Tag: Vermonts

  • Vermont’s Sterling College to Close

    Vermont’s Sterling College to Close

    Sterling College will close at the end of the spring semester, officials announced Wednesday.

    The small college in Craftsbury Common, Vt., will cease operations in May due to “persistent financial and enrollment challenges,” according to a statement posted on its website. 

    “We understand that this news is difficult and deeply personal for every member of our community. Sterling College has always been more than a place of learning; it has been a home where curiosity, creativity, and compassion thrived,” officials wrote in the closure announcement.

    Sterling, which offered “transdisciplinary, experiential, competency-assessed educational programs,” according to its website, historically capped enrollment at 125 students. Founded in 1958, Sterling is one of a few U.S. work colleges, a model that allows students to keep tuition down via campus labor. Residential students at Sterling work five hours per week in different roles.

    Federal data shows that Sterling only had a head count of 78 students in fall 2023. 

    While the college managed to eke out modest surpluses in recent years, it had a meager endowment of just over $1.1 million, much of that restricted, according to financial documents.

    Sterling is now the second institution to announce a closure this month, following Trinity Christian College in Illinois, which is shutting down next year due to similar challenges.

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  • Vermont’s Dual-Enrollment Cybersecurity Certificate

    Vermont’s Dual-Enrollment Cybersecurity Certificate

    High school juniors and seniors in Vermont can attempt a 12-credit cybersecurity certificate through a Champlain College and NuHarbor Security partnership.

    With the cost of a college degree rising, more young people are considering alternative forms of postsecondary education.

    Data from ECMC Group found that fewer high school students today (52 percent) are considering attending a four-year college compared to their peers in 2020 (71 percent), and a number are weighing community college or career and technical education instead (25 percent). Nearly half of respondents to ECMC’s survey said their ideal post–high school education should last three years or fewer.

    A new offering from Champlain College in Vermont allows high school students to earn a certificate in cybersecurity before graduation, providing both career exploration and workforce development. The 12-credit certificate equips students with college-ready skills and a pathway to an evolving career.

    The background: The new program, CyberStart, builds on Champlain’s Virtual Gap Program, launched in summer 2020, which allows traditional-aged college students to complete 15 weeks of classes and an internship course remotely before formally enrolling.

    In Vermont, high school students can participate in two college-level courses at no cost. But statewide trends show the students most likely to engage in dual enrollment live in larger towns, have access to a college campus or are enrolled at a high school with an integrated dual-enrollment program, said Adam Goldstein, program director of CyberStart and academic director of the Leahy Center for Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity at Champlain. Most of the programs available to rural high school students consisted of asynchronous courses.

    “We saw a need for something in the middle, where students had the ability to be remote, but to have that synchronous element where they were meeting with other students and working directly with faculty members,” Goldstein said.

    Survey Says

    A 2023 report from the American Council on Education found that 41 percent of high school seniors said the pandemic changed their thinking on their choice of future career, and one in four students changed their view on what college major to pursue.

    How it works: CyberStart is a partnership between Champlain and cybersecurity group NuHarbor Security, designed to give high school students a peek into that work. Champlain also offers certificates for a working adult population, but CyberStart is modeled a little differently, relying on NuHarbor to identify which skills students need to be successful in an entry-level position.

    All Vermont high school juniors and seniors are eligible to participate if they meet dual-enrollment requirements.

    The program consists of 12 credits over four courses: two introductory courses and two internship experiences. The first internship course is led by Champlain faculty and includes other college students at the Leahy Center. The second is orchestrated by NuHarbor and has students work alongside cyber professionals, finessing their workplace skills.

    Courses take place synchronously with a Champlain instructor and follow a flipped classroom model, requiring students to complete readings or lectures prior to meeting and reserving class time for active learning, activities and collaboration among students. Courses are supported by a current student who serves as a mentor.

    A digital focus: CyberStart’s curriculum is built for someone with no prior experience, making it an accessible pathway for students with an interest in STEM. It also provides introductory college courses for students still exploring their career ambitions.

