The University of Vermont Joins the GFCC

The GFCC is pleased to announce that the University of Vermont has joined the GFCC, becoming part of a group of more than 20 university members committed to shaping the future of higher education and acting as engines of economic growth in innovation-driven economies.

Founded in 1791, the University of Vermont has a long-standing tradition of inclusion and the defense of public freedoms. It was the first institution to declare public support for freedom of religion and the first university to admit women and African Americans into Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest and most prestigious academic honor society in the United States.

This focus on affordability and accessibility remains a core part of UVM’s principles today, with over 90% of its students receiving scholarships or financial aid.

Aerial view of the University of Vermont. Credit: UVM Spatial Analysis Lab.

The University of Vermont also has a strong legacy of sustainability leadership and is nationally recognized for its education and research related to human and environmental health. It produces groundbreaking scholarship that helps identify innovative ways for communities and ecosystems to thrive.

"We are proud to welcome the University of Vermont into our distinguished group of world-class universities,” said GFCC President, Deborah L. Wince-Smith. “UVM is operating at the cutting edge of a range of distinctive disciplines and domains, spanning the blue and green economies, and the future of biosciences and biomanufacturing - all of which will build on and inspire additional partnerships across sectors and borders."

In 2025, UVM was recognized by the Princeton Review as the Best Public School for Making an Impact, and it was ranked by the National Science Foundation among the top 100 public research universities in the United States.

“The University of Vermont is delighted to join the GFCC in its important work of fostering excellence and thriving in communities, states and regions,” said UVM President Marlene Tromp. “The GFCC’s focus on innovation, sustainability, and resilience aligns with UVM’s Our Common Ground values and roots this partnership in shared priorities and goals. As the flagship land-grant university in Vermont with an ever-growing research impact on the national and global levels, UVM is positioned to help drive the GFCC’s efforts in advancing competitiveness for the communities we serve.”

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