Sterling College

The Sterling College dining hall serves a higher proportion of local food than any other college or university dining hall in the country. After buying land in Craftsbury in 2010, I rediscovered Sterling College, and realized that its mission of environmental stewardship completely resonated with me. If I hadn't left Vermont, I don't think I would have developed the same level of appreciation for this wonderful place. I serve as Director of Admission & Financial Aid.

Matthew Derr is the President of Sterling College, a leading voice in higher education for environmental stewardship. He has served as a fellow at the Great Lakes College Association, a consortium of liberal arts colleges, and as Interim President of Antioch College, where he developed a new educational model focused on issues related to food, water, health, energy, and governance. In 2011, Matthew was recognized by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education as Chief Executive of the Year. Matthew earned his MSW in Community Organizing from the University of Michigan, and has studied at the Heyman Center for Philanthropy at New York University.

Founded in 1958, Sterling College is the leading voice in higher education for environmental stewardship. We were among the very first colleges in the world to focus exclusively on sustainability.

Sterling College Marketing Coordinator

THE SCHOOL OF THE NEW AMERICAN FARMSTEAD AT STERLING COLLEGE OFFERS CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES FOR AGRARIANS, CULINARIANS, ENTREPRENEURS, AND LIFELONG LEARNERS. We provide a variety of workshops, classes, and certifications that will inspire you, equip you with marketable skills, and provide you with new perspectives on integrated, community-centered farming and food production. Our hands-on courses will require you to roll up your sleeves and dig in or get cooking. The School of the New American Farmstead’s experiential approach will engage all of your senses and impart techniques perfected by some of the world’s most skilled ecological farmers and craft-food producers. Our instructors pair their singular expertise with enthusiastic and effective teaching. In small classes, you will work one-on-one with sustainable agriculture pioneers and reverent food artisans, who will also share illuminating history, fundamental theory, and practical information. On Sterling’s Farm and in its teaching kitchen, you will have ample opportunity to put your new knowledge into practice. Visits with the stewards of Vermont’s working landscape and the visionary leaders of its vibrant food movement will complete the immersive experience. Give your passion for food and farming the time and space it deserves. Explore a lifestyle or career that feeds your body, mind, and soul. Learn to replenish the land, relish its bounty, and revive time-tested rural arts.

Sterling College, located in the heart of Vermont’s rural agricultural economy and vibrant local food system, and The Rian Fried Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems encompass our educational Farm, Forest, and Kitchen, bachelor's degree programs in Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems, and continuing education programs through the School of the New American Farmstead. Sterling students play an integral role in food production, as Sterling is a federally recognized Work College, with all students working to defray the cost of their education.

Sterling College's mission is to advance ecological thinking and action through affordable experiential learning that prepares people to be knowledgeable, skilled, and responsible leaders in the communities in which they live. Sterling is one of 8 federally recognized work colleges in the US and offers majors in sustainable agriculture and food systems, outdoor education, ecology, environmental humanities, and self-designed majors.