Student

Cecilia Pohlar

Internships

Leahy Center for Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity in Burlington, VT; Vermont Mutual Insurance Group in Berlin, VT; and Department of Defense in Charleston, SC

Favorite Class

Malware Analysis

Post-Grad Job

Department of Defense in a Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity

What do you like about your program?

The biggest thing I love about my program is the candid relationship we all have with each other. Professors don’t hold back in telling you when you haven’t done good work, but they also take every opportunity to congratulate and build you up when you do well. My classmates and I all cheer each other on so much when we get that job we wanted or get to speak at a big conference. I think that family aspect is something a lot of other schools miss out on.

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

The open-ended projects I’ve worked on in my Digital Forensics classes have been the most beneficial to me. Professors will often give us full investigations to perform, which have increased in difficulty throughout the years. They hand us an image of a system and tell us to figure out what’s there and write a report on it. They don’t hold your hand through it. This is what real life will look like for us as Digital Forensics Analysts, and I’m so thankful I’ve already had so much experience with it just at Champlain.

What are your plans after graduation?

After graduation, I will be moving to South Carolina to work with the Department of Defense in a Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity position. I actually received the offer for this position as part of the Department of Defense Cybersecurity scholarship program at the end of my sophomore year, so I’ve known my after-graduation plans for almost two years now.Champlain is one of a limited number of colleges and universities across the US which offer this scholarship to students in our field. I’m beyond thankful to have been chosen for this scholarship along with a few of my classmates, and am really looking forward to starting my career in federal service.

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Maggie Pono

Piece of advice to students?

You won’t always be able to give 100% to a piece of work but that doesn’t make it bad, it’s just the best you could do at the time and that’s okay.

What's your favorite book, movie or podcast?

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Inspirational Quote?

“If we were all trees there’d be no more wars, because we’d be trees.” – Child in Golden Sun

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Asiah Quattlebaum

How did the CARE program help you in your first year?

The CARE program has been something I loved being a part of during my first semester at Champlain. This program has helped me identify my strengths and has helped me make connections with so many faculty members and staff on campus. I am super grateful to be a part of this!
This program has helped me navigate my first year of college and has helped me get through it. Monica and Miranda are genuinely incredible and are always willing to help you in any capacity.

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Alison Quigley

Graduation Year

’09

Organization

Dealer.com

Position Title

Advertising Operations Manager

How are you using your Communication degree at your job?

I graduated in ’09 with a Public Relations degree. Soon after, I accepted the role of Marketing Coordinator at Stowe Area Association. What helped me get the gig? Champlain College! The most noteworthyitems being:

• Coming to the interview with a full marketing plan for Stowe Area Association that had been completed in a course earlier that year
• A recommendation from a Champlain College employee who had worked for Stowe Area Association
• Coming to the interview with a portfolio of published writing samples that had been completed for internships
• A recommendation from a partner of People Making Good, where I had interned (as they had been an association member in another life & still connected to that network)

Today, I’m the Advertising Operations Manager at Dealer.com. While I’m not actively “practicing” public relations, I continue to utilize the skills I acquired because of the Public Relations degree.

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Kunthea Relinski

Specialization

Screenwriting

Internship

ShareYourself in Burlington, VT

Favorite Class

Any class with Jim Ellefson!

What sets Champlain’s Professional Writing program apart from programs at other schools?

I think that the Professional Writing major at Champlain is greater in a sense because, at other schools, you can take Journalism as a major, or you can have a Creative Writing major, and nothing really encapsulates all of it. Here, you choose a specialization which you will focus in, but you get to take classes in every different aspect of writing. I think it is really helpful to be knowledgeable in all of it, because maybe down the line you want to change your career path, or you’re asked to do something that you didn’t focus on in school. But here, you get to learn about all of it and the professors really encourage you to defer outside of your comfort zone and take classes that you wouldn’t normally take. I don’t ever take any classes in editing and publishing because that’s not really my realm, but it’s good to know about technical writing and all the grammatical skills and things like that.

Can you tell us about The Grind?

The Grind is the weekly open mic that we have every Wednesday in Fireside Lounge. People can come do stand up, people can sing, people can read poetry. I have been the host for three years now. It’s a really good community to take a break from your work every Wednesday night, eat food, drink tea, and hang out with your friends. We are a welcoming community, and I think it’s given me a lot of confidence in myself as a person. I’ve fostered such a great community there, and everyone bolsters each other up no matter your ability and whatever you’re trying to perform. It’s just very encouraging and inclusive.
Every week I open the show with a set of three songs on my guitar, but other people do stand up, their own or something that they’ve seen on TV. A lot of people recite original poetry, stand up poems, spoken word, or just normal poetry. We have one person that plays the violin, some people bring their DJ decks and will play a set. We have a lot of variety. One person brings her saxophone sometimes.

What extracurriculars are you involved in?

