Saint Michael's College: A Comprehensive Overview of History and Programs

Saint Michael's College, often called St. Mikes, is a private Catholic college located in Colchester, Vermont. Rooted in a rich history and committed to academic excellence and community engagement, the college offers a diverse range of programs and activities for its students.

Historical Roots and Evolution

The origin of Saint Michael's College can be traced back to 1889 when priests from the Society of Saint Edmund sought refuge in the United States due to widespread anti-clericalism in France. They established Saint Michael's Institute in 1904 with an initial investment of $5,000. The institute initially enrolled thirty-four students, aged 10 to 22, with a tuition and board fee of $105.

Over time, Saint Michael's transitioned from an academy to a traditional residential college, gradually discontinuing its high school program. Before the 1950s, classes were small. In the 1950s, the college experienced significant expansion, with class sizes increasing to hundreds of students. During this era, freshmen were expected to adhere to a formal dress code, wearing a dress shirt, coat, and tie to every class and for the evening meal.

In a significant event, about 130 refugees from the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 found a home at the college. The college became a co-educational institution in April 1970, following a proposal approved by the Board of Trustees, then led by president Bernard Boutin.

List of Presidents

Ernest M.
Edmund M.
Leon E.
James H.
Daniel P.
Francis E.
Gerald E.
Bernard L.
Francis E.
Edward L.
Paul J.
Marc A.
John J.

Campus and Sustainability Initiatives

The main campus is the original and largest, housing most classrooms, administration buildings, and residence halls. The Quad is a central point, anchored by Durick Library to the west and the Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel to the east. Cheray Hall, Jeanmarie Hall, and Saint Edmund's Hall, along with the McCarthy Arts Center, line the Quad to the south.

Read also: Explore Saint Michael's College

Saint Michael's College has made strides in sustainability. It was named the first fair trade school in Vermont. The college features an organic garden, started in 2008, that involves students and faculty. Student volunteers participate through the Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts (MOVE) program and summer interns and crew members prepare vegetables for Farm Stands from mid-summer through the beginning of fall.

The school provides a free CCTA commuter pass to all students, staff, and faculty. Dual-flush handles for toilets are being installed in campus buildings to improve water conservation, and all campus showerheads and sink aerators are low-flow. Saint Michael's College also supports the St. Francis Pledge.

Student Housing and Campus Life

Students at Saint Michael's College live in various housing facilities. Freshmen typically reside in double-style dorm buildings with communal spaces, while sophomores and juniors often live in suite-style dorms, sharing a living room and bathroom with 3-7 other students. Nearly 100% of students live on campus in residence halls and townhouses.

The college offers over 40 student organizations, providing opportunities for engagement and community building. There are no fraternities or sororities. Other activities include Saint Michael's Fire and Rescue student volunteer first responders, Student Association, Adventure Sports Program, Campus Ministry, the campus radio station WVTX, club sports, student musical and play productions, the Saint Michael's Chorale, Vermont Gregorian Chant Schola, open mic nights, and various instrumental and vocal ensembles. Christmas and spring semi-formal dances are also held.

Academic Programs and Honors

Saint Michael's College emphasizes hands-on learning with a student-to-teacher ratio of 12:1. Undergraduate programs include over 30 majors and minors, combined with a liberal studies curriculum and experiential learning requirement. The college emphasizes independent study, independent research, internships, and foreign study. Eligible students can also participate in the college's Honors Program. Students may participate in study abroad programs, which cost the same as a semester on campus. Students can choose from over 100 different programs located around the globe and can choose a program by location or language, or from a variety of special Saint Michael's programs.

Saint Michael's houses chapters of several honor societies: Phi Beta Kappa; Delta Epsilon Sigma, the Catholic honor society; Pi Sigma Alpha for Political Science; Omicron Delta Epsilon for Economics; Phi Alpha Theta for History; Kappa Delta Pi for Education; Psi Chi for Psychology; Sigma Xi for Science and Technology; Pi Mu Epsilon for Mathematics; Beta Beta Beta for Biology; Kappa Tau Alpha for Journalism and Mass Communication (the only KTA chapter nationwide housed at a small college); and Sigma Beta Delta for Business, Management, and Administration. Four Saint Michael's professors have been named the CASE/Carnegie Foundation Vermont Professor of the Year.

Athletics

Athletics facilities include a fitness room, racquetball courts, and an indoor track and swimming pool. There are 21 varsity sports (10 for men, 11 for women) and over 20 intramural teams. Saint Michael's varsity sports teams are called the Purple Knights. The school colors are purple and gold. Eighteen varsity teams participate in the NCAA's Division II Northeast-10 Conference; Alpine and Nordic skiing are members of the multi-divisional Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA), and women’s ice hockey competes in Division I New England Women's Hockey Alliance. Approximately 25% of students participate in a varsity sport.

Men's Sports:

Baseball
Basketball
Cross Country
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Skiing (Alpine and Nordic)
Soccer
Swimming & Diving
Tennis

Women's Sports:

Basketball
Cross Country
Field Hockey
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Skiing
Soccer
Softball
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Volleyball

Student-led programs include men's and women's rugby, billiards, ping pong, floor hockey, volleyball, and indoor soccer. Tournaments are scheduled throughout the academic year. Yoga, jazzercise, kickboxing, cardio step, and pilates courses are offered weekly.

