Sterling College is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

work college Work colleges are colleges in the United States that require students to work and integrate that work into the college learning experience. A work college is a public or private non-profit, four-year degree-granting institution with a commitment t ...

Craftsbury, Vermont Craftsbury is a town in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,343 at the 2020 census. The town includes the unincorporated villages of Craftsbury, Craftsbury Common, Mill Village, and East Craftsbury. History The state ...

. Its curriculum is focused on ecological thinking and action through majors in Ecology, Environmental Humanities, Outdoor Education, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems. The college is accredited by the

New England Commission of Higher Education The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit membership organization that performs peer evaluation and accreditation of public and private universities and colleges in the United States and other ...

History

Sterling School was founded as a boys' college preparatory school in 1958. The school's educational philosophy was later influenced by that of

Outward Bound Outward Bound (OB) is an international network of outdoor education organizations that was founded in the United Kingdom by Lawrence Holt and Kurt Hahn in 1941. Today there are organizations, called schools, in over 35 countries which are att ...

founder

Kurt Hahn Kurt Matthias Robert Martin Hahn (5 June 1886, Berlin – 14 December 1974, Hermannsberg) was a German educator. He was decisive in founding, among other organizations and initiatives, Stiftung Louisenlund, Schule Schloss Salem, Gordonsto ...

. The school's transition to higher education in the 1970s began with the Academic Short Course in Outdoor Leadership, a 21-day program. In 1974, Sterling School was faced with closure and a small group of faculty launched the educational model that became Sterling College. In 1974, a small group of faculty established an academic year-long program similar to

programs known as Grassroots Project in Vermont at Sterling Institute. By 1983, Sterling had developed into an accredited college offering an Associate of Arts degree in resource management with full accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges granted in 1987. Since 1997, Sterling College has been accredited as a four-year college. It awards Bachelor of Arts degrees in Ecology, Environmental Humanities, Outdoor Education, and Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems. Sterling College joined the Work Colleges Consortium in 1999. In 2013, Sterling College announced that it would be the first college in Vermont, and the third college in the nation, to divest its endowment from fossil fuel extractors.

Academics

Sterling College only offers bachelor's degrees. It was the first college in the nation to offer a minor in Draft Horse Management. In 2013, Sterling College created the Rian Fried Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems. Named for the late trustee, it is to be the center point for the college's focus on both sustainable agriculture and sustainable food systems. Sterling College also launched a continuing education program in 2013, with a series of 2- and 4-week short courses. The first course offered was a two-week cheese making intensive in partnership with the Cellars at Jasper Hill. Other courses feature guest faculty such as

Sandor Katz Sandor Ellix Katz (born May 20, 1962) is an American food writer and DIY food activist. Work A self-described " fermentation fetishist", Katz has taught hundreds of food workshops around the United States, and his book '' Wild Fermentation'' (2 ...

, John Elder, Rowan Jacobsen, Ginger Strand, and Clare Walker Leslie.

Campus

The primary campus is . It has 14 buildings including a woodworking shop and a library. Outdoor teaching facilities include a managed woodlot, a challenge course, a climbing tower, managed gardens, and a working livestock farm with two solar powered barns. Much of what is grown and raised on campus is consumed in the dining hall. Sterling produces approximately 35% of its own food, with an overall 53% coming from within a 150 mile radius for the college.

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Craftsbury, Vermont Private universities and colleges in Vermont Educational institutions established in 1958 Buildings and structures in Craftsbury, Vermont Education in Orleans County, Vermont Tourist attractions in Orleans County, Vermont 1958 establishments in Vermont Work colleges Agricultural education Sustainable agriculture Agroecology Sustainability