Student

Bessie McManus

Internship

Development & Communications Intern at Steps to End Domestic Violence in Burlington, VT

Post-Grad Job

Hotline & Volunteer Manager at Steps to End Domestic Violence in Burlington, VT

Have you had the chance to study abroad?

I studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which was a life-changing experience. As a Communication major, it was fascinating to live 5,000 miles away from a familiar face and realize that my knowledge of how to communicate effectively is only based on my experiences as a U.S. citizen. When it comes to intercultural communication, I have so much more to learn!

What drew you to the Communication major?

I wanted a major that would allow me to experiment. I didn’t know what field I wanted to go into, but I knew I wanted to work with people and hone my interpersonal skills. As a Communication major, I’ve taken all sorts of classes—Marketing, Audio Production, Public Relations. It’s so nice to test the waters and think about what I might want to do, and what I definitely don’t want to do.

What has been the best part of your Champlain experience?

I feel so grateful to be a part of this community. The faculty’s support has given me the confidence I need to not only be successful in my career, but to really reflect on and stay true to who I am. It sounds heavy, I know, but the support I’ve received from my professors has warmed my heart. I have learned to celebrate myself, but also what I still need to work on. Class projects have set me up to have a killer portfolio, and my internships have helped give me insight as to where I could see myself in the workforce. You probably won’t realize as it’s happening, but Champlain changes your life for the better.

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Mellissa McPhee

Favorite Class

Positive Psychology

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve found about your experience at Champlain so far?

The most surprising thing that I’ve found about Champlain that I wasn’t expecting is this tight knit sense of friendship. Although Champlain is a relatively small school, there are always more people to meet, and always someone who can connect you to a new source of friend groups. Something that is still fun to recognize for me is the fact that everyone is friends with everyone. There’s an open-ended sense of friendship, and this allows for so many experiences to be had and so many people to connect with in the time you’re here.

What is your favorite class you’ve taken at Champlain? What made it special?

My favorite class, although there are so many to choose from, would have to be Positive Psychology with Professor Quinn. Aside from her absolutely flawless execution of humor and energy, she truly is very uplifting and encouraging to her students. This made the class even more enjoyable as we focused on the habDivision of Information Technology & Sciences that we formed with ourselves, the way that we speak to ourselves, and how to change our circumstances to a more positive way of thinking. We practiced activities like affirmations, gratitude journaling (still something I use every morning), and the power of creative writing. This class allowed me to grow so much within the short semester, and really gave me the confidence I needed within myself to move forward in my education. Overall, this course taught me so much about the world around me and, most importantly, the ability that I carry within the world.

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

I worked at King Street Center my second year here at Champlain as a work-study and absolutely adored my role as an America Reads Tutor. Working one-on-one with students every day allowed me to make personal connections, the children to feel supported and encouraged, and gave me a great deal of purpose at the time. From this experience, I have learned the importance of feeling valued and supported as well as the further assistance that goes into a child’s education. More so, the ability to truly listen and provide support to engage and really connect with those who need this extra care.

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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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Kristen Mercure

Graduation Year

’09

Organization

Swift Planet

Position Title

Communication Strategist

How are you using your Communication degree at your job?

Champlain College’s Communication program set the stage for me to immediately jump into a fast and fruitful career in public relations, and then to pivot when both the industry and my own aspirations changed years later.No matter what title I hold—from public relations to marketing to event management and crisis communication—I’ve seenthat there is no lack of demand for great communicators out there. People who can speak, write, and create for an audience are needed in every industry, in every department. Champlain’s Communication program opens doors by creating communicators who not only fit the needs of today but also prepares them to evolve as the world shifts—an invaluableasset for every graduate.My Communications degree in the business world has proven to be a flexible and sought-after combination: I’m often the fixer in situations because my education and experience taught me how to thoroughly evaluate the challenge from multiple perspectives and communicate cleanly, clearly, and, most importantly, with peoplein mind.

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Blaz Mihaljevic

Internship

Contracting Specialist Intern with Homeland Security in Williston, VT

What appealed to you most about being a Criminal Justice major?

Being a Criminal Justice major is great because, right now in America, everything is changing. We need properly trained officers and law enforcement officials. And that really appealed to me: to be a beacon of change in this new development of law enforcement. It inspired me to choose Criminal Justice.

What was one of your favorite Criminal Justice classes you took?

In my first year, I was taking a criminal law class with Judge Cooper Smith, who was a judge here in Burlington for 25 years. He really helped us examine the law through an officer’s lens. He even took us down to the courthouse for a few hours each week and let us examine case files. We are really exposed to our field through our classes.

How has Champlain’s Career Collaborative helped you with your career?

I went to the Career Fair five times while at Champlain—that’s how I got my first internship. It was a great way to get started on my career and get me connected to my industry. Champlain’s Career Collaborative also did a great job preparing me for interviews, writing résumés, and learning how to apply for government positions.

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Megan Milano

Specialization

Motion Graphics

Internship

Design & Communication Intern at ECHO Leahy Center in Burlington, VT

Post-Grad Job

Graphic Designer at Union Street Media in Burlington, VT

What made you choose Champlain College?

