A Vermont Tech Student works with a Calf. Photo provided
By Louise Calderwood, Special to NEAFA
In the spring of 2020, faced with the uncertainty brought on by COVID and years of underfunding through the state legislative process, the Chancellor of the Vermont State Colleges System (VSCS) made the sobering announcement that he recommended closure of three of five college campuses across the state, including the Randolph campus, home to Vermont Technical College (VT Tech) and the agricultural, forestry and horticulture programs for the college system. As news of the proposal settled in, Regina Beidler who in partnership with her husband operated an organic dairy farm next to the VTC campus for many years, reached out to Ellen Kahler, Executive Director of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund and expressed her concern over the prospect of losing the educational resource as Vermont’s food and farming sector was in the midst of a resurgence of production and entrepreneurism. Beidler said “We couldn’t stand by and let the campus close while Vermont is experiencing job growth across the full range of food and farming enterprises.” With Beidler’s assistance Kahler reached out to VT Tech President Patricia Moulton, and long time Vermont agricultural advocate Louise Calderwood, to round out leadership for a process to assess the future of VT Tech and its potential role at the forefront of applied agricultural education in the northeast.
Formally launched in mid-June the nine-month re-visioning and transformation process, led by a volunteer steering committee, is on track to develop a business plan and a detailed proposal to update and expand the degree and non-degree options (with a heavy emphasis on experiential agricultural education) at the College. The transformation plan is scheduled for delivery to the Vermont legislature by April 2021. President Moulton remarked “Our farm and ag programs require significant investment to bring them up to current day standards and needs. Prior to investing in what we are doing now, I needed a detailed look at what the ag education needs are in Vermont.” Moulton went on to say active public engagement coupled with the dedicated effort of over thirty people serving on the steering committee, teams and sub-groups is enabling a high-level review of the full array of agricultural sectors. Current or former faculty from four other Vermont institutions of higher education are also involved in the project. “VT Tech staff and faculty have also rolled up their sleeves and jumped into the effort, fully engaged and looking to the future,” Moulton said.
The threesome of Calderwood, Beidler, Kahler meet weekly with President Moulton to deliver on an ambitious plan of public input, fact finding and educational program development. While Beidler and Calderwood assist the chairs of the operational teams, Kahler lends her expertise in facilitation and food system development to this process. Kahler said “There is so much growth in Vermont farm and food businesses right now. Vermont needs people trained to farm and process food and provide all the services that go along with an agricultural economy.” She said “The goal of this project is to define the best niche Vermont Tech can own in agriculture and food systems academic education, attracting not only Vermonters but folks from across the Northeast.”
The revisioning effort is tapping into some of the young talent in Vermont agriculture. Meg Nelson, a 2016 graduate of Vermont 2+2, a coordinated program which facilitates a smooth transition from an associate’s degree at VT Tech to a bachelor’s degree at the University of Vermont, serves on the revisioning process steering committee and the Program Model Development team. Nelson said “I recognize the value of my VT Tech education as I work on my parent’s farm that produces artisanal cheese, my husband’s family’s large farm operation or advocate in the Vermont legislature on behalf of agriculture. Thanks to VT Tech I am equally comfortable in the milk house, the cheese house and the statehouse.” Nelson shares that her VT Tech education provided her with professional connections as well as a solid education that have contributed to her successes to date.
Dan Gingue, currently employed as a farm business advisor by Dehm Associates, LLC, attended VT Tech in 2000 before moving on to Cornell to complete his education. Gingue serves on the Program Model Development team and will soon take part in the Business Case development team as well. “Working with farmers on a daily basis, I see first-hand the importance of an applied education that includes a solid grounding in business principles,” Gingue said. “I regularly use my VT Tech knowledge and through my job I share that knowledge with other farmers throughout the Northeast. I am pleased to be part of the process to assure VT Tech continues to support the future of agriculture throughout the region.”
As the Program Model Development team and the Culture and Curriculum team wrap up their work they will hand off their suggestions to the Business Case development team in early December. During the early winter of 2021 the Outreach and Marketing team will lead the final effort to develop a full proposal to present to the Vermont legislature. For more information on the VT Tech revisioning process contact Louise Calderwood at louisecalderwood1@gmail.com or Regina Beidler at regina.beidler@organicvalley.coop.