As a 21-year-old who grew up in the Middlebury area and is currently attending Middlebury College, I would encourage Vermonters of all generations to vote for Calvin McEathron.
While Calvin is focused on a number of big initiatives, his commitment to affordable higher education is particularly important to me. As a college student himself, Calvin understands the rising cost of education as well as the importance of receiving pertinent job training.
Calvin’s co-op plan, which he recently detailed in the Addison Independent’s candidate forum, would cut costs for students at Vermont State Colleges while providing them with tangible, real world experience. The program would let students use a semester to participate in an internship with a Vermont business and avoid paying tuition for that semester. The plan would allow Vermont employers and entrepreneurs the opportunity to evaluate potential employees, giving them a chance to retain our young, working Vermonters.
Currently, the University of Vermont is the sixth most expensive public college in America for in-state students. While Calvin’s co-op program isn’t a miracle fix, I think it is a big step in the right direction for students, parents and Vermont businesses. To read more about his plan please visit calvinformiddlebury.com.
I hope you’ll join me in supporting Calvin this November.
Mark Dickerson
Middlebury