The Vermont State Colleges - Community College of Vermont and Vermont State University - are Vermont's public higher education system. Vermont is our mission. Our mission starts with “For the benefit of Vermont.” The Vermont State Colleges System is deeply rooted in the communities and regions of the state. We educate more Vermonters annually than all the other institutions of higher education in the state combined. We employ thousands of Vermonters, and our campuses and academic centers are centers of academic excellence, culture, and community. The VSCS makes education accessible. The Vermont State Colleges System makes it possible for all Vermonters to succeed. More than half of our students are the first in their families to go to college. Over a thousand high school students each year earn free college credit and envision themselves succeeding in college. There is a VSCS classroom within 25 miles of every Vermonter. Our online education opportunities allow Vermonters the flexibility to achieve their educational goals no matter where they are. And our graduates love Vermont: over two-thirds of our alumni live and work in our state, benefiting Vermont every day. The Vermont State Colleges System delivers for Vermont’s economy. Our graduates are ready to join and build Vermont’s economy. We strive to help our students succeed in high-quality academic programs relevant to Vermont employers and Vermont communities. Through our many programs, partnerships, and initiatives, the VSCS strives to increase educational attainment, career readiness, and entrepreneurship in all orders of the state.