When I was looking for colleges, Champlain blew every other school out of the water by far. I could tell that the professors really cared about the students and were passionate about what they were teaching. The biggest thing that drew me to Champlain was that we could take classes in our major starting the very first semester, so I knew that Graphic Design & Digital Media* was right for me.
*This program named changed to Visual Communication Design in 2019.

Have you worked on any projects that have been particularly rewarding?

I often find myself connecting with and becoming invested in the projects that I do for my major. It is really tough for me to work on something that I am not passionate about, so being able to dive into something allows me to design it as my best self. Two projects in particular that I felt very connected with were a mantra poster I created and a typographic book that I designed.

Are you involved with any extracurricular activities?

I am the Director of Design for CHAMP (Champlain Has Activities and Motivational Programming). We plan all major campus events throughout the year to help build the community. I have been a member since the first week of my first year, and I love the positive atmosphere of the meetings. Now I’m a member of the board, and I make all the designs for the events. I couldn’t be happier that I took a step out of my comfort zone.

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DJ Miller

Internship

Event Planning & Sales Intern at the Vermont Tent Company in Essex, VT

What made you choose the Marketing major?

I came into college as a Criminal Justice major, and decided to take a marketing work-study job at the Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity (The Leahy Center). After my first week working as a Marketing Assistant there, I decided to switch my major to Marketing because I loved it so much. It was so easy to switch majors since my professors and Faculty Advisor were so helpful with the entire process.

What has been your experience with the Core Curriculum?

One of my favorite things at Champlain is the Core. When I came to college, I was a totally different person. I grew up in a small town and had no idea how the world worked outside of that. In my Core classes, we discuss so many different perspectives and deeper-level topics. This has molded me into a strong activist who looks for multiple ways to achieve a goal. Core really allows you to explore your personal ideas and beliefs while connecting with others in your classes.

How has Champlain prepared you for the professional world?

Being a Marketing major at Champlain has opened so many doors for my future. In my first two years, I have had over six jobs and internships that were directly related to my major. It’s truly an amazing experience to show up to class and have representatives from Seventh Generation, Ben & Jerry’s, Burton, and other big names there to work with you on class projects.

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Martina Monroe

Was there anything specific that made you choose Champlain?

I was drawn to the Upside-Down Curriculum, high job placement, and small classes. When first looking at colleges, I wasn’t sure what size I was really looking for, but I am so glad I chose a small school. The connection you build with both students and faculty is something that can be extremely challenging in larger schools, but can be transformative during a student’s time in college.

What’s the best thing about living on campus?

I have been a commuter and residential student, and I think the best thing about Champlain’s community is the family-like dynamic. Whenever I am walking to or from classes, I am bound to run into someone I know, and I never hesitate to say hi and check in to see how they’re doing!

What extracurricular activities are you involved in?

I am involved in Stiller Women in Business (SWIB), currently serving as the President. I also serve as a Resident Advisor.I have been involved in SWIB since my first semester of college, and I love the mission of the group and all of the wonderful people I have had the pleasure of meeting and getting to work with. As for the RA position, I chose to take on this responsibility to be a resource for students and provide a safe space for them to confide in if they do not feel like talking to a professional staff member.

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Riley Morrissey

What have you learned at Champlain that will help you in the game industry?

I definitely think one of the most important things I’ve learned is hard work. It’s one thing to be good at what you do, but you also have to work hard in order to get to the place where you need to be. It’s been great having professors who are either currently in the industry, or formerly in the industry to help me out with that because they know—more than anyone—what you need to be doing to best position yourself for getting a job after college. And I would also say that my time in Montreal has taught me a lot. Studying abroad was a great experience for a multitude of reasons, but the number one was we had people currently in the industry who would come teach us classes at night.

Can you tell us about the Senior Show?

The Senior Show is something that we work towards our entire time we’re at Champlain, and that’s where everyone gets together and shows off the games that we’ve been making for the whole year. We show our work off to not only our peers and faculty, but to recruiters and people in the industry as well, in hopes of getting interviews afterwards. The game that I’m working on specifically is a VR I-spy game where you’re trying to find different objects around a room and take pictures of them. And that’s been really fun for me so far. I’ve really been enjoying it.

What’s your advice for high school students thinking about going to the Game Academy program?

I would highly recommend it. I think it’s important to know what you don’t want to do as much as what you do want to do, so being able to try that stuff out beforehand rather than just going in head first, not necessarily knowing what you’re doing, I think is super important. Quite a few of the people that I went to that camp with are also still going here, and we’re still friends, so it’s a great way to connect with other students or potential students. It’s a great way to connect with the professors. It’s a great way to see what a class at Champlain looks like. It’s a great little snapshot of Champlain College.

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Jessy Moyer

Specialization

Public Relations

Internship

Digital Communications Intern at Fuse in Winooski, VT

Can you tell us about the Communication program at Champlain?

I loved it so much. I got involved with the Public Relations Students Society of America (PRSSA), which is a group on campus that is part of a bigger organization. They hold conferences, and I went to a bunch that were regional and national. In this major, it’s easy to get involved with the real world from day one.

What did you do for your Capstone project?

