SIT alum Steffen Gillom named Vermont ‘Rising Star’

Announcement Date: November 8, 2019

Steffen Gillom stands in front of the NAACP logo
SIT alum Steffen Gillom is among Vermont Business Magazine's "Rising Stars" of 2019.

... Awards like this one help show how important it is to build more equitable and sustainable communities for everyone.

SIT alumnus and former staff member Steffen Gillom is among 40 young Vermonters named by Vermont Business Magazine as the state's most accomplished young leaders of 2019. VBM's 40 "Rising Stars" under age 40 received awards this week for their "commitment to business growth, professional excellence and involvement in their communities."

They were honored Thursday night, Nov. 7, at a dinner and awards ceremony in Burlington, and are featured in the November issue of the magazine.

Gillom graduated from SIT Graduate Institute in May 2019 with an MA in Peace and Conflict Transformation. He also worked as diversity coordinator with SIT Student Services.

In 2016, while a student at SIT, Gillom founded Vermont's first NAACP chapter, in Windham County, and currently serves as its president. At the time, he told the Brattleboro Reformer, “I think as a young professional of color living in Vermont, one of the things that would make me stay here would be structures like the NAACP being in place."

He said his vision for the chapter was to "integrate and collaborate with all the other social justice movements happening here and work with them on issues that I think the NAACP could help support with its historic name and backing."

Responding to news of the VBM award, Gillom said, "I am very happy to receive this award. I feel that awards like this one help show how important it is to build more equitable and sustainable communities for everyone."

VBM Publisher John Boutin said the magazine received 240 outstanding nominations for the 2019 Rising Star awards. "For these young professionals it’s not just about business. It’s about them making a difference in their communities,” Boutin said.

Gillom is among eight Rising Star award recipients from Windham County.