Arts and Culture

Saint Michael's Playhouse is the college's professional equity summer theater and a member of the Council of Resident Stock Theaters (CORST). Saint Michael's offers over 40 different student-run clubs and organizations, ranging from the arts (e.g., A cappella groups, Drama Club, Chorale) to community groups (e.g., Common Ground, Food Justice, Student Global AIDS Campaign) to academic clubs. Turtle Underground is a student-run program that promotes student art, music, and performance, with shows on most Saturdays during the semester.

Adventure Sports Center

The Adventure Sports Center (ASC) at Saint Michael's College features hiking, rock climbing, ice climbing, snowshoeing, kayaking, and skiing.

Read also: Creativity in Education

Notable Alumni

Frederick M.
Thomas W.
Rudolph J.
Thomas E.
Joseph F. Dunford Jr.
Michael J.
Earle B.
Robert W.
Harold C.

Financial Information

As of June 30, 2022. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2022 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY21 to FY22 (Report). National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA. February 17, 2023.

History Department

The History Department at Saint Michael’s College aims to bring the past to life through diverse courses focusing on various geographical regions and time periods, including the United States, Europe (modern, medieval, and ancient), Latin America, East Asia, and the Islamic world. Faculty members are active scholars who bring their expertise and enthusiasm for research into their classrooms and seminars.

In-Depth Study

Students develop skills in investigation, writing, and critical analysis, weaving together ideas from other disciplines, which prepares them for various career and graduate school options.

Course Topics:

The Vikings
The Black Death
African Slavery and the Atlantic World
Cuba
History of the American Family
Native Peoples
Public History
British Sit-Com and Society
Crime and Society in 19th Century Britain
World War II in Europe
Immigrant America
American Empire 1840-1950

The department emphasizes critical thinking, research skills, oral presentations, and good writing.

Special Opportunities:

Travel and Learn: Study abroad opportunities in Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia.
Study Tour Course to Selma, Alabama: Focuses on the Society of Saint Edmund's role in the Civil Rights struggle in the 1960s.
Internships: Students have interned at the Office of the Governor of Vermont, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Vermont Commission on Women, the Hinesburg Land Trust, Shelburne Museum, and more.
Phi Alpha Theta: Saint Michael’s College founded its chapter, Alpha Epsilon Nu, in 1991, and membership is open to all students, regardless of major.
Norbert A. Kuntz Memorial Lecture in History: Brings a historian of international stature to Saint Michael’s College to address the community.
Double-Major or Minor: Closely associated with interdisciplinary programs like American Studies, East Asian Studies, Gender Studies, Humanities, and Medieval Studies.

Careers After Graduation:

History Teacher
Editorial Assistant
Law Clerk
Paraprofessional
Political Campaign Position
Community Integration Specialist

A history degree is valuable for careers in law, marketing/public relations, insurance, teaching, business, banking, education agencies and foundations, museums, state or federal government historical programs, libraries, research institutions, public research agencies, foundations or philanthropic organizations, state councils on the humanities, historic preservation, restoration programs, state and federal departments of archaeology, resident historians in state or national parks, and government service.

Research:

Every History major completes a senior thesis, a significant research project on a historical topic of interest. Each senior works with a faculty mentor who serves as their thesis advisor and becomes a member of a senior seminar class that assists them with completing the project.

Recent Senior Seminar Topics:

Border Lines and Racial Divides: On the Radical and Cultural Behaviors of the Ninth Cavalry Regiment
The First and Second Opium Wars: The Economics of the Conflicts
Ideas of the Middle Ages: How Perspectives of the Past are Shaped by One’s Present as Seen Through the Works of Petrarch, Voltaire, and Burckhardt
A Life of Unconventional Thought: Comprehending Hanna Arendt’s Eichmann in Jerusalem and Jewish Identity
Order in Revolt: Popular Organization and Consciousness from 1323-1381
Understanding the Middle Ages: Contemporary Reflections on Revolt and the Meaning of the Medieval Past
The Universality and Diversity of the Cinderella Tale
Who Lost China? The China Hands and the Demise of Sino-American Relations
The Christian Conversion of Scandinavia
The Consequences of Racism in Education: A Case Study of American and South African School Systems
Denmark and the Problem of Middle Eastern Immigrants: A Case Study into the Phenomenon of Western Islamophobia
Does Place Matter?: The Conflict over the Aptuxet Trading Post Location
The Formation of the Kingdom of Portugal and a Portuguese Identity
How the Development of Urban America Impacted the Fire Service
The Iraq War and the Subsequent Expansion of Executive Power under the George W. Bush Administration
Medical Innovations: A History of Wartime Influence on the Profession of Nursing
O Museu Nacional: The Formation and Destruction of National Narratives

Commitment to Inclusivity and Service

Saint Michael's College is a Catholic institution that welcomes students from diverse faith backgrounds, cultures, and identities. Embracing the principle of "faith in action," students actively engage in service throughout their academic journey. The campus offers a fully residential experience with a wide range of activities, clubs, and events available seven days a week.

Liberal Arts Education

As a liberal arts college, intellectual growth is fostered by encouraging students to explore a broad array of disciplines in addition to their chosen majors. The college is located in Colchester, Vermont, minutes from downtown Burlington. The 440-acre campus hosts a diverse student body of around 1,400 students from 21 states and 15 countries. The faculty, 83% of whom hold the highest degree in their field, is dedicated and full-time.

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