This post is part of a series: Applying the Principles of Catholic Social Justice to Contemporary Issues. One way to clarify the present debates about higher education is to ask a simple question: who has a claim to academic freedom? The answer is more complex than it first appears. In public discussion, academic freedom is […]
Read MoreAn immersive traveling museum that tells the story of the impact of Christian service will visit Vermont at the end of the month, with a stop at Saint Michael’s College. Stories of service are at the center of People of Hope: Faith-Filled Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a national storytelling initiative housed in a digitally retrofitted tractor-trailer. The museum […]
Read MoreThe Saint Michael’s Fire and Rescue Squad caught Andrew Jones’ attention as he and his family drove toward campus for a prospective student in the late 2010s. The student volunteers were hanging out in front of the Robert E. Sutton Fire and Rescue Station on a beautiful day. “It was just a different world across […]
Read MoreSeekonk, Massachusetts, native Ashley Silveira ’26 will graduate from Saint Michael’s College this May and continue on the path she has laid for herself during the last four years. She has combined academics – with a major in Anthropology and Sociology and a minor in International Relations – with internships, leadership positions, and study-abroad experiences […]
Read MoreAfter graduating from Saint Michael’s College in May, Alexa Roux ’26 will pursue a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University. Specifically, the Manchester, New Hampshire, native will be working toward a degree in materials chemistry. This science is defined as the study of materials at the molecular or atomic level in order to design, synthesize, or […]
Read MoreSaint Michael’s College alumnus Brent Hill ‘04 has always known what it takes to work hard and persevere. As an assistant coach of the U.S.A. Women’s Hockey Team, Hill had the opportunity to accompany his players and fellow coaches to the recent Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games, where they would go on to capture gold in […]
Read MoreThis post is part of a series: Applying the Principles of Catholic Social Justice to Contemporary Issues. Recent debates about higher education have often centered on institutional policies, diversity offices, accreditation, or state restrictions on certain kinds of teaching. Utah’s passage of H.B. 204, a revision of a former law governing when students may be […]
Read MoreThis summer, 15 students from Saint Michael’s College will complete an eight-week internship in either Seoul, South Korea, or Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – an experience supported by an annual grant from the Freeman Foundation. St. Mike’s is one of only 33 colleges or universities in the U.S. that receives this competitive grant annually. […]
Read MoreThis post is part of a series: Applying the Principles of Catholic Social Justice to Contemporary Issues. In recent years, a growing number of federal and state officials in the U.S. have argued that colleges and universities must be restrained in the name of equal treatment, merit, neutrality, and viewpoint balance. On one level, such […]
Read MoreFor three recent service scholarship winners hoping to attend Saint Michael’s College, the moment they realized they’d been selected was memorable. For Jenny Blanshine, a daunting walk to the principal’s office preceded what was ultimately a good report. For Ava Walker, the school’s guidance counselor office was stuffed with expectant family members trying to stay […]
Read MoreCOLCHESTER, VT — An internationally recognized advocate for girls’ education will deliver the Commencement address to the Saint Michael’s College Class of 2026. Shabana Basij- Rasikh, co-founder and president of the School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA), will also receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during the College’s 119th Commencement. The ceremony will be held at […]
Read MoreJust over two years after Saint Michael’s College students planted colorful crosses on campus in recognition of migrants who died while crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, a group of students, faculty, and staff traveling near the border this winter participated in a similar exercise – this time in the vast desert where migrants’ remains had been […]
Read MoreAmerican public life often argues about the U.S. Supreme Court in terms of whether it has expanded or protected “individual rights.” Some critics worry that, when rights language becomes the only moral vocabulary, it can unintentionally thin out the goods that make freedom livable, especially the stability of family life and the well-being of children. […]
Read MoreThe former Director of the U.S. Census Bureau – a career-long statistician and data scientist – will speak at Saint Michael’s College as part of an annual endowed lecture series. The Honorable Robert L. Santos, the first Latino and person of color to serve as the Senate-confirmed director of the Census, will explore how considering […]
Read MoreAre we approaching a line we must not cross as a nation? That is the question raised by Jamelle Bouie’s warning about immigration detention in the United States in a New York Times opinion piece (The Depravity of Trump’s Immigrant Detention). His concern is not a careless comparison to extermination camps. It is a warning […]
Read MoreFor only the third time since the Saint Michael’s College Theatre program began in 1962, a student is directing the spring semester’s mainstage production. Angeljolee “Jojo” Carter ’26 will direct Antlia Pneumatica, a modern dramedy by Anne Washburn that explores themes of friendship and grief through the eyes of a group of college friends. The […]
Read MoreIf you’ve ever passed by the Institute for the Environment office on the first floor of St. Ed’s, you’ve probably noticed the colorful fliers advertising a variety of scientific expeditions around the world. These are more than fun decorations – the I4E is encouraging our students to explore the many opportunities that organizations like EarthWatch […]
