Berea College’s Student Craft program exists as part of the Work – Learning – Service Program and is not part of a degree program. In addition to providing a tuition-free liberal arts education to all students, Berea College provides every student with an additional experiential education position. One hundred students have positions in Student Craft, where they gain career readiness skills while they learn about craft from start to finish, engaging in production, achieving quality control, selecting materials, managing deadlines and collaborating on design.

Craft students arrive with a wide variety of creative skills and experiences. Some have significant experience gained from family members, school, or community programs; others have their first formal exposure to a design-education experience after they arrive. Regardless of students’ background or academic major, staff provide them with the education, skills and tools needed to engage in the design and creation of hand-crafted objects in five areas: Weaving, Woodcraft, Broomcraft, Ceramics and Outreach. In addition, Student Craft supports fellowship and artist-in-residence programs and classes given by the Woodworking School at Pine Croft that spread the College’s commitment to craft beyond the Berea College community.

All of these elements combine to make Student Craft an offering like no other. While the primary goal is the experiential education of students, Student Craft also strives to expand the understanding of and deepen connection to the eight Great Commitments of Berea College through the design, construction and sale of the objects students create. Over 90% of our products have been designed by or with significant input from our students, who produce roughly 4,000 items a year, all available for purchase at Berea’s Log House Craft Gallery.