Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) celebrated the completion of the expansion of the SMWC Equine Facility, supported in part by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.
In late 2023, Vigo County allocated $500,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to SMWC to renovate and expand equine facilities at the Mari Hulman George School of Equine Studies. These investments directly support ARPA’s mission of economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by enhancing education, boosting local tourism through equestrian events, fostering community engagement and supporting program growth in one of Indiana’s unique equine bachelor’s programs.
“We are thankful to the Vigo County Commissioners and Vigo County Council for their support in our efforts to expand our Equine Event Center facilities. We have been able to bring more local shows to Vigo County and more community members into the facility,” said Brennan Randolph, SMWC president.
Since implementation began in 2024, the upgrades have enabled SMWC to host a robust calendar of events, attracting hundreds of participants and thousands of spectators/visitors to Vigo County. This has stimulated local spending on lodging, dining and services while fostering workforce development in the equine industry.
“There were so many needs at the time we recommended funding for the Center, and we felt the Center would help tourism and the identity of our community,” said Mike Morris, Vigo County commissioner. “This is a positive place for the community, and we hope the ARPA money puts a boost into it.”
Key outcomes include:
- Enrollment growth to approximately 50 students (more than doubled since 2021).
- Hosting 16 completed events in 2024-2025, with one additional competitive event under discussion for 2026.
- Over 933 direct participants and 1,805-plus spectators/family members from completed events.
- Improved facilities supporting year-round use, accessibility and safety.
SMWC is the only bachelor’s program in Equine Studies in the state of Indiana and is one of only about 20 in the nation.
“The investment the local leaders made into the SMWC Equine Event Center has resulted in several meaningful benefits for SMWC and the local community,” said Ed Ferguson, chair of the equine department and associate professor of equine. “It allowed us to enhance our facilities and develop and expand the outreach of the SMWC Equine Event Center and host a larger number of events yearly. It has helped us attract more students to SMWC Equine Studies, and this has resulted in increased economic revenue for local businesses. It all results in more people purchasing gas, food, merchandise and staying in hotels in this area.”
Participants at the celebration gathered in the Equine Hospitality Area on Saturday and saw the benefits of the ARPA grant. SMWC was host to the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Regional meet for Hunt Seat competition in the morning and Western competition in the afternoon. The event included nine schools from Indiana and Illinois, including Purdue University, Indiana University and Ball State University. The facilities were an important factor in SMWC’s being chosen as the host school.