Read MoreCatholic Social Teaching gives us a demanding but practical standard for judging economic life. The U.S. bishops put it plainly: the economy exists for the person, not the person for the economy (A Catholic Framework for Economic Life). Pope John Paul II made the same claim when he stated that the person is the “true […]
Read MoreWhen Noah Robinson, Ph.D., graduated from Saint Michael’s College in May of 2021, he left campus with much more than a diploma – he left with the skills necessary to “fit into any environment that I found myself in,” he said. Four years after receiving his undergraduate degree from St. Mike’s, Robinson has a Ph.D. […]
Read MoreMass shootings in schools, bars, churches, grocery stores, and concerts now arrive with a grim familiarity. We grieve, we pray, we argue, and then we move on, because the news cycle moves on. Yet Catholic faith will not let us treat repeated bloodshed as normal. The Gospel refuses numbness. Catholic Social Teaching presses an uncomfortable […]
Read MoreSaint Michael’s College and the Lake Champlain Chamber have partnered to pilot a two-year co-operative education program designed to enhance career pathways for students and bolster regional talent pipelines. SMC Co-op is an innovative, career-focused initiative that connects high-achieving third- and fourth-year students with real-world, project-based experiences in local businesses. The model is rare in the national higher […]
Read MoreShelburne Community School Humanities teacher Meg O’Donnell ’88, flitted back and forth across her colorful, book-filled classroom between students working on their world religions unit test on a Friday morning at the end of January. Instead of giving her students the answers they sought when some were struggling with completing the work, she asked them […]
Read MoreImmigration debates in the U.S. often collapse into a single slogan: “secure the border.” Catholics can and should affirm that border governance is legitimate. The Church does not teach “open borders.” It recognizes the authority of governments to regulate entry for the sake of public order and the common good. Pope Leo XIV himself has […]
Read MoreA Saint Michael’s College student is using a national fellowship to make a difference in the greater Burlington area. Libby Rossi ’26 has been dedicated to community service throughout her time at St. Mike’s, including through Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts (MOVE) and experiential learning opportunities through her Sociology and Anthropology/Psychology double major. This year, Campus […]
Read MoreCareer Connections, an annual networking event organized by Saint Michael’s College’s Alumni Board and the Office of Advancement and Communications, will take place March 6, 2026. Alumni are invited back to campus to participate in a career fair, do “table talks” on topics related to the job search, and network with current students. The signature […]
Read MoreIt is the Mission of St. Michael’s College to contribute through higher education to the enhancement of the human person and the advancement of human culture in light of the Catholic faith. In the earlier reflections, we explored the mission of Saint Michael’s College through the lenses of the enhancement of the human person, the […]
Read MoreCongratulations to students named to Saint Michael’s College Dean’s List for the Fall 2025 semester! View the full list below, which was last updated in December 2025. Qualifications for Dean’s List A student who has completed a minimum of twelve credits of classes with grades, not including classes with a grade “P,” and achieves a grade […]
Read MoreIt is the Mission of St. Michael’s College to contribute through higher education to the enhancement of the human person and the advancement of human culture in the light of the Catholic faith. In the first three reflections, we explored the mission of Saint Michael’s College through the enhancement of the human person, the advancement […]
Read MoreIt is the Mission of St. Michael’s College to contribute through higher education to the enhancement of the human person and the advancement of human culture in the light of the Catholic faith. In the first three reflections, we explored the mission of Saint Michael’s College through the enhancement of the human person, the advancement […]
Read MoreThe mission of Saint Michael’s College is to contribute through higher education to the enhancement of the human person and the advancement of human culture in the light of the Catholic faith. Saint Michael’s mission commits the institution not only to forming individuals but to advancing human culture, a charge that carries explicit moral, civic, […]
Read MoreSaint Michael’s College recently received a $1 million gift from an anonymous donor to launch a special current-use scholarship initiative designed to make tuition more affordable for students and their families. This transformative gift directly supports the College’s expanded financial aid initiatives, which were recently introduced to increase access and affordability. “This extraordinary act of generosity reflects […]
Read MoreThe mission of Saint Michael’s College is to contribute through higher education to the enhancement of the human person and the advancement of human culture in the light of the Catholic faith. The mission of Saint Michael’s College asserts that higher education exists not only to transmit knowledge but also to contribute to the enhancement of […]
Read MoreLong before Emily Tarr ’18 graced the cover of Arizona Dental Association’s Inscriptions magazine, she had all but sworn off dentistry as her profession. She spent much of her childhood hanging out in her mom’s dental practice thinking that it didn’t have the same luster as other possibilities. She spent her time at St. Mike’s dabbling in a variety of interests during undergrad and even taking some time off to […]
Read MoreThe mission of Saint Michael’s College is to contribute through higher education to the enhancement of the human person and the advancement of human culture in the light of the Catholic faith. Saint Michael’s mission statement is not branding. It is an institutional charter that authorizes priorities, disciplines tradeoffs, and establishes accountability. The phrase “in […]
