This commentary is by Janette Bombardier, a licensed professional engineer who is chief operating officer and chief technical officer at Chroma Technologies. She is on the board of trustees of the Vermont State Colleges System.
When the new Vermont State University opens its doors in the fall of 2023, it will do so leveraging the strengths of the three institutions it joins together: Castleton University, Northern Vermont University and Vermont Technical College.
All bring unique and complementary legacies to the table.
Recently, Vermont Technical College achieved the distinction of ranking first in the state and seventh in the country for return-on-investment among four-year public universities. The rankings, released by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, place 4,500 colleges and universities nationwide by net value at several benchmarks — after 10 years of enrolling, 15 years, 20 years, 30 years and 40 years.
Vermont Tech ranked first in the state at 10, 15, 20 and 30 years, and it also moved up in the rankings for long-term return on investment. The national rankings are topped by Princeton University and include only two other technical colleges: Georgia Tech and FIT.
Vermonters should be proud — not simply of the ranking, but more so of the people who made it happen. They are the very same people building our new Vermont State University, a bold and innovative reimagining of higher education in our state.
These faculty, staff, students, and community members are also our friends, family, and neighbors. And they are bringing incredible achievements to the new Vermont State University, laying the foundation for a strong future.
That foundation includes a state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing center, collaborations with Vermont’s leading-edge businesses and community-driven organizations, and the hands-on learning and training opportunities that help students thrive on and around campus, then later in their chosen professions. Applied learning is critical for employers across many sectors who are seeking prepared graduates from our colleges and universities.
Add to this the fact that Vermont Technical College’s Class of 2021 has achieved a remarkable 99% placement rate in employment or continuing education within six months of graduation for the fourth year in a row. Vermont employers value the skills these students bring to their employers, which is why Vermont Technical College consistently achieves these outcomes.
And at Castleton University and Northern Vermont University, we are seeing groundbreaking work in realms ranging from climate change research to writing and the arts. It’s all very exciting.
Students at the forthcoming Vermont State University can expect a lot of new things, but they can also expect to forge their futures within the larger and longer history of incredible outcomes at Vermont Technical College, as well as NVU and Castleton.
