Sterling College in Vermont announced it will cease degree programs after the spring 2026 semester, citing steep enrollment declines and persistent financial shortfalls. The environmental-studies college said current enrollment has dipped below 40 students this term and that its modest endowment and reliance on restricted grants made operations unsustainable. Sterling is negotiating teach-out agreements with regional peers including College of the Atlantic and Community College of Vermont, pending accreditor approval. The closure highlights the vulnerability of mission-driven, tuition-dependent small colleges amid demographic shifts, shrinking enrollments and concentrated operating costs.