Community College of Rhode Island Market Analysis Launches Campus Transformation

Case Study
Community College of Rhode Island Newport County Campus

Hanover Research helped CCRI’s Newport County campus address critical enrollment challenges by tapping into market research innovations.

Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) is united in its mission to empower students for transfer and career success across Rhode Island. In 2024, the Newport County campus faced a turning point; rising student attrition called for bold action. Partnering with Hanover Research, CCRI uncovered powerful market insights and reimagined campus spaces to reignite enrollment and meet the evolving needs of the local workforce.

The Challenge: Identify Innovative Solutions to Reverse Significant Enrollment Challenges

CCRI’s Newport campus faced a critical moment; enrollment had dropped sharply, leaving valuable resources like its commercial kitchen underused while operational costs remained high. Determined to serve both students and the local community better, CCRI partnered with Hanover Research to uncover market-driven solutions and identify academic programs that aligned with regional workforce needs.

The Solution: Leverage Labor Market and Competitive Research Data to Propose New Academic Programming

In the spring of 2024, Hanover launched a comprehensive market analysis that blended labor data, competitor insights, and stakeholder input to identify high-demand academic programs tailored to local industry needs.

With a spotlight on Newport’s culinary heritage and the campus’s underused kitchen facilities, Hanover’s research confirmed a clear path forward: launching a culinary arts program would not only attract new students but also strengthen ties to the region’s vibrant hospitality sector.

By August 2024, CCRI had a data-backed roadmap to revitalize the campus and deliver lasting impact for the community.

“This fall, our culinary students won’t just be learning kitchen skills; they’ll be completing their full general education requirements, bringing new energy and engagement to every corner of the Newport campus. When classrooms are full and hallways are buzzing, it’s a sign that our campus is thriving, not just for students, but for the entire community.”
—Gregory LaPointe, Vice President for Student Affairs, Chief Outcomes Officer, Newport County Campus Leader

Find out what matters most to today’s prospective students with the latest insights in our 2025 National Prospective Student Survey.

Download the Report

The Outcome: A Plan for Enrollment Recovery with High-Growth, Career-Aligned Programs

Within a year of partnering with Hanover Research, CCRI’s Newport campus secured nearly $850,000 in state funding to support its revitalization, an achievement marked by the personal involvement of Rhode Island’s governor at the program’s launch. This investment jump-started the fall 2025 debut of two new offerings, creating 64 new student opportunities in a high-demand field:

Culinary Craftsmanship Associate in Arts

Culinary Essentials Certificate

The initiative quickly gained momentum beyond the classroom. The Rhode Island Hospitality Association established a satellite office on campus, offering food and beverage safety training and certification, further connecting students to real-world career pathways and strengthening local industry ties.

Looking ahead, CCRI Newport plans to expand into computer science, cybersecurity, and non-credit workforce development programs, all guided by Hanover’s research. These efforts reflect a broader vision: to reestablish the Newport campus as a vital educational and economic anchor for Aquidneck Island, powered by strong state and industry partnerships.

“Hanover’s research was the catalyst we needed to move from challenge to action. Their clear, data-driven insights helped validate our recovery plan and made it easy to engage external stakeholders. This wasn’t just about enrollment; it was about reigniting the Newport campus as a vital resource for our students and the broader community.”
—Gregory LaPointe, Vice President for Student Affairs, Chief Outcomes Officer, Newport County Campus Leader