Community
Fostering Respect for Humans and Ecology
You Have a Voice
Among the most powerful examples of experiential learning is living in community. At Sterling, we engage in compelling and meaningful learning experiences as we care for our campus and for each other. Together, we provide for the College’s needs with the understanding that by working collectively we sustain our community and ourselves. Together we create opportunities for connection and exploration, and share knowledge and tools so that we may experience success and growth in our Community, Academic, and Work programs.
Through the high-impact practices of place-based and experiential learning, students are actively engaged in collaborative processes of self-discovery, self-direction, and long- and short-term goal setting. Sterling promotes and sustains diversity of culture, history, and lifestyle, fosters respect for the campus environment and ecological systems, and facilitates a productive and transformative exchange of ideas. Our programming reflects the high expectations students have of Sterling, and the high expectations we have of our students.
The guiding philosophy and approach is one that encourages compassion, care, and reflection, focusing on student development through individual growth and accountability for behavior. Our goal is to support students as they become the people they want to be in the world. We are committed to providing the tools, resources, and supports for students to make informed decisions about their lives and their interactions within the community. The processes for addressing issues are designed to support personal accountability and to balance the rights of the individual with that of the health and safety of the community.
Read through our Student Handbook to familiarize yourself with the Sterling community:
Who we are
Sterling is an intimate place with only 125 students, give or take, enrolled in Craftsbury at any one time — and we are a cool assembly of humans!
- Our 20/21 students come from 23 different states including Minnesota, Alaska, Ohio, Arizona, Kentucky, Montana, and Washington — 46% of undergrad students are from New England!
- 7% of students are international, coming from Germany, England, India, Nepal, and Senegal
- 12% of students identify as being a person of color
- 17% are first generation college students
- 34% of students have opted to pursue a self-design major
- 50% of students are Pell Grant eligible
Community Living During COVID
Living & Learning Pods
Sterling College is embracing the attributes that make it unique—small enrollment, rural location, field programs, and professional studies opportunities—and welcoming students back to campus for the Fall Semester under a creative, multifaceted plan that values both the health and welfare of its students and the integrity and quality of the Sterling experience.
Sterling has always offered housing in small residences where students share responsibility and establish their own community norms and cultures. For the 20/21 academic year the College will house students in Living & Learning Pods (LLP), creating intentional communities of 7-18 students. These small groups, ranging from 7 to 18 students in size, will share a residence hall, dine together, study the same package of courses together, and likely work together. Each LLP will be dedicated to specific areas of study and supported by a small team of dedicated faculty and staff, allowing a “deep dive” into their studies in a low-risk environment. Most students will participate in two different LLPs through the course of a semester.
Still Have Questions?
Click through:
