Amaya Baustert

Kohle Feeley

Specialization

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Internships

Mitre10 in Shanghai, China and Unify Ordering in Dublin, Ireland

Favorite Class

Financial & Economic Modeling

What projects have you worked on in classes that you’ve found particularly rewarding or useful?

Having the opportunity to start building my own business and using it as a project in my classes has been an amazing experience. As my Capstone, I decided to start a business called Dollars.fyi that focuses on personal finance education to help improve financial literacy in young adults.Through my different business classes, I’ve been able to use the material we are using in class and directly apply it to creating a business plan, defining my target market, and even start development. Events outside of the classroom like the Elevator Pitch Competition and Launch Champlain have even helped me receive funding to get things started. By the time I graduate, I’ll have experience pursuing an entrepreneurial venture and understand what goes into creating a new business.

How did your classroom work prepare you for your internship experience?

I felt really prepared going into my internships because the classes at Champlain are designed to give you practical experience in a classroom setting. Especially our focus on collaboration and group projects proved to be helpful when you’re on a team in the workplace.One experience that still resonates with me is from my first year Marketing and the Organizational Mindset course. We were able to work with Northern Stage, a non-profit professional theater company in White River Junction, to develop a marketing strategy. We analyzed their current situation, did market and demographic research, and presented a final plan and mockups to the company. Being able to apply your course content to a real client project in your first year of college was an amazing and impactful experience. My courses on entrepreneurship have also played a big role in my confidence entering my internships, especially my time working at Unify Ordering. In the classroom, I learned about startup business models and how to quickly analyze and adapt them, and then I was able to actually see that play out in a real business.

In what ways do you think your internship experience will give you a competitive advantage when it comes to getting a job in your field after graduation?

I’m really glad that I had the opportunity to work two internships abroad because business is becoming more global than ever before. Especially with work from home rising in popularity, international teams across different time zones will start to become the norm.Already having experience working with a diverse team and with coworkers from different cultures and even with language barriers will give me a huge advantage as workplaces become more globalized. These are the types of experiences that help to develop emotional intelligence and personal growth.

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Christine Koogle

Internship

Operations Intern for Road Pitch in Shelburne, VT

Favorite Class

Human Resources

What made you choose Champlain College?

I began looking at Champlain College when Event Management was a major. When I applied, Event Management changed to a minor, but I loved Champlain so much that I chose Business Administration instead. I knew it would cover many topics in the business sector, and I could be successful when it came to looking for a job. I felt good choosing a school where jobs are a priority and learning is experiential and practical.

Have you had any on-campus jobs?

I have had many jobs on campus, including being a Resident Assistant, an Orientation Leader, and President of CHAMP (Champlain Has Activities and Motivational Programming). These jobs allowed me to connect with students in various ways. Some were focused more on helping students process new things and handle information, while other jobs allowed me to be on the more playful side of things. Events on campus help students to relax and have fun, and I love being a part of that.

Can you tell us about one of your internships?

I was the Operations Intern for Road Pitch based in Shelburne, VT, which is a week-long event where more than 50 business people ride motorcycles across Vermont to listen to pitches from small businesses for prize money and mentorships. I organized much of the event, like booking sites, taking RSVPs, updating the website, facilitating registration, and doing a lot of financial organization. It was a perfect combination of the material I had learned in business classes as well as my event management classes.

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Colin Kuhn

Pronouns

He/Him/His

Internships

Marketing & Event Intern at Sarah Ramsey Strong Fund in Burlington, VT

How has Core changed your perspective?

During one of my Core classes, I got the opportunity to research and learn about the importance of clean water and the impact of microplastics. I enjoy being outside and, having lived in Vermont my whole life, I have a deep connection with nature and Lake Champlain. In my Core class, I realized how big of a problem microplastics can be, and now I care a lot about that.

What made you choose Champlain?

Iwas drawn to the individual attention that I would get in the classroom. This gave me a chance to discuss topics one-on-one with my professors. They’re approachable, and they always challenge me to think deeper.

