New College to Focus on Engineering, Stripping Down Campus Life

The Greenway Institute is set to launch its first campus in Montpelier, Vermont, in Fall 2027. This new institution will concentrate exclusively on engineering, emphasizing practical, hands-on experience over traditional lectures and classroom settings.

The initiative aims to address the current crisis in higher education, marked by escalating tuition costs and substantial student debt. Greenway plans to lower expenses by removing non-academic elements such as student clubs, athletic facilities, and dining halls. The model integrates rigorous academic study with real-world work experience.

"We are creating a new kind of college organized around what matters most to the young people we hear from: support and mentoring from people with deep experience, a tight community, opportunities to take risks and try again, work-integrated learning, a lean design that means we can be high touch without huge cost," stated Rebecca Holcombe, a co-founder and former Vermont Secretary of Education, via email. The program is designed to offer significant value for each dollar spent.

Students will spend their first two years on campus and the subsequent two years in full-time, paid positions at workplaces, while still receiving faculty support. During these final two years, students are projected to earn approximately $50,000 annually. This structure is intended to result in graduates with minimal to no student debt, with annual tuition estimated at $25,000, significantly below the national average.

A pilot program involving four students in Spring 2025 demonstrated the model's viability. Participants engaged in projects like constructing wind turbines and traffic lights. Feedback indicated that the absence of traditional campus amenities did not hinder student bonding or learning, as they collaborated on meals and organized their own activities, fostering skills in time management and budgeting.