Matthew Derr

President Matthew Derr smiling and standing outside his home in Craftsbury Common, VT in front of a white paper birch tree and a green hemlock hedge
President Matthew Derr stands outside his home in Craftsbury Common, VT
Matthew Derr
11th President Emeritus of
Sterling College
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 2012
Preceded byWill Wootton
Succeeded byLori Collins-Hall
Personal details
Born (1967-07-12) July 12, 1967 (age 57)
Flint, Michigan
Residence(s)Craftsbury Common, Vermont, U.S.
Alma materAntioch College, University of Michigan, New York University
ProfessionAcademic
WebsiteSterling College President Matthew Derr

Matthew Derr (born July 12, 1967) is a foundation and higher education leader. He presently serves as Deputy Publisher at Chelsea Green Publishing and as a board member of the company's legacy foundation. For nearly a decade, before being appointed President Emeritus in 2021, he led Sterling College.[1] In December 2010, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education awarded Derr with the organization's Chief Executive Leadership Award[2] and the Great Lakes Colleges Association recognized his efforts on behalf of liberal education with a visiting fellowship.

Professional life

Under Derr's leadership, Sterling, which is among the smallest liberal arts colleges in the United States, experienced a period of rapid growth in student enrollment and philanthropic support, through the largest successful fundraising campaign in institutional history.[3] Sterling expanded its emphasis on global field studies in 2016 with support from the Endeavor Foundation[4] and launched the Rian Fried Center for Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems,[5] including, in 2015, a continuing education program named the School of the New American Farmstead.[6]

Personal life

Derr was born in Flint, Michigan and lives in Alpena, Michigan. His grandparents and parents were autoworkers. He attended public schools before earning a Bachelor of Arts in History from Antioch College and Masters of Social Work in Community Organizing and Social Systems from the University of Michigan. He has also studied at the George Heyman Center for Philanthropy at New York University.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Vt.'s Sterling College names new president". Associated Press. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  2. ^ "CASE - The Chief Executive Leadership Award". www.case.org. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  3. ^ "Sterling College Launches Largest Fundraising Campaign in College's History". VTDigger. 2015-03-26. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  4. ^ "Sterling College Receives $225,000 Foundation Grant to Expand Global Field Studies". VTDigger. 2016-06-24. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  5. ^ Albright, Charlotte (13 September 2014). "Sterling College Cuts Ribbon On Expanding Ag and Food Center". Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  6. ^ "Want to Start a New American Farmstead? Go to School". Civil Eats. 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  7. ^ "Matthew Derr - Sterling College". Retrieved 2016-08-11.