Faculty-led events, a landmark collaboration with Ghana, and a surge of public interest signal a new chapter for one of higher education’s most distinctive programs.
It has been a standout stretch for Vermont State University’s Cannabis Studies program. Fueled by faculty expertise and growing industry demand, the program has moved from campus conversations to international headlines in just a matter of weeks.
Public engagement kicked off with a packed event at Phoenix Books celebrating Dr. Riley Kirk’s Reefer Wellness, followed by her keynote address at the Vermont Cannabis Convention. Faculty also led a standing-room-only panel on international cannabis development featuring visiting partners from Ghana’s Chamber of Cannabis Industry — a preview of the deeper collaboration to come.
That collaboration has since taken shape. Vermont State is now working with Ghana to help design a cannabis certificate program and advise on building one of West Africa’s first regulated cannabis markets. During their visit to Vermont, Ghanaian officials met with state regulators, industry leaders, and university experts — exploring how Vermont’s hard-won regulatory experience and education model could serve as a blueprint abroad.
Closer to home, faculty and university leadership convened with state officials, policymakers, and industry partners to advance workforce development, regulatory policy, and the expanding role of higher education in a rapidly evolving industry.
From campus classrooms to international collaborations, Vermont State’s Cannabis Studies program continues to demonstrate that rigorous academic engagement with emerging industries has real-world consequences — and real-world reach.