    “We feel that almost anybody in any discipline they want to go into could benefit from a cybersecurity class,” Goldstein said. “Regardless of where they head into the digital age, having an understanding of cybersecurity is a really, really critical skill set.”

    According to the Boys and Girls Club of America’s fall 2024 Youth Right Now survey, over half of high school students are interested in taking science-related courses after they graduate (57 percent), and 48 percent are interested in a STEM-related job in the future.

    Champlain’s program is intentionally structured as an on-ramp for students who want to launch into a career or postsecondary education, allowing them to build professional skills in an emerging field or kick-start their college education. Students who complete the certificate are also given conditional acceptance to Champlain, and high-performing students may be eligible for scholarships.

    “I think it can open up students’ eyes to the possibilities that maybe they weren’t initially thinking of, whether it is a workforce track and thinking about future training and experience or thinking about college and how that can ultimately have a very valuable return on investment,” Goldstein said.

    The initiative also provides students, particularly those in rural areas, with greater insight into career opportunities available to them in the region or remotely.

    State of play: Since launching the program in 2024, Champlain has established relationships with dozens of teachers and high schools across the state, Goldstein said. CyberStart is also available at Vermont’s centers for technology education.

    Some students in the program’s first cohort have continued into a second year or transitioned into a STEM discipline in higher education after graduating high school; many have chosen to pursue cybersecurity.

    The success of CyberStart may provide a model for similar programs in other fields, Goldstein said, such as computer science and data or digital humanities.

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  • Dr. Marlene Tromp Named University of Vermont’s 28th President

    Dr. Marlene Tromp Named University of Vermont’s 28th President

    Dr. Marlene TrompThe University of Vermont (UVM) Board of Trustees has selected Dr. Marlene Tromp as the institution’s 28th president.

    Tromp, who is currently serving as president of Boise State University, will assume her new role later this summer.

    “Dr. Tromp brings with her the experience and ability for great success that will benefit the university, community, and state,” said Cynthia Barnhart, Board of Trustees chair and co-chair of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee.

    A first-generation college student raised in rural Wyoming,Tromp brings nearly 30 years of experience in higher education. During her six-year tenure at Boise State, she successfully navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic while increasing student enrollment and improving affordability. Under her leadership, the university achieved record graduation rates and philanthropic funding while expanding its research footprint.

    “This is a university that has the power to truly lead the nation and even the world on several fronts,” Tromp said of UVM. “I’m so excited to work with my colleagues, the students, alumni, and friends to improve individual lives and the life of the community.”

    Tromp’s rural background appears to have been a significant factor in her selection.

    “She grew up with the experience of being in a rural state and understanding the importance of the flagship institution to that state, both urban and rural parts of the state. She really demonstrated an ability to connect well with Vermont culture, given that upbringing,” said Ron Lumbra, immediate past chair of the Board of Trustees and co-chair of the search committee. 

    A humanities scholar with a concentration in Victorian literature and culture, Tromp has published nine books and dozens of peer-reviewed papers. Her administrative experience includes serving as campus provost and executive vice chancellor at the University of California at Santa Cruz and vice provost and dean at Arizona State University.

    Senator Patrick Leahy, who met with Tromp during her campus visit, expressed confidence in her leadership abilities.

    “Dr. Tromp seems poised and ready to lead UVM. She clearly understands the impact and responsibilities UVM has in our state,” Leahy said.

    Campus leaders have also voiced strong support for the appointment. Athletic Director Jeff Schulman praised Tromp’s “experience, commitment to excellence and passion for UVM,” while Bill Falls, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, described her as “an empathetic and collaborative leader.”

    Tromp holds a Bachelor of Arts from Creighton University, a Master of Arts in English from the University of Wyoming, and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida. She currently serves on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors and consults on higher education with the Federal Reserve Board of San Francisco.

    She will succeed Dr. Suresh Garimella, who led UVM from 2019 until October 2024 when he became president of the University of Arizona. Provost Dr. Patricia Prelock has been serving as interim president since Garimella’s departure.

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