I’m the Director of Communications for the SGA. The SGA is the Student Government Association, and my role as Director of Communications is to work with the President and the Vice President to make sure that we are communicating well with the student body, but also creating a really good relationship with the entire administration of Champlain. So, we promote different events on social media. A few weeks ago, I hosted a candy grams event where people could come into the office and interact with us, and we could send free candy for Valentine’s Day. We also tried to set up a giving tree for holidays where you can give back to our community in Burlington as a whole.
I love my role there because I get to interact both with the administration, the student body, and I get to work a lot internally with the SGA. Being on the SGA cabinet has taught me a lot about applying my writing skills to my position there. Being able to work with the community, to write letters to the community, work with social media. Being on SGA has really advanced all of the skills that I’m learning here and makes sure that I’m able to apply them well.

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Lizbeth Reyes Grande

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Diogo Ribeiro

Can you tell us a bit about your major?

What I really like about my program is interacting with different types of audiences. In Data Science, you need to explain your data to different types of people; some may know what you are talking about, and others might not. Therefore, acquiring presentation skills is something I really enjoy in order to present my data.

What's the best part of living on campus?

Having most of my friends living close to me. I really like that I can go get food at IDX whenever I feel like it as well.

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

If you decide to come to Champlain and are not too certain about what you want to major in, come in with an open mind and just experience the classes that your advisor puts in your schedule. Your advisor is going to help you find out what major fits best depending on what you like.

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Logan Rice

Favorite Class

Criminal Law

Post-Grad Job

Client Advisor at Stevens Ford Lincoln in Milford, CT

How did the Upside-Down Curriculum impact your education?

With the Upside-Down Curriculum, you’re jumping into your major-related classes right away. In my first year, I also went on a ride-along with a Vermont State Police officer. It was amazing to see another side of law enforcement—the human side you don’t often see through the media.
One of the biggest things I’ve learned about criminal justice is human interaction. You can read about being in a squad car and pulling people over, but it’s the area between the actual law and the connection to that person that matters. Champlain professors have real experience, and they can help you understand what being in that moment is like in a way a textbook can’t.

What is it like being a student in the Division of Education & Human Studies Division (EHS)?

We get to know people in the division through the EHS Signature Courses, which allow students from across majors to engage in topics. This semester, we’re talking about human trafficking. We get a psychology perspective, for example, in addition to criminal justice. It’s very interesting because you get contradicting opinions, and it broadens your view on global subjects.

You were the President of the Student Government Association (SGA). How was that experience?

Becoming SGA President my junior year is a great point of pride for me. The work we did and the tasks we undertook were truly a passion of mine. For example, we executed a project—the Rainbow Crosswalk—where we painted the crosswalk on South Willard Street the colors of the rainbow in honor of our LGBTQA+ community. The work we do truly can make a difference on campus.

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Angela Richard

pronouns

She/Her/Hers

Internship

Student Communications Liaison, Office of the President at Champlain College (Burlington, VT); Intern at Kid Logic Learning (South Burlington, VT); Intern at Allen Brook School (Williston, VT)

How has the Upside-Down Curriculum enhanced your education?

The Upside-Down Curriculum has been extremely beneficial to my learning. I love hands-on experiences, and I started working in my field on day three of being at Champlain College. Not only were hands-on, major-specific experiences available to me as a first-year student, but they also encouraged and pushed for me and my peers to take advantage of and pursue. This attitude towards real-world experience has shifted my own perspective on what higher education specifically should look like, and I’m so grateful to Champlain for opening my eyes to this possibility.

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 internship in the President’s Office [as Student Communications Liaison] is the first of Division of Information Technology & Sciences kind. I came to the administration with my idea, pitched it, researched it, and made sure it was actualized. Working with the administration in this way has given me an in-depth understanding of the complexities of working in higher education, a knowledge base I had not previously accessed. This experience will aid me in future advocacy and communications work, which I will employ everywhere I go.

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

Champlain has made me a better person. Not just a learner or professional, but a person. The qualities I’ve developed inside and outside of the classroom while attending Champlain apply to all aspects of my life and have truly shaped my being. I feel ready to tackle new challenges and immerse myself even more in my field of education.

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Andrew Rimpici

Internships

Mobile Developer Intern at Rad Magpie in Burlington, VT

What made you choose Champlain?

I was drawn to Champlain’s close-knit community and upbeat atmosphere. Even before enrolling, it was very apparent that every student matters and receives individualized attention. The small class sizes allow professors to get to know each and every student. It also provides professors with the opportunity to tailor their teaching style to the needs of each student.

What is the best part of the Game Programming major?

I really like the amount of intriguing programming courses Champlain College has to offer. Game programming courses are available in graphics, physics, artificial intelligence, animation, and more. In addition to the wide variety of classes offered, I admire how close everyone who takes them becomes. We’re all passionate about what we’re learning, and we’re willing to help each other reach our greatest potential.

Can you tell us about your internship?

Over the summer before my senior year, I worked as a Mobile Developer at Rad Magpie, a non-profit game studio in Burlington. I was responsible for transforming the designers’ ideas into reality in the form of a mobile app for an international client. Having a programming job on my resume gives me a competitive edge, as it shows future employers that I have experience working on real production projects.

