Castleton photos courtesy of VTSU.
Graduates span 200 Vermont Towns and 96 Majors including nursing, construction trades, engineering, manufacturing, education, mental heath counseling and more
Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State University (VTSU) graduated its first class of students after Castleton University, Northern Vermont University and Vermont Technical College unified to create Vermont State last year. The class of nearly 1,000 students encompassed Vermonters from more than 200 Vermont towns, not to mention students who chose VTSU from states throughout the country.
“The placement of our campuses was deliberate as they launched—some of them hundreds of years ago and as we grow into this new unified university, we are so proud to meet our students where they are in every sense of the phrase,” stated VTSU interim president David Bergh. “We’re proud that they are still geographically accessible to most students who want to attend in person. And for those who have family obligations or jobs that keep them from campus, we have online or Face-to-Face+ options. In fact, more than 100 of our graduates were online students.”
Bergh also noted the graduates spanned a wide variety of majors—96 in total.
“Our five campuses and online offerings afford our students a wide variety of degree, certificate and training programs, so our students can choose what inspires them and helps them meet their goals,” he noted. “We are also fulfilling our mission of preparing students to participate in the Vermont workforce. About three-quarters of our graduates stay here in our great state to live, work, and give back to their communities. And so many of our #firstclass grads are prepared to enter jobs in fields where our workforce sorely needs them.”
He explained that of the nearly one-thousand 2024 graduates:
- More than 600 have studied in careers in health care, including more than 200 nurses and 40 dental hygienists, two extremely important workforce priorities today; another 163 nurses will graduate in June, raising the number of health care grads to nearly 800
- 62 graduated in fields like engineering, architecture and construction management, which can further the state's housing and infrastructure goals
- 100 were in education-related fields or studied for teacher certification, including early childhood education, all of which have been workforce priorities in Vermont
- 171 got business-related or tech credentials and can contribute to manufacturing organizations in the state, which have lately had challenges with recruitment
- 58 have trained in much-needed mental health related careers, where workforce shortages are acute
“This class is one-of-a-kind and will hold a very special place in the hearts of Vermonters,” he noted. “They have not only persisted through the many changes that have faced our institution in the last few years and all of higher education; they studied through a pandemic and many other challenges. They are truly #firstclass and I am so proud of their accomplishments.”
Vermont State University
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