Vermont Tech will be the site for an upcoming visit by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders. Known to Vermonters for years since he served as Mayor of Burlington from 1981-1989, Sanders went on to serve in the House of Representatives from 1989-2007 and was elected to the Senate in 2007.
This tenure of representing Vermont in the national legislature has made him the longest-serving independent member of Congress in American history (1). Sanders’ run for president in 2016 brought national attention to Vermont and the Senator’s fiery passions for income equality, higher education and healthcare access for all, and the shrinking middle class.
Interim President Patricia Moulton says, “Senator Sanders is a great advocate for higher education attainment. At a time when Vermont is looking to increase our high school graduates continuation rates to 70 percent by 2025, Senator Sanders can play a key role in highlighting the value of advanced education. We’re grateful he’s coming to Vermont Tech to engage with our students in this open forum.” Senator Sanders has also been a supporter of Vermont Tech with his backing of renewable energy projects on the college campus.
Senator Sanders will join Vermont Tech students for a dialog at 3:00 p.m. on March 17, 2017. The event will take place at the college’s Judd Hall. The event is free and open to the public.
(1) Senator Sanders’ website biography.