SBWI Announces Partnership with Adrian College

We have always believed that education should be more than textbooks and lectures. It should be tangible, lived, and transformative. That’s why I’m thrilled to share a new chapter in our journey — one that not only elevates SBWI, but also strengthens Adrian’s future as a true college town.

Recently, Adrian College and SBWI announced a partnership that bridges the gap between academic innovation and hands-on craftsmanship. Together, we’re exploring how the College’s pre-architecture program can expand into a design-build curriculum — where students don’t just imagine structures, they design them, craft them, and bring them to life.

Adrian College President Jeffrey Docking captured it perfectly when he said:

“There is now a fourth college in this town with the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute, which will allow our students to combine the skills they learn in our classrooms with the trades.”

That’s the heart of this partnership. Students will no longer be confined to theory alone. They’ll graduate with the critical thinking, creativity, and resilience that only hands-on learning provides — the very skills that have shaped my own career, allowing me to win international awards, exhibit in museums, and teach at leading universities.

This collaboration is more than a program expansion. It’s a vision for education that cuts across disciplines — from art and business to engineering, interior design, and teacher education. Imagine the impact if every Adrian College pre-architecture student not only designed a building but also rolled up their sleeves to construct it. They wouldn’t just leave with a diploma; they’d leave with the confidence and experience of having solved real-world challenges from concept to completion.

At SBWI, our growth reflects this same spirit. From launching our flagship college program in 2020 to becoming GI Bill–approved in 2022, and most recently earning full accreditation from the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges in 2024, we’ve worked tirelessly to set new standards in career-focused education. Now, with the support of generous partners like the Hickman Family Foundation, we’re pursuing a 20-year, $48 million campaign to build a new campus on 21 acres along the River Raisin — a campus entirely dedicated to hands-on learning.

But what excites me most is this partnership with Adrian College. Together, we’re building something far greater than the sum of our parts: a future where students in Lenawee County and beyond can access world-class training, where higher education is not abstract but alive, and where Adrian becomes nationally recognized as a hub for innovation in skilled trades and design.

This is more than education. It’s legacy. It’s opportunity. And it’s proof that when tradition and innovation work hand in hand, the impact can last a lifetime.