SIT Graduate Institute

Brattleboro, VT

private nonprofitgraduate

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Quick Facts

1964

Founded

Private, Graduate, Study abroad

Type

558

Undergrad

Graduate

Master's Colleges & Universities

Classification

President: Carol Jenkins (acting)

Data from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) & U.S. Dept. of Education

About SIT Graduate Institute

Pioneering global education, born from the Peace Corps, SIT shapes international leaders.

SIT Graduate Institute stands as a unique institution dedicated to fostering global understanding and creating impactful change. Deeply rooted in its origins, SIT began in 1964 as the first training site for the newly-formed Peace Corps in Vermont, initially focusing on crucial foreign language instruction. This foundational experience ingrained a commitment to experiential learning and a global perspective that continues to define its educational philosophy.

Responding to the evolving needs of returning Peace Corps volunteers, SIT swiftly expanded its offerings. By 1969, it launched its pioneering graduate programs: International Career Training (ICT) and Masters in Teaching Languages (MAT), encompassing French, Spanish, and ESL. The institute also developed an innovative undergraduate World Issues Program (WIP) in 1973, which emphasized experiential learning and produced 26 graduating classes focused on international and community development.

Today, SIT is renowned for its academic strengths in areas such as Peace and Conflict Transformation, Sustainable Development, Social Justice, and International Education. Its programs, including the evolved Programs in Intercultural Management (PIM), prepare students through immersive experiences like global internships and international student teaching. This practical, hands-on approach has cultivated leaders who have made significant global contributions, including Nobel Peace Prize laureates like MAT graduate Jody Williams and former Trustee Emerita Wangari Maathai, truly embodying SIT's mission to educate for a more just and sustainable world.

Key Highlights

✦Established in 1964 as the first training site for the newly-founded Peace Corps.
✦Pioneered graduate programs including International Career Training (ICT) and Masters in Teaching Languages (MAT) in 1969.
✦Utilizes an experiential learning model, featuring global internships and international student teaching opportunities.
✦MAT graduate Jody Williams won the Nobel Prize for her work on banning land mines.
✦Former Trustee Emerita Wangari Maathai won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work on sustainable development and democracy.
✦Developed the undergraduate World Issues Program (WIP), an experiential learning model that ran for 26 graduating classes.

Timeline

1964

Established as the first training site for the Peace Corps in Vermont.

1968

Requests for a degree in Teaching English as a Second Language emerged.

1969

First two graduate programs, International Career Training (ICT) and Masters in Teaching Languages (MAT), were developed.

1972

MAT students began to develop global sites for student teaching beyond Mexico or Quebec.

1973

The undergraduate World Issues Program (WIP) was developed, based on an experiential learning model.

1999

The last class of the World Issues Program (WIP) graduated.

Late 1990s

The MAT department created the Teacher Knowledge Project to promote reflective teaching and experiential learning.

🏛️

62 Years

of Excellence

Leadership

Carol Jenkins (acting)

President

Data from Wikipedia – CC BY-SA 4.0

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