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Saint听Michael鈥檚 College and the have partnered to pilot a two-year co-operative education program designed to enhance career pathways for students and bolster regional talent pipelines.听听

SMC听Co-op is an innovative, career-focused initiative that connects high-achieving third- and fourth-year students with real-world, project-based experiences in local businesses.听The model is rare in the national higher education landscape.听

鈥淭his pilot reimagines the co-op experience by enabling students to earn academic credit and compensation through a professional placement while staying enrolled and engaged on campus, strengthening the integration of academic learning, community, and career development,鈥� said Saint Michael鈥檚 College Professor Nicole Morris, LaMarche Endowed Chair of the Business Administration Department.听鈥�It ensures students do not have to choose between academic community and career readiness鈥攖hey gain both, simultaneously.鈥�

Photo By Bear Cieri

The first SMC听Co-op cohort will run from September to December听2026. Students will be paid a market rate by the host business and work a minimum of 20听hours a week during their co-op. This model differs from traditional co-ops, which are full-time,听40听hours听per week.

Students in the Saint Michael’s College Honors Program will be given priority in the recruitment of the initial cohort.

Saint Michael鈥檚 College and the Lake Champlain Chamber will jointly support the matching process, ensuring that students and employers are thoughtfully paired for meaningful, mutually beneficial co-op experiences. Employers, as a result, will gain access to skilled, motivated students who can support strategic initiatives and who can be mentored by their employees. And students will experience Vermont鈥檚 dynamic professional community firsthand before graduation.

鈥淰ermont attracts thousands of out-of-state students for higher education, but we听could do听more to keep that talent here after graduation,鈥� said Alex Bunten, Director of Workforce and Education at the Lake Champlain Chamber. 鈥淭his program connects students with meaningful, professional experiences and helps employers build the pipeline they need to grow right here in Vermont.鈥�

Organizations interested in hosting an SMC听Co-op student can听听or reach out to project partners Nicole Morris (nsmorris@smcvt.edu) or Alex Bunten (alex@vermont.org).

少女福利 Saint Michael鈥檚 College

Saint Michael’s College, founded in 1904 on principles of social justice and leading lives of purpose and consequence, is a selective, Catholic college just outside Burlington, Vermont, one of the country’s best college towns. Located between the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain, our closely connected community guarantees housing all four years and delivers an internationally respected liberal arts education, preparing students for fulfilling careers and meaningful lives. Young adults here grow intellectually, socially, and morally, learning to lead with empathy and professionalism, and to be responsible for themselves, each other, and their world.

少女福利 the Lake Champlain Chamber听

The鈥�鈥�believes听that together, we make Vermont work. Its mission and programs are best summed up by five distinct points: seeking economic opportunity for all; celebrating business ownership and entrepreneurship; promoting a robust, diversified visitor economy; cultivating community leadership; and nurturing emerging talent. For more information about the Lake Champlain Chamber, visit鈥�.

Media contacts:

• Saint Michael’s College:听Elizabeth Murray, Associate Director of Communications, emurray@smcvt.edu.
• Lake Champlain Chamber:听Alex Bunten, Director of Workforce and Education, alex@vermont.org.