The St. Joseph Institute of Industry & Agriculture is currently in its foundation-building stage. As we prepare for future programs, facilities, work-based learning opportunities, and our planned launch, there are already several meaningful ways members of our community can help.
In the years ahead, opportunities will expand to include fundraising events, preparing classrooms and student housing, establishing our school farm and work-learning facilities, mentoring students, and supporting other hands-on projects.
In the meantime, here are a few ideas to help you get involved:
Participate in our surveys, questionnaires, and community conversations. Your feedback helps us understand local workforce needs, student needs, employer expectations, and the ways our college can best serve St. Joseph and the surrounding region. Please start with our general community survey using the link below:
Professionals, educators, business owners, nonprofit leaders, tradespeople, farmers, and others with relevant experience can contribute their knowledge as volunteer advisors, subject-matter experts, or members of future advisory committees.
Introduce us to businesses, nonprofit organizations, educators, community leaders, foundations, employers, or other individuals who may have an interest in our mission. Sometimes one introduction can open the door to an important partnership.
Employers and professionals can provide feedback about the skills, certifications, technologies, and experience they would like to see in future graduates. This input will help us develop programs that remain closely connected to real workforce needs.
Local advisors or experts, employers, organizations, and civic leaders who believe in our mission can provide letters expressing support for the project and the potential value it could bring to the region. These letters can be especially helpful as we pursue partnerships, grants, and other resources.
During our development stage, we may periodically need volunteer assistance in areas such as:
Even a few hours of specialized knowledge can be extremely valuable at this stage.
Follow our progress, share our mission with others, invite people to participate in our research, and help us connect with individuals who may want to become involved.
If you have experience that could strengthen our organization, you may express interest in serving on our Board of Directors, a future advisory committee, or another leadership capacity. You are also welcome to recommend someone you believe would be a strong fit.
We are particularly interested in building relationships with people who bring experience in education, workforce development, nonprofit leadership, agriculture, business, finance, fundraising, law, community development, and industries connected with our future academic programs.
As the Institute progresses through each stage of development, additional opportunities will become available, including volunteering at fundraising and community events, helping establish our school farm, preparing classrooms and student housing, supporting work-learning enterprises, mentoring students, and more.
Whether you contribute your time, expertise, connections, ideas, or encouragement, you can help us build a new pathway to education and opportunity in our community.