Adam DeCosta

Drew Barnett

Advice to Students?

Asking for help is the first step towards change.

Favorite: Book, Movie, Podcast?

Books: Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan

Inspirational Quote?

Keep on keeping on!

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Lenora Batcher

How has your Champlain experience prepared you for your future career, both in and out of the classroom?

Overall, I’d say the combination of class experience, work experience, and independent life has really helped me to be ready for what comes next, however that may look or wherever that may be. Watching upperclassmen move forward in their own careers encourages me for when it will be my turn to inspire those coming in after me. I feel a lot more confident knowing that people in the same place and from the same program have graduated to do great things and be successful in all walks of life.

How has Core changed your perspective (of self, of community, of the world)?

It was fascinating to be in core classes where I was surrounded by so many people of different backgrounds and beliefs. The classes I took did not shy away from the more sensitive topics, but dove right in to examine them while at the same time making it clear that no matter what our views were, each of us was accepted within the class.

What advice do you have for students thinking about coming to Champlain for college?

Do it. I applied to Champlain on a whim, never having heard of it before. I visited once at admitted student’s day and now I’m going into my third year. I love the small size and the tight-knit community, the closeness of all the buildings and the friendliness of all the instructors. There’s a good variety of people on campus and an equally good variety of programs for those who want to branch out. I’m really happy here, and I’m very blessed to have found a place like this.

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Kevin Eaton

Specialization

Mobile Application Development

Summer Cultural Program

Montreal, Canada

Internship

Programming Intern at The Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity in Burlington, VT

Favorite Class

Data Structures and Algorithms

How has the Core Curriculum changed your perspective?

The Core Curriculum opened my eyes to how intricately the world is connected. A small change in one community can have a big impact on another. It has made me more self-aware of how my actions can impact the people around me and the world as a whole.

Have you worked on any particularly rewarding projects?

Every programming project I’ve had since the beginning of my college experience has been rewarding. From the simple projects in Introduction to Programming to my Capstone, they have all been the perfect learning experiences and helped me steadily progress towards my career.

Can you tell us about your internship with The Leahy Center?

I was a programming intern, so I worked with a small team on a web-based project called Digital Signage, which was going to be used as a CMS billboard system. This gave me the opportunity to work on a software development team as well as gain valuable knowledge of web-based projects. This internship led to an opportunity to work at The Leahy Center every semester since, and to grow as a software engineer by working on projects in a professional environment.

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Katie James

Advice to Students?

Don’t push off studying until the last minute – ensure that you understand the topics as they come so that you only have to review rather than learn right before an exam.

Favorite: Book, Movie, Podcast?

Book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Inspirational Quote?

“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

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Drew Marcotte

Advice to Students?

Talk to your professors. They are usually understanding, and are happy to help out when needed.

Favorite: Book, Movie, Podcast?

Books: The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Inspirational Quote?

“There are three kinds of people. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” – Will Rogers

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Anna Matich

Double Major

Computer Science & Innovation, and Computer & Digital Forensics

Internships

Software Engineer Application Developer Intern at Workday in Pleasanton, CA

Travel Courses

Tanzania and India

You’ve been on several Core travel courses. Can you tell us about those?

Champlain offers many Core travel courses, and I was fortunate enough to take two. My second year, I took an Aesthetic Expressions course in the fall semester. We learned about the artistic culture in Zanzibar. Then, over winter break, we spent two weeks in Zanzibar, which was amazing. We met with three schools on the island of Pemba, which inspired my work with Techdren. I took the second class in the series during the spring semester, where we debriefed the trip and learned more about the religious and secular aspects of the culture.My third year, I took a Core class with a travel component to India. We went for a week and saw the Taj Mahal and the Lotus temple. It was a really great experience, and we were able to see how different religions interacted together.

What is Techdren?

Techdren, Technology for Children, is officially a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and I’m the CEO and co-founder. We first started on a Core travel course, and since then we’ve grown into a full nonprofit and run two successful trips delivering technology to students and primary schools on the Island of Pemba. We focus on providing technology for children with the goal of furthering education and technology literacy, as well as empowering girls and women.

Can you tell us about your double major?

When I first came to college as a Computer Networking & Digital Forensics student, I was really excited about everything I was learning in class, but I was missing computer programming. When I talked to employers about what kind of opportunities they had, they said how great digital forensics is, but they also needed someone with a programming background. Since then, Champlain has added programming classes to the Digital Forensics major, but I decided I was going to try some on my own before they did. I realized I really enjoyed my computer science classes, so I added my second major of Computer Science & Innovation. Even with a double major, I’m able to graduate in four years, which is amazing.

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Joshua Meranda

Travel Course

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Internship

Software Development Intern at Innovative Defense Technologies in Fall River, MA

Favorite Class

Computer Architecture

What do you like about your professors at Champlain?

They’re real people, and there is always a sense of mutual respect. Before I came to Champlain, I was always told college professors would be strict and formal. At Champlain, all of my professors have been extremely understanding. I call most of them by their first name, and they’re always willing to answer questions and happy to go down rabbit holes with me.

Have you had any memorable experiences with the Core curriculum?

Traveling to Zanzibar, Tanzania with my Core class was amazing. We were able to learn about a part of the world and a culture I would likely have never visited, and have unique experiences with our classmates. I haven’t studied abroad besides that course, but even two weeks in a foreign culture can really put the world into perspective.

Can you tell us about your internship?

I was a Software Development Intern at Innovative Defense Technologies in Fall River, MA. I developed software from the ground up and contributed to existing projects using Java, Typescript, and C. My classes gave me experience setting up dynamic development environments capable of working with multiple languages and projects at any given time, as well as quickly learn new tools and frameworks. In this internship, I got a real, functional understanding of writing code for the professional world.

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Jan Ruiz

How did the AHEAD program go for you in your first year?

The AHEAD program went extremely well for me. I was able to explore not only Champlain, but Burlington too, and able to grasp the new environment I was being thrown into before school started.

How has the AHEAD program supported your journey at Champlain?

AHEAD has supported my journey at Champlain by giving me a sense of belonging. The program allowed me to meet other PoC, and create lifelong connections that I might have not without AHEAD.

What is the most rewarding part of the AHEAD program?

The most rewarding part of AHEAD is being able to get comfortable in a new environment before anyone else. You get to do everything first, get into your room first, make friends first, and best of all, take your first step into another world.

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Jessica Taylor

Specialization

Software Engineering

How has Core changed your perspective on yourself on the world around you?

Core has strengthened my written and verbal communication skills, as well as my criticalthinking skills. With Core, I was able to travel to Italy and experience a new culture while also learning about the impacts of colonialism on Mediterranean markets.

What do you like about going to college in Burlington?

I love the local community and the scenery in Burlington. Being from upstate New York, Burlington reminds me of all the positives of my local community and surroundings while also having a nice city feel. I recommend taking advantage of all the nature during the warmer months by going on hikes, walking trails, or biking.

What surprised you about Champlain?

I didn’t expect to feel as important as I do in the eyes of my faculty and community. I feel like my faculty really values what I bring to class. I’m not just a face in a sea of people.

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