St. Paul
College and career support in St. Paul
SHABELLE is based across the river in Minneapolis, and we work with St. Paul students, families, schools and employers as part of the same metro community. The support we provide is identical on both sides of the river.
This page covers what is specific to St. Paul: the institutions students here move into, where the transition tends to break down, and what the career landscape looks like for someone starting out in the capital city.
Where we are, and what that means for St. Paul
Our office is at 1003 E 24th Street, Suite 2, Minneapolis, MN 55404. We do not have a second office in St. Paul, and we are not going to pretend otherwise by listing an address we do not use. What we do have is genuine working relationships across the metro and a substantial part of our work that happens remotely or on site with partners.
If you are a St. Paul school or organization considering a workshop or program, distance has not been an obstacle. We would rather discuss what your students need and work out the logistics from there than have you rule us out on geography.
St. Paul's post-secondary landscape
St. Paul students move into a genuinely wide range of paths after high school, and the city's institutional base reflects that. The city has a large public school district, a significant charter sector, and a substantial Hmong, Somali, Karen and Latino population whose families are frequently navigating American education systems for the first time.
- Saint Paul Public Schools operates several comprehensive high schools alongside magnet and alternative programs with different specializations.
- The University of St. Thomas, Hamline University, Macalester College and Concordia University are all located in St. Paul and draw local students.
- Saint Paul College, part of the Minnesota State system, serves a large share of students seeking two-year and applied credentials.
- Metropolitan State University in downtown St. Paul is designed specifically around working adults returning to education.
Where the transition breaks down
St. Paul has one of the most diverse student populations in Minnesota and one of the larger gaps between the demographics of its high school graduates and the demographics of its college graduates. The city's students are more likely than the state average to be the first in their family to attend college, and more likely to be balancing work with study.
- First-generation students in St. Paul face the full process without family experience to draw on, which affects everything from course selection to financial aid forms.
- Families whose first language is not English are entitled to interpretation at school meetings and often do not know to ask for it.
- Work commitments during high school are common and shape how much time is realistically available for applications and testing.
Careers in and around St. Paul
St. Paul's economy differs from Minneapolis in ways that matter for career planning. It has a strong public sector presence as the state capital, a substantial healthcare and education base, and a growing technology and manufacturing footprint along the river corridors.
- State government is one of the largest employers in St. Paul, with entry routes at many education levels and a structured hiring process.
- Healthcare systems including Regions Hospital and Children's Minnesota anchor a large care-sector workforce.
- Manufacturing along the Mississippi River corridor employs a significant share of the city's workforce in skilled trades and production roles.
- The nonprofit sector in St. Paul is substantial and hires steadily, often valuing relevant experience over institutional prestige.
What we offer
Support available to St. Paul students and families
The same services we provide in Minneapolis, with the same people delivering them.
College readiness
Planning, applications, essays, financial aid and a college list built around fit rather than rankings.
Students and graduates
Turning a degree into a direction, and preparing for the move into a first professional role.
Career and job preparation
Resumes, cover letters, interviews and a job search structure that survives more than a fortnight.
Programs and workshops
Group programming for schools, colleges and community organizations in St. Paul and the metro.
Across the metro
Other pages for the Twin Cities
St. Paul is one part of a metro area we work across. These pages cover the rest of it.
Start here
If you are in St. Paul, this is the next step
Send us a message describing where you are. A student or parent should tell us what stage the student is at. A school or employer should tell us what they are trying to address.
A person reads it and routes it to whoever handles that kind of question.
