NVU Welcomes International Students to the Johnson Campus through a Housing Partnership with Smugglers’ Notch Resort

The award-winning, family-friendly resort, Smugglers’ Notch, and Northern Vermont University (NVU) have partnered to offer cultural exchange students seasonal housing this winter. These students make up 10 percent of Smugglers’ total staff, allowing the Resort, located in Jeffersonville, Vt., to operate at full capacity while introducing the international students to local Vermont culture.

The students will arrive from Peru, Chile, and Costa Rica as part of an exchange program during what is their summer break and will live in the residence halls on the NVU Johnson campus from December 1 through March 31. While on campus, they will have access to all university amenities, including the gym, pool, dining hall, and shows in the Dibden Theater. Smugglers’ will subsidize a large portion of their housing and transportation costs.

“Smugglers’ Notch has not been immune to the ongoing housing and hiring challenges facing Vermont, and this new partnership offers us a temporary solution,” said owner Bill Stritzler. “Our objective at Smugglers’ is to provide our guests with the continued award-winning service they expect. By hosting these hard-working young people, who are eager to see the world and learn more about Vermont, it allows us to do just that.”

“NVU is excited to partner with Smugglers’ Notch and to invite these international students to our Johnson campus for what we expect will be a mutually beneficial experience — for the exchange students, for the Johnson community, and for Smugglers’ Notch,” said Michele Whitmore, NVU Johnson Executive Director and Dean of Students. “These 50-75 students will bring their cultural experiences to our campus, while NVU students and staff share the best of Vermont with them. It presents a unique educational opportunity for all of us!”