Saint Anselm College, Stay Work Play Start On-Campus Program To Support New Hampshire Workforce Ties

MANCHESTER, NH — Stay Work Play New Hampshire and Saint Anselm College have launched a new on-campus partnership in Manchester aimed at strengthening the state’s talent pipeline.

Beginning this spring, Stay Work Play will host a weekly on-campus presence in Alumni Hall every Thursday through September. The organization described the effort as a “pop-up office” designed to connect students with community resources, career pathways, internship support, and long-term opportunities across New Hampshire.

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The partnership was developed with Saint Anselm’s Career Development Center and Office of Partnerships. The initiative is intended to create a direct link between Saint Anselm students and opportunities to build lives and careers in New Hampshire. Students will have access to resources, networks, and insights meant to support career placement and long-term community connection in the state.

“This partnership is about meeting students where they are and reimagining how we build pathways into New Hampshire’s workforce and communities,” Corinne Breton-Benfield, the executive director of Stay Work Play, said. “We know that the decision to stay in New Hampshire after graduation is about more than only job placement; it’s about being able to envision a vibrant and satisfying life. By embedding directly on campus, we’re creating earlier and more meaningful touchpoints for students to see what’s possible here, and to feel connected to it.”

In addition to one-on-one engagement, Stay Work Play will work with campus partners on programming at key points during the academic year, including the start of the fall semester.

“We are excited to partner with Stay Work Play to bring expanded opportunities and connections directly to our students,” Lauren Borrows, the director of the Career Development Center at Saint Anselm College, said. “This collaboration enhances our ability to support students. This is accomplished through making connections with employers across a variety of sectors, as well as aiding in career exploration as students consider their future in New Hampshire. By integrating career readiness with real-world connections across the state, we are helping students build meaningful pathways to success in the Granite State that extend well beyond graduation.”

Dr. Max Latona, director of the Office of Partnerships at Saint Anselm College, said the latest effort is also meant to bring student perspectives into Stay Work Play’s work on programming, partnerships, policy priorities, and statewide branding.

The two organizations also cited an earlier connection through the Quality of Life Index initiative, which the announcement says has tracked the perceptions and attitudes of young people in New Hampshire since 2023.