Read MoreSaint Michael’s College is celebrating its 34th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation with a full week of events and experiences, starting on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and continuing through Jan. 23. This year’s theme is “The World House: The Interrelatedness of All Things,” inspired by Dr. King’s last book Where Do […]
Read MoreThe Education Department at Saint Michael’s College is very fortunate to have great relationships with our local school districts. This allows for our pre-service teachers to get hands-on experience prior to joining the job world. Here at the Institute for the Environment, we have tapped into this connection in order to grow our field trip […]
Read MoreOn October 6 and 9, the I4E Teaching and Learning team welcomed our first major field trip endeavor to our outdoor spaces. Our initiative as graduate assistants has been to open up the wonderful outdoor classrooms at Saint Michael’s to our surrounding community and make the environment accessible to all ages and backgrounds of students. […]
Read MoreOver the course of October, the Graduate Assistant team worked with the middle school English learner classes at Edmunds Middle school to conduct a multi-part birding experience! All 3 GAs are current MATESOL students here at Saint Michael’s College, so we were excited about the many learning connections. The 3 of us visited Edmunds twice […]
Read MoreIn his New York Times opinion piece “Foreign Aid Is Mostly Gone. It Could Be Replaced with Something Better,” written some time ago now (October 13, 2025), Rajiv J. Shah, former director of the United States Agency for International Development, warns that wealthy nations are retreating from their long-standing moral and humanitarian responsibilities. The closing […]
Read MoreCOLCHESTER, VT – Saint Michael’s College has updated its portfolio of academic offerings to better prepare students to navigate the complexities of the modern world with skill, professionalism, and empathy, while remaining firmly grounded in its liberal arts tradition. As the nature of work continues to evolve, employers increasingly value graduates who can think critically, adapt to change, […]
Read MoreA medieval town in southern Italy, Fontecchio, once fortified against invaders with walls of stone and mortar, couldn’t protect itself from a devastating earthquake almost two decades ago. Now, it’s looking to a new type of salvation to bring this historically beautiful hilltop town back to life – art. And, those wielding it in ways […]
Read MoreMargrethe “Maggie” Frøland ’25 listened with rapt attention as Amy Hepburn, CEO of Investor Leadership Network, described her globally recognized work on social impact and sustainable finance during a 2023 trip led through Saint Michael’s College. “(Maggie) turned and she looked at me,” recalled Ingrid Peterson, director of Saint Michael’s Boucher Career Education Center, “and […]
Read MoreSaint Michael’s College is preparing students to save the world – quite literally. The College is rolling out a comprehensive Emergency Services program, led by a new major. Students will learn the knowledge and skills required to serve as EMS providers, firefighters, wilderness first responders and emergency management personnel. After a successful launch of an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) minor in fall 2025, the College received another […]
Read MoreSaint Michael’s College is pleased to announce that five alumni – all leaders in their respective fields – have joined the College’s Board of Trustees over the past year. New additions to the Board include biotech executive and entrepreneur Pamela Carroll ’85 of Boston, Massachusetts; consultant and retired transportation software executive Marie Colbert ’89 of Scituate, Massachusetts; M&T Bank senior vice president and communications leader Patrick Fitzgibbons ’89 of Montclair, […]
Read MoreAustin Brush ’26 had never traveled abroad until he spent eight weeks in Vietnam thanks to a grant he received through Saint Michael’s College’s International Internship Program, supported by the Freeman Foundation. The grant sends students from St. Mike’s to countries in Asia – most recently Vietnam or South Korea – for two months each […]
Read MoreEvery day, subtle prompts shape our behavior. A notification urges us to check a message we did not plan to read. An app suggests a video “you may like,” and suddenly an hour is gone. Online shopping carts nudge us toward products with the words “customers also bought.” None of these are neutral suggestions; they […]
Read MoreWhen Grace Castonguay ’24 clipped into her first pair of Nordic ski bindings at 18 years old, she was already years behind her competitors. Castonguay, a high school senior at the time, joined the sport simply because her parents told her it would “look good on college applications.” This spontaneous decision would set her down […]
Read MoreWork is more than a way to earn a paycheck. It shapes our sense of purpose, allows us to provide for our families, and connects us to the wider community. Through work, we contribute our talents, grow in skill, and participate in something larger than ourselves. Catholic Social Teaching insists that work is not merely […]
Read MoreWe live in a world where algorithms quietly make decisions that affect our lives. They determine which résumés are read by employers, which neighborhoods receive loans, which patients get flagged for extra medical care. These systems are built on data, and often the data is not neutral. It carries the history of our choices, our […]
Read MoreSaint Michael’s College is broadening its reach and providing more dynamic opportunities for students and the greater region, due to grant awards and partnerships announced this fall. In all, the more than $800,000 in gifts will propel specific projects, and partnerships in the fields of biotechnology, biomedical research, and chemistry, as well as expand internships […]
Read More