Creative & innovative
Alumni Stories
Mads Aland
Ecology
Sterling College
At Sterling College, not only was my tuition offset, but
I developed the confidence in my own abilities to
aim beyond improving my family’s financial status.
In 2023, my work program experience helped me
secure my first fully funded research project with the
National Science Foundation and Michigan State
University. My work ethic, which had been fostered
throughout my undergraduate program, was so
impressive that my project was extended an additional
two months.
I would not be where I am today without Sterling
College’s work program, and I look back on my
experience fondly. I am now a master’s student at
Morgan State University, with full funding from
NASA’s OCEANs program.
UNIFIED BY PURPOSE
OUR WORK COLLEGE MEMBERS
There are currently ten federally recognized Work Colleges, and nine are members of the Work Colleges Consortium. These institutions are small, private, liberal arts colleges with modest enrollments that range from about 150 to approximately 1,600 students. Each school is unique and operates the work program in a slightly different fashion. However, “work-learning-service” is a central component of each Work College. Student work, coupled with robust academics and a spirit of service, is the common denominator shared by all the Work Colleges.
Pippa Pass, Kentucky
Berea, Kentucky
Carlinville, Illinois
Point Lookout, Missouri
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Dallas, Texas
Craftsbury Common, Vermont
Asheville, North Carolina