Sterling

New England’s only work learning service college and the smallest of all colleges that I will visit, Sterling has just 100 students. There is no cell phone service on campus and no shopping nearby. Students dine together at the lone dining room and get to know each other and the faculty very well. This is a place for those who love the outdoors. The only majors offered are in Conservation Ecology, Outdoor Education or Circumpolar Studies (which focuses on studying the northern hemisphere). Students can also design their own major. Regardless of major, each student must supply their own axe!
Sustainability is a focus for everyone. Each student also works for the school in some capacity. There is a working farm on campus with pigs, chicken, sheep, horses and cows that students care for. They might also work in the kitchen, with maintenance, or in an office.
Experiential learning is stressed. The classroom is often in the field; be it a river, a mountain, the farm, or some other venue.
There are no varsity sports teams or school music groups. There are weekly meetings on Wednesday afternoons to discuss everything going on around campus. About half the students live off campus or commute, so on weekends, the remaining students often camp or hike or cross country ski.