Mission and History

Our Mission Statement

The Sterling College community combines structured academic study with experiential challenges and plain hard work to build responsible problem solvers who become stewards of the environment as they pursue productive lives.

Sterling College—A Brief History

Sterling was founded by Norman Rioux in 1958 as a boys’ college preparatory school. It was named after Margaret Sterling, the deceased wife of Douglas Field. Mr. Field was one of several Berkshire School (MA) faculty members who came here with Mr. Rioux.  Sterling's educational philosophy soon became rooted in the precepts developed by the founder of Outward Bound, Kurt Hahn. His compelling educational pillars included combining academics, physical challenge, craftsmanship, and service to others. In the early 1960s, these principles found solid footing in the Northeast Kingdom under the leadership of new Headmaster W.E. “Ted” Bermingham. In late November 1964, the first Winter Expedition bivouacked at the base of West Mountain near the Canadian border. Winter Expedition is still a signature element of the Sterling experience and serves as the culmination of the fall semester.

When the alternative preparatory school market waned in the early 1970s, Sterling was well positioned to respond creatively. First came the Academic Short Course in Outdoor Leadership, a 21-day program for 13 to 16 year olds. It brought hundreds of young people to Sterling for an intense winter learning experience. The Short Course solidified women’s presence on campus to share equally in the benefits of a Sterling education. An extension of this idea became the year-long Grassroots project, an immediate success that led Sterling into the world of higher education. Sterling’s first Associate of Arts Degree in Resource Management was awarded in 1982. Full accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges was granted in 1987. Several members of the Grassroots Faculty continue to teach at the College today.

John E. “Jed” Williamson became President of Sterling College in 1996. He led the College through reaccreditation in 1997, including development of a baccalaureate program. The newly developed Junior and Senior Year curriculum builds on strengths of the two-year program, including Grassroots Year and the second-year internship program. During Junior Year many students pursue field studies across the globe in places such as Belize, Japan, Scandinavia, Nepal, and India. During Senior Year, students build upon these experiences as they develop a comprehensive Senior Applied Research Project.

Sterling also incorporates many of the traditions of the New England family farm, where everyone takes a hand at doing the chores. In 1999, Sterling College gained eligibility to join the Work Colleges Consortium, a national organization lending support to the College’s longstanding motto, Working Hands – Working Minds. When Sterling joined the federally funded Consortium, students became eligible to earn tuition stipends for their work on campus and service to the larger Craftsbury community.

Facilities on the hundred-plus acre Sterling College campus include fourteen residential, administrative, and classroom buildings, a woodworking shop, and library. Outdoor teaching facilities include a managed woodlot, a 300-acre boreal wetland, a challenge course, a 30-foot climbing tower, organic gardens, and a working livestock farm with two solar/wind powered barns. Much of what is grown and raised is consumed in the dining hall.

Sterling College attracts faculty dedicated to undergraduate teaching, interdisciplinary curriculum, and diverse learning modes. Mottoes of the original school—Fovette Stirpes (Nourish the Roots)—and of the College—Working Hands – Working Minds—epitomize the core values of this unique, dynamic, forward-looking institution.