VTC Opens—High Enrollment
And 5 New Degree Programs
By Sara Nelson

Five new degree programs and a multi-million dollar fitness center are now welcoming students to Vermont Technical College, where classes started this week.

New Bachelors degrees in Equine Studies, Sustainable Technology, and Dental Hygiene, and Associates degrees in Fire Science and Diesel Technology are being offered to students for the first time this year.

VTC president Ty Handy said it’s been "decades" since the school added so many programs in one year. However, Handy said, interest and enrollment are increasing at the school, with deposits up 14% this semester.

Last May the school graduated 580 students, its largest class ever.

Besides new degrees to choose from, students will soon have the benefit of a state-of-the-art fitness center. The $4.2 million, 14,000-square-foot SHAPE facility will include a 75-seat dining area, lounge, and patio.

College officials said the fitness center portion of the facility is scheduled to open Sept. 1, with the rest of the building opening sometime in mid-September. The fitness center will also be available for use by the greater community.