Student

Haiva Askari

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

“It was amazing. I got to explore the Burlington community, learned how to use the public transport, and did a lot of other things like building a resume that would help me later on.”

How has the AHEAD program supported your journey at Champlain? 

“I’m close friends with so many of the people I spoke to in AHEAD. I’m now best friends with one of them! The staff in charge of the program have continued supporting me since.”

What are you studying at Champlain?

I’m a Professional Writing major!

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Haiva Askari

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

It was amazing. I got to explore the Burlington community, learned how to use the public transport, and did a lot of other things like building a resume that would help me later on.

How has the AHEAD program supported your journey at Champlain?

I’m close friends with so many of the people I spoke to in AHEAD. I’m now best friends with one of them! The adults in charge of the program have continued supporting me up until now even still.

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Evan Barker

Specialization

Level Design

Internship

Power Level Studios in Montreal, Canada

Tell us