I worked with the Vermont Air Quality and Climate Division, which is a nonprofit that supports air quality in Vermont. We worked as a group of four to do social media, build school outreach event templates, and produce public service announcements. We took all the skills that we learned throughout our years at Champlain and put them into one big project.

Have you had any on-campus jobs?

I worked in Admissions from my sophomore year, and my senior year I was a Senior Admissions Intern. I worked closely with the Admissions Counselors, so I interviewed prospective students and gave information sessions to students who were visiting Champlain. It was easy to be authentic about my experience with Champlain and the opportunities I had here to get people excited about the school.

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Kaya Mulligan

Favorite Class

Generalist Practice I

Are you part of any organizations on campus?

I am a Social Impact Scholar, which has been an incredible experience. We recently went on a Vermont Business trip to learn about local and sustainable businesses. I also had the opportunity to be a part of the Let Us Discuss event on campus and model inclusive communication on a variety of topics. Social Impact Scholars helps my voice be heard on campus and build meaningful connections with professionals in the Champlain and Burlington communities.

How has Champlain prepared you for life after graduation?

The Career Collaborative and Insight program have taught me so many valuable skills, like managing credit cards and how to negotiate my salary. Inside the classroom, the emphasis since day one has been on becoming a professional, and the professors see and you treat you as such.

How has the Core curriculum impacted your education?

The Core has made me aware of all the ways that disciplines work together. It is so unique to collaborate with Game Programming majors or Accounting majors on topics like globalization or gender. Having voices from all majors makes discussions unpredictable and unique.

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Oliver Mustoe

Advice to Students?

Be a good communicator, and never stop learning!

Favorite: Book, Movie, Podcast?

Book: 1984 by George Orwell

Inspirational Quote?

“Test fast, fail fast, adjust fast.” – Tom Peters

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Beck Natale

Piece of advice to students?

Make sure to take breaks. Working nonstop without any breaks will lead to burnout! Your health matters just as much as grades.

What's your favorite book, movie, or podcast?

Podcast: The Adventure Zone
Movie: Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse

Inspirational Quote?

“Do good recklessly” – Magnus Burnsides

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Dylan Navarro

Concentration

Cybersecurity Operations

Internships

The Leahy Center at Champlain College, Department of Defense in San Diego, CA

Favorite Class

Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing

Post-Grad Job

Department of Defense

What drew you to your major?

I’ve always found technology fascinating. Growing up playing multiplayer games with my friends is what got me interested in a career in some IT discipline. I really enjoyed learning how to set up game servers and keep them running so I could play with my friends. As time progressed, I wanted to take my technical knowledge and use that to help people. Digital forensics seemed like a great way to do that. Once I arrived at Champlain I started working at the Leahy Center. The work I did there made me realize I really enjoy the topics covered in the Cybersecurity major. For that reason, I decided to double major my sophomore year.The world is more digital than ever, and every day more and more items are connected to the internet. With this growth of technology has also come cybercrime. These cybercriminals conduct operations that can target individuals or large scale organizations that impact hundreds to millions of people across the globe. The cybersecurity industry and law enforcement have been working hard to stop these cybercriminals but there is a shortage of skilled professionals.

What opportunities have allowed you to apply classroom learning to real-world experience in your field?

The Northeastern Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (NECCDC) was a great opportunity I participated in that allowed me to apply my classroom learning to real-world settings. NECCDC is a competition in which students from institutions across the Northeast defend simulated company networks against professional ethical hackers. Working on a team of eight, students have to defend a network over multiple days while also completing business objectives to ensure that the fictitious company is still operational during cyber-attacks. I have been fortunate enough to have participated in this event for the past three years moving my way up to our team’s Linux lead.

How do you think your experiences will give you a competitive advantage post-grad?

Through the hands-on learning at Champlain and the work I’ve done at the Leahy Center I have experience with many industry standard technologies. This is something that a lot of people my age don’t have. Since starting at Champlain I have been working in positions that are directly relevant to my field. This means that when I graduate, I will have about four years of relevant work experience.

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Anna Needler

Internship

McSoley McCoy & Co. in South Burlington, VT

Favorite Class

Financial and Economic Modeling

Post-Grad Job

Staff Accountant at McSoley McCoy & Co

What do you like about your program?

My advisor, Nicole Morris, believed in me right from the beginning. I had her as a professor for one of my classes in my first semester during my first year, and I have her now in my last semester at Champlain. She’s been consistently supportive for all four years. Many of my classmates have had the same experience with their advisors. I really have appreciated her believing in me and her guidance.

How has Core changed your perspective?

Core gave me the opportunity to hear perspectives from people with broader experiences than I have. My Core professors were some of the best people I’ve ever known. Being such a close-knit community allowed for people—including the professors—to share their genuine selves. I will forever be impacted by my Core experiences.

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve found about Champlain so far?

One thing I didn’t expect was how beneficial the Career Collaborative is. Pat Boera helps every student in the Robert P Stiller School of Business literally every single step of the way in finding their place in the professional world. She helped me build a LinkedIn profile and resumé, she guided me through accounting recruiting season, and conducted my mock interview and gave detailed feedback.

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