The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian, Michigan, is looking to expand its college presence in Adrian by embarking on a 20-year, estimated $40 million plan to expand their presence in the town and increase their number of students by tenfold.

School president Luke Barnett addressed the Adrian City Commission Work Session on Oct. 21 to discuss the multi-million dollar project, which would include purchasing 22 acres of city-owned land known as the Witt Farm for a future campus. Barnett said the woodworking institute would like a new campus that would be ready to move into in four years.

"I have estimated based on case studies that the 20-year strategy is going to cost about $40 million and the phase one strategy should $10 million," Barnett told the commissioners. "We're going to seek that funding through any possible federal, state, and local investors and financing as well."

The woodworking institute is currently at 1375 N. Main St., on the campus of PlaneWave Instruments. It has both a one-year diploma program, which enrolls 24 students per year, and a variety of classes that are open to the general public. In August, Barnett said, the institute was notified that it had been approved for Title IV accreditation, which will allow it to participate in federal financial aid programs.

"The demand for our program is incredible," he said. "We have 24 students this year and we turned down about 50 students. For the incoming class that will start in August of 2025, we already have about 40 applicants. The demand is much more than we can supply. So we want to take that opportunity to grow it and train people for these jobs. So we put together a plan over the next 20 years. We want to grow from 20 graduates a year to 200 graduates a year. And we'd like to do that in Adrian, Michigan." 

"We are a college that trains people for careers in the forest products industry, which in 2023 the forest products industry was estimated in Michigan by the DNR to be valued at $ 26.5 billion," said Barnett. "That's more than the entire education budget and the cannabis industry combined."

Barnett said its graduates are highly sought-after by employers. However, the institute doesn’t currently have room to expand. He added that they want to offer a traditional residential college experience, and byying part of the Witt Farm property would allow the institute to change that, he said.

The 22-acre parcel the institute would like to purchase consists of 18 wooded acres and 4 acres of farmland. The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute is asking the city to consider selling the 18 wooded acres for $1, and the remaining 4 acres at whatever price the commission determines is fair.

Founded in 2017, the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and licensed Post-Secondary school located in Adrian, Michigan. The school helps to provide job opportunities within the trades and encourages creativity, growth and learning for students, hobbyists, and professionals.

The institute also offers general classes, on a range of topics including woodturning, joinery, cabinetry, Windsor chair making and CNC, as well as classes targeted specifically for youth and women. Woodworking for Warriors is another program available at SBWI and created specifically for veterans.

The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute (SBWI) recently celebrated its inaugural graduating class of 2021 with seven students receiving a diploma in Furniture Making & Wood Design. Students Caleb Peper and Charlie Gragg, both of Michigan, were awarded the Golden Plane award for their outstanding achievements in craftsmanship and design.

The year-long career training program empowers students to design and create challenging projects with effective and practical teaching techniques. The institute says many of these graduates will move on to start their own businesses or join the industry in cabinet and furniture making.