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Miranda Rodriguez

Specializations

Visual Art, Creative Writing, and Filmmaking

Favorite Class

Darkroom Photography, Women in Art and Cinematography

How has the Upside-Down Curriculum enhanced your education?

I’m really appreciative of the Upside-Down Curriculum because it got me right to work immediately. My first year, I was already in the darkroom, developing my own film and printing my own photos for class critique—I couldn’t have gotten that almost anywhere else. I got my hands dirty right away, and I think that’s only strengthened my practice.

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

Champlain has helped me build my portfolio and a greater understanding of my brand as an artist and creator. Especially as you move further into the freelance market, building a brand is so important to your discoverability and what people reach out to you for. I think I’ve settled on something that’s not only true to me, but that is representative of the work I aim to focus on and calls out to the right people.

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

To incoming students—I know change is scary, but I promise you that it’ll be okay. You’ll be nervous and make mistakes, maybe you’ll trip or say something wrong, but we’re all here to learn and grow and help each other do the same. Making mistakes is part of the gig. Don’t be afraid to take that leap, because even if something doesn’t work out, you’ll still learn about yourself and what makes you tick.

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Rebecca Rogers

Internship

Shanghai Summer Internship Program

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Miller Roman

Internships

R&D Intern at Rad Magpie in Burlington, VT

What made you choose the Game Programming major?

I chose my major because I love taking an incredibly complicated subject and packing it into something everyone can interact with and get joy from. Whenever I create something, my goal is that my mom should be able to turn it on and understand how to operate it.

What is the best part about your program?

I love that Game Programming is a project-based major. One of my favorite series of classes is our Production track courses. These classes take groups of every game major and put us together to make games and share them with our friends, professors, and industry recruiters. We’re a close-knit community. Spending so much time in the labs makes you feel so comfortable and helps you make great friends with similar interests.

Can you tell us about your internship?

I worked on R&D projects with a team of interns at Rad Magpie. Our goal was to find possible long-term games and projects for the studio to continue developing. This pushed us into looking at virtual reality and augmented reality technologies. My Production classes made it easy to go from a classroom environment to working in a business where there were multiple projects going on. Having an internship gives you so many great opportunities to create new connections and network with people who you would have never had the chance to meet otherwise.

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Austin Roorda

Internship

Behavior Interactive

What was it like to study abroad in Montreal?

Studying abroad in Montreal was fantastic. I would definitely say it’s probably the highlight of my time here at Champlain in many ways. I worked as a Project Manager Intern at Behavior Interactive on their mobile division. I worked on an unreleased game, which is currently still in development, called Game of Thrones Beyond The Wall. I worked on that as a Project Manager, tracking tasks, and being a facilitator of discussion and communication between the team. I was also just a person of contact and point of reference for pretty much any questions the team had. I’d get them to talk to who they needed to.

What is your favorite tool to get things done?

For getting things done as a Producer and Project Manager, you have a bunch of task tracking software and communication facilitators such as Matter Most or Discord. I’ve found food is extremely effective. Being able to sit people down at a work session and say, “Hey, I brought food. Please eat this food and then do those things that we said that we should probably do to make sure that we actually don’t crunch.” Super effective. Also, having a smile and a pleasant disposition is pretty good, too.

Are you scrum certified?

So I’m Scrum certified, which means that I’ve been certified as a Scrum master through Clint Keith and the Scrum Alliance. And that basically means that I can facilitate team progress and a team workflow by making it so we reevaluate and iterate whatever we’re making on a week-by-week basis or a case-by-case, sprint-by-sprint basis. That just allows us to be more efficient in what we’re making. And it’s a better way than just doing it the traditional old fashioned way from start to end.

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Thomas Rose

Internship

Student Writer Intern at Champlain Marketing Department in Burlington, VT

Post-Grad Job

Deputy Editor in Chief at Salt & Wonder Magazine

What made you choose Professional Writing?

I originally came to Champlain as a Computer Science & Innovation major. I felt pretty confident that I wanted to do computer science, but after a year in the program I realized programming wasn’t for me. It wasn’t fulfilling any of the creative drive I had. With the guidance of my professors, I switched into Creative Media for a little bit. I realized I was looking for more structure, so I turned to the Professional Writing major.

How has Champlain prepared you for the publishing industry?

I was looking for a program that was along the lines of, “Enter this course, do these tasks and assignments, and you’ll come out with these learned skills.” I’ve been thrilled with my progress in the Professional Writing program. I’ve been able to secure two internships, showcase my work at multiple readings, and had pieces published online and in print.

How would you describe the professors at Champlain?

The professors here care immensely about their students. I’ve found numerous mentors and had the pleasure of having real discussions with faculty who treat their students not as pupils, but as people with valuable perspectives. In fact, almost everyone I’ve met through school is passionate, motivated, thoughtful, and openhearted. It’s an amazing community.

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