinary is taking shape in Michigan.

The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute (SBWI) has now raised $16.5 million toward the first phase of our long-term campus expansion—an incredible show of support from the State of Michigan, private donors, and community partners who believe in the power of craftsmanship.

The Michigan Historic Preservation Network (MHPN) and the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute (SBWI) are thrilled to announce a groundbreaking partnership aimed at revitalizing historic preservation trades education in Michigan.

A new partnership is carving out fresh opportunities in higher education by blending handson craftsmanship with academic innovation. Adrian College and the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute have announced a partnership

The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute (SBWI) has been named a 2025 School of Distinction by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), a national accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Luke Barnett believes that the intersection between fine arts and skilled trades is a lot bigger than most people think. Showcasing that intersection is the goal of “Michigan Contemporary Craft,” an exhibit by staff and alumni of the SBWI

This prestigious recognition highlights SBWI’s commitment to supporting student veterans and their families through dedicated services, resources, and programs that help them succeed both in school and in their future careers.