ELLISVILLE – During a recent episode of HGTV’s Home Town, featuring the renovation of Jones College’s Old President’s House on the Ellisville campus by two of JC’s famous alumni, Ben and Erin Napier of Laurel, Jones College President, Dr. Jesse Smith announced a new program to be named in the couple’s honor. An old factory building, which currently houses maintenance and housekeeping departments, along with storage will be transformed into a centralized home for training future craftsmen to help rebuild hometowns across the country, called the Erin and Ben Napier School of Design and Building Construction.
“Watching them and seeing the growth that happens in the towns where their show goes, it’s impressive to see and we’ve learned a lot,” said Smith. “Those trades and those craftsmen’s skill sets are art and a craft that’s been lost. We want to reemphasize and teach those skills in a centralized location.”
Napier’s emotional response to the announcement during their show sparked support for the facility with donations through the Jones College Foundation. Smith anticipates the 14-million-dollar project will be partially funded through federal and state money, with private donations driving the project. The Napier’s emphasized the difficulty in finding local craftsmen while renovating houses in the Laurel area, during the announcement of this project.
“We are about 564 jobs short in our district in the construction trades industry, which consists of Clarke, Covington, Greene, Jasper, Jones, Perry, Smith, and Wayne Counties,” Smith explained. “Some people might not think construction trades make a great career but most of these entrepreneurs do very well and it’s a great life. We are very dependent on these craftsmen and artisans here, to keep the college going. We’re building for the future.”
Programs included in the new Napier’s school include Computerized Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Painting, Foundations, Plumbing, Framing, Roofing, Electrical, Masonry, HVAC, Carpentry, Metalworking, Plastering, and Stonework. Many of these programs are currently available for students, however, Smith said having the programs in a centralized location encourages students to collaborate on projects.
“We want to rebuild hometowns all over America. Small towns help make America great,” said Smith. “We are so grateful to Ben and Erin because they are restoring hope that we can rebuild our hometowns that are so near and dear to us. They are making a difference.”
Classes in the new building are expected to begin in the fall of 2026 when the 35,435 square foot facility is anticipated to be completed. An additional 18,500 square feet will be added to the current 19,000-square-foot former factory building to create the new Napier’s School.
“We are so honored,” said Erin Napier during the college’s “Live Viewing” of the episode when the announcement was made on their show. “We love Jones so much and to know this is going to be in the future plans for Jones, thank you! This is critically important because the trades are vital to us. We struggle to find great, talented people who do things like plaster work for example.”
To learn more about the Erin and Ben Napier School of Building and Design and to make donations go to the website, https://www.jcjc.edu/alumni_foundation/the-erin-ben-napier-school-of-design-building-arts/