Sterling College’s graduating ecological stewards go on to careers as ecologists, artists, professors, writers, farmers, entrepreneurs, leaders of environmental organizations, librarians, city planners, foresters, Peace Corps volunteers, and teachers. They become the doers, thinkers, scholars, and practitioners that will transform the environmental landscape of the 21st century.

Sarah Carson '10 Self-Design Major

“Sterling really taught me to think through the big issues from all sides and think outside of the box for solutions.”

  • 75% of alumnx were employed in their field within one year of graduation.

  • 88% of alumnx feel their community contributions make the world a better place.

  • 85% of Sterling alumnx are satisfied with their work, compared to the national average of 51%.

  • 80% of alumnx felt better prepared for the workforce as a result of the Work Program.

  • 75% of alumnx work in a field of their choice.

  • 86% of alumnx feel their Sterling experience empowered them.

  • If they could start their college experience over again, 74% of alumnx would choose Sterling.

  • 92% of alumnx identify as environmental stewards.

  • 79% of alumnx use the hands-on skills they learned at Sterling in their lives.

  • Sterling College inspired passion in 95% of alumnx.

  • Sterling has a 75% graduation rate and 100% retention rate based on 2019 IPEDS.

Sharing the Land

Jes Scribner '17 has taken the sustainability of small-scale agriculture into her own hands or should we say she has put the opportunity to farm in other people's hands. She owns Birdhous, a 49-acre property in Barton, Vermont that operates as a co-working landscape for inspired young farmers, creatives, and land-based entrepreneurs. Jes leans into the vision herself and operates her own company, VT Pierogi, out of the space as part of her business model.

Weaving Her Way

Often we tell the story of an education leaving an impact on students. Our students, however, leave their own lasting marks on the world. Such is the case with Nelly Detra '16. Nelly runs her own business, Black Cat Judaica. Black Cat Judaica is dedicated to crafting Jewish products that are accessible to Jews of all situations and backgrounds. Bothered by the fact that hiddur mitzvah (making a mitzvah beautiful) is often only financially feasible for wealthy Jews, she started Black Cat Judaica to sell high quality, handmade Judaica on a sliding scale.

Creepy Crawlies

Michael Tessler '09 started catching creepy crawlies at a very young age. This passion was evident during his time as a student at Sterling. This love was further fostered in graduate school, first working on moss ecology at Fordham University and then on leech evolution at the American Museum of Natural History. He continued postdoctoral work on broader questions of plant and animal evolution across the tree of life. His research has led to over 30 journal articles, a textbook on phylogenomics, media coverage by the New York Times, and fieldwork across the globe.

Doing this research, he has mentored over 20 students (high school through doctoral), many of whom have helped co-authored publications. Currently, Michael is an Assistant Professor of Biology at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, where he continues his passion for teaching the next generation of scientists and grow my research in ecology and evolution.

Sweet Rowen Farmstead

Sweet Rowen Farmstead bottles gently pasteurized, cream-top whole milk and makes delicious, GMO free cheeses and yogurt in their farmstead creamery. Founder, Paul Lisai, and Herd Manager, Nathan van Gulden are both Sterling College alumni. Both reflect on their education as providing a holistic approach to sustainable agriculture and an appreciation for the work they do, day in, day out.