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1965: Happy Birthday VSAC!
In 1965, Governor Phil Hoff created VSAC to “increase opportunities and the quality of education for the people of Vermont."
Celebrating 60 Years
VSAC was created by the Vermont Legislature in 1965 to make grants and guarantee student loans. Through the decades we’ve grown to offer extensive outreach programs, with a focus on modest-income and first-generation students of all ages. In 2025, our work includes grants, scholarships, 802Opportunity, workforce funding, research, policy leadership, career and education outreach, loans, and Vermont's official 529 education savings plan, VT529.
As we celebrate VSAC's 60th birthday, we're working hand in hand with students, families, and our partners to navigate the path from school to career in the rapidly changing world of education and training. Here are some of our highlights from the past 60 years.
1964 - 1968: TRIO Progams Created; In 2025 Vermont Legislature Issues Resolution Honoring Achievements
The Vermont House and Senate offered a resolution honoring the outstanding achievements of the TRIO program in Vermont, managed by VSAC with seven Vermont colleges to benefit “students who aspire to be their families’ first college graduate but lack the requisite funds” and stating that they “can avail themselves of these federal educational support programs.” The resolution noted the creation of Upward Bound in 1964, Talent Search in 1965, and Student Support Services in 1968. Together, these three services became known as the Federal TRIO Programs. Learn more about how TRIO supports students.
1990 Annual Report: VSAC Meets Changing Needs of Students
In a preview of what was to come, the VSAC 1990 Annual Report celebrates 25 years of “service to Vermont”–and calls out support for students of all ages pursuing diverse education pathways: “…the Corporation now offers grants to full and part-time as well as non-degree students. In addition, we provide… information programs targeted toward middle and high school students as well as non-traditional students.”
1991: The EOC is Born to Help Adult Learners
In 1991, VSAC created the Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) to support adult students. That year, the number of adult Vermonters served by VSAC grew by 16%. The 1991 Annual Report attributes that growth to a recession, as well as “the general trend in Vermont toward lifelong learning.”
Thirty-three years ago, the EOC provided career planning and assistance with the financial aid process. VSAC’s EOC provides similar services today, and also helps students identify other options like certification. Most adults served by the EOC are the first in their families to go to college and have financial barriers to pursuing their education/training goals beyond high school.
1995: US Senators Jeffords and Stafford at the Forefront of Education Policy
VSAC hosted a series of public forums across Vermont to mark its 30th anniversary. U.S. Senator Jim Jeffords and former Senator Robert Stafford participated to champion access to higher education. The 1995 Annual Report thanked the Senators for “contributing to the spirited and important discussion” on key issues such as college affordability, financial aid, family financial pressures, education savings, student loans, and the role of higher education in securing better-paying jobs.
In this photo, Stafford and Jeffords appeared at a forum in Rutland with other stakeholders (L to R, at the table): Vermont Senator Betty Ferraro; Senator Jeffords; Senator Stafford; Betty McKloskey, CCV President; Jim Wolynec, Board Member and Rutland High School Guidance Director; Ted Franzeim, Director of VSAC Grant Program and Financial Aid Services. Standing behind Betty Ferraro is VSAC Board Chair Joan Goodrich.
Earlier, in 1988, in recognition of Senator Stafford’s dedication to education, Congress renamed the Federal Guaranteed Student Loan Program as the Stafford Loan Program. These loans were designed to support students from modest-income families to pursue postsecondary education.
1996: Mapping the Future
Back in 1996—when floppy disks were still a thing and the internet made noises when you connected—VSAC held a Poster Design Scholarship contest.
That year’s winner? Miranda from Green Mountain High School in Chester. She created a poster that looked like a treasure map, with a VSAC compass to guide students through places like Motivation Mountain and the Sea of Applications.
The poster invited students to visit VSAC online: “any time of the day or night, seven days a week, from anywhere in Vermont or the world on the World Wide Web.” (Yes, we really said “World Wide Web” back then.)
Miranda’s design didn’t just win a contest, it captured the spirit of what VSAC is all about: helping students find their way, even when the path feels like an uphill climb. And 30 years later, we’re still here with the same mission (just with faster internet and fewer floppy disks).
1997: Vermont Honor Scholarship Winners at the Vermont State House
Students who earned the Vermont Honor Scholarship gathered for an awards ceremony at the State House in 1997. Joining the students in the back row are (left to right): Lieutenant Governor Doug Racine, former VSAC Board Member Frederica “Freddie” Mahlmann, unknown, and House Speaker Mike Obuchowski.
VSAC began awarding scholarships in 1965, when it was created by the Vermont legislature to administer need-based grants and merit-based Governor Phil Hoff Vermont Honor Scholarships (formerly, the Vermont Honor Scholarship). To this day, the Governor Phil Hoff Vermont Honor Scholarship provides funds for outstanding seniors nominated by Vermont high schools and technical centers.
Photo courtesy of Liz Studley.
