Sterling College, the environmentally focused four-year college in Craftsbury Common, will end its academic programs after the spring 2026 semester, leaving the town of roughly 1,300 to grapple with the loss of a major institution.
The college, founded in 1958, has long been an economic and cultural anchor. It brought students from across the country, employed local residents, and helped boost the town's population, which increased in the 2020 census.
“We had been a relative success story,” said Gina Campoli, a Craftsbury Common resident. “And now we’re getting hammered.”
Sterling College president Scott Thomas said the board of trustees will decide how to use remaining resources. The closure follows a pattern of small Vermont colleges shutting down, including Green Mountain College, College of St. Joseph, and Goddard College.
Local businesses feel the impact. Emily McClure, co-owner of The Genny general store, said student presence has been declining for five years. “There’s this young energy that comes with a college in your town,” she said. “I think we’re going to feel it more in an energetic way than we are financially.”
The water district serving Craftsbury Common faces a major hit. The college represents 45% of water usage and 36% of revenue, according to treasurer Paula Davidson. “I’m not sure how we will proceed,” she said.
Former staff and residents are now imagining what comes next. Ned Houston, a former president and faculty member, said many hope to preserve the college’s vision in some new form.
Originally reported by VTDigger.
Photo: Jessie Garcia via Pexels. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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