Allison Van Akkeren, Interim Dean of Students and Faculty Emeritus, is retiring from Sterling College after 30 years of dedicated service in various roles. Her contributions will leave a lasting impact on the college. With gratitude, we share a letter from Allison and invite you to learn more about her legacy through the link below.
Dear Community,
I appreciate the chance to return to Sterling as Interim Dean of Students. I believe Sterling has an important place in this world. I admire the students for taking on a radically different approach to education from their peers and feel proud for those who graduate. I know that they are prepared with a possibly wider perspective than many of their cohorts on how to live intentionally and thoughtfully. It is with that admiration and a desire to advocate for and support students that I came into this position. In my time here, I have been gratified to work closely with many of the amazing individuals who are dedicated to providing a holistic, rich and quality education for students.
I appreciate the leadership of Scott Thomas. He is empathetic, supportive and focused on the survival of Sterling College with a listening ear and desire to focus on what has worked well in the past while creatively envisioning a future. Sterling is blessed to have the pragmatic and intelligent leadership of Dr. Laura Spence and the patience and knowledgeable Laura Lea Berry supporting academics and beyond. I have a lot of admiration for all of the Sterling College Faculty who work seemingly tirelessly to provide thoughtful, quality, experiential education. What an honor it has been to work with these folks.
Thank you for the opportunity. Now onto my second retirement – I have dreams of flute playing, building a clay bread oven, finding time again for friends and family ... and of course being outside as much as possible.
As we approach the end of the year, we reflect on the incredible impact our community has made on Sterling College and the students we serve. We are reminded of what draws us to this little college and what defines our unique community - a community rooted in the ethos of,
Working Hands, Working Minds.
The generosity of our alumni, parents, neighbors, community partners, and friends enables us to continue providing transformative experiences for our students and strengthen the future of Sterling College.
We invite you to reflect on your connection to Sterling and join us in making a lasting difference through your support of our
Annual Giving Campaign.
Your support is vital in helping us continue to provide an affordable experiential education grounded in community, sustainability, and
Last week, Sterling students were hard at work wrapping up their end-of-semester projects. Graduating Seniors presented their research projects and students taking Fiber Arts and Intro to Tools classes presented their final projects in an Art Show. The projects included woven tapestries, bags, blankets, natural dyed prints, wooden paddles, and more. To see more work from Sterling College students follow us on Social Media, LinkedIn and visit our Blog.
Sterling College Featured in Times Argus
We are pleased to share that a recent article featuring Sterling College’s unique campus and curriculum is now available in Vermont by Degrees, a column published in the Times Argus.
Like many small colleges across the country, Sterling College is re-imagining their potential during a time of serious challenges for higher-ed institutions. Sterling is tackling those challenges by leveraging our unique assets right here in Craftsbury Common. We are recentering our long-standing, hands-on mission while exploring how we strengthen a circular economy as a model for other rural areas.
Sterling College Alum, Julie Scott (Olson) graduated from Sterling College in 2007 with a degree in Sustainable Agriculture. She is currently the Executive Director of Slough Farm Foundation. In that role Julie handles all day to day and long term operations of the non profit organization located on Martha's Vineyard Island.
Liam Crannell graduated from Sterling College in 2021 after studying Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems. Liam works as the Balanced and Restorative Justice Program Coordinator at Northeast Kingdom Community Action, where he leads a restorative justice program for at-risk and justice involved youth.
Jesse graduated in 2016 with a B.A. Degree in a Self-Designed major in Farm and Forest Stewardship. He currently works as a Wilderness EMT with MaineHealth and as a seasonal Field Coordinator in Antarctica during Austral Summer months (October-March).
Olivia Bates graduated in December 2021 with a self Designed Major in Culinary Justice. She currently runs the kitchen at The Buttery @thebutteryvt, located in Saint Johnsbury. At The Buttery, Olivia and her colleagues build the menu based on local producers and farms in the Northeast Kingdom.
Work College Consortium Meets in Kentucky
Did you know that Sterling College is a federally recognized Work College? At the start of their academic journey, students select a work crew on campus and the work they perform pays for part of their tuition and provides skill development and professional work experience.
Sterling is one of ten members of the Work Colleges Consortium. Every year students and faculty at each institution come together to visit each other's campuses, collaborate on community service projects, and get to know each other.
This November, four Sterling College students joined two faculty members for a trip to Kentucky, where they visited Berea College and Alice Lloyd College. Sterling students got to see and experience what life is like at these other schools and communities.
Sterling College Faculty, Gustavo Requena Santos gave a thoughtful and informative speech at the event. As the President of the Board of Directors, Gustavo works with COEEA to engage, support and strengthen a growing collaborative network of individuals, educators and organizations to promote outdoor education and environmental literacy.
Ethan Tapper, Author of How To Love A Forest, Visits Sterling College
Ethan Tapper, author of the newly released How to Love a Forest, visited Sterling College to give an engaging talk after community dinner on December 13. Ethan shared his experience as a forester, birder, naturalist, digital creator, and writer. He captivated a large audience of community members, faculty and students with fun facts, thoughtful stories, readings from his book and experiences managing his working forest in Bolton, Vermont.
As a thought-leader in the forestry and conservation community of the northeastern United States and beyond, Ethan's perspective is greatly appreciated and valued by the Sterling Community.
Book Review By Rory Bosanko
Rory Bosanko is a senior at Sterling College studying Natural Resource Management. In researching the history of logging and forestry in the Northeastern United States, Rory recently read and reviewed the book, Haywire: Discord in Maine’s Logging Woods and the Unraveling of an Industry. Since logging is one of the primary ways to manage forests, Rory was naturally interested in learning more about it. Check out his review to learn more about day to day aspects of logging and the delicate balance between harvesting forest products and managing natural resources.
Sterling College's next Open House on March 22, 2025 invites visitors to experience the enchanting wonderland of Vermont. It's part of our commitment to showcasing our campus in every season, highlighting the adaptability of our environmentally focused education. Guided tours, workshops inside and out as well as one on one interactions with Faculty offer a taste of Sterling's immersive learning.
Sterling acknowledges that the land on which we gather, also known as Vermont, is the traditional and unceded territory of the Abenaki people. We also learn in and from a range of landscapes that belong to other indigenous peoples.
As we seek deep and reciprocal relationships with nature, we respect and honor the place-based and cultural wisdom of indigenous ancestors and contemporaries. These words are offered as a reminder that must be matched with acts of respect and repair.
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