How has Champlain prepared you for the professional world?

I was able to start getting internships the summer after my first year because the Upside-Down Curriculum gave me the experience I needed. I’ve had four internships during my time at Champlain, ranging from marketing to event planning to business development. My studies made me adaptable and confident at work, and I was able to take in new knowledge and skills. I was surprised to find out how many certifications I can get through my classes. I’ll have a leg up on the competition when I graduate.

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Alex Lasker

Hometown

Colchester, VT

Transferred From

CCV and Castleton (One semester at both)

What is different about Champlain in comparison to your previous college/university?

Teachers put more time into you. They are much more willing to help you figure out a problem, rather than leaving you to deal with it alone.

What do you think is unique about Champlain?

[Champlain] is an open school. People are accepting and innovative. Coming from Castleton – which is basically four more years of high school – I really liked the attitude of everyone at this college. Peoplewantto be here, they don’thaveto be here.

How has Champlain prepared you for the professional world?

Champlain teaches teamwork and how to apply skills to classroom environments like Excel in my business classes. It teaches you to be more mindful which is something that most business classes do not teach you.

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Emma Seidenberg

Internship

Cheese and Wine Traders, South Burlington, VT

Have you worked on-campus in either a part-time or work-study position? What relevant life skills have you learned?

I have had the opportunity to work in many different positions at Champlain during my time here as a student. I have been an Orientation Leader since my second year. This position really changed my path at Champlain. I have met so many amazing people over the last few years during my role as an Orientation Leader, which gave me a sense of community at Champlain. I also work for Champlain’s Marketing Department as a Social Media Content Creator. This role has honestly changed my life. I am now pursuing marketing roles in content creation after college because of this position, which I had never considered before. This job gave me a passion for photography and really allowed me to be creative and have fun.

What do you like about your professors at Champlain?

The professors at Champlain really want to see you succeed. Countless times I have reached out to professors that I didn’t even personally have in class to gain some guidance on something, and they were always happy to help. Not only are they your teachers, but in some cases, they are friends who help craft you into the person you are today, and they deserve so much credit for that

In what ways do you think your internship experience will give you a competitive advantage when it comes to getting a job in your field after graduation?

My title was the Marketing and Outreach Intern; I ran Cheese & Wine Traders’ social media including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I had many opportunities to collaborate with local brands like Citizen Cider, Zero Gravity, Pickled Pink Foods, and more with giveaways and tastings. My internship with Cheese and Wine Traders was a highly competitive role. I went through a few interview rounds and beat out many people who were much older than me. This gave me a lot of confidence going into job searching post-grad and has shown me that the skills I have obtained the last four years at Champlain are helpful. I was told in my interview how professional I was considering I was still in college.

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Dehjia Thompkins

Internship

Account Handler at Vermont Business Magazine in Burlington, VT

Post-Grad Job

Customer Account Specialist at Dish Network in Tempe, Arizona

What made you pick your major?

I chose Business Administration because growing up, I was always told that I had the gift of persuasion and strong communication skills. I decided I would have a future in the business world due to my strength, drive, dedication, and straightforwardness. The business program at Champlain College is amazing. I especially enjoy group projects because they give me the opportunity to broadcast my natural leadership abilities while working with different people with different personalities.

Have you had any meaningful experiences with the Core curriculum?

A specific project that I was able to work on that I found rewarding was for my Global Condition class. I worked with Feeding Chittenden, and was granted the opportunity to cook for low-income families that live in poverty around the Burlington area.

How has your time at Champlain affected your career?

I started my professional career as an Administrative Assistant at the Quality Inn in Colchester, Vermont. I was in charge of making reservations, solving guest issues, keeping track of paperwork, all while maintaining a strong work ethic. I’ve enhanced the skills I’ve gained at Champlain since my first year to guide me through my professional career so far, especially my communication skills. I have learned to be well-rounded and adapt to any and every situation I am faced with. Since this internship, I have become a Front Desk Manager at the Hampton Inn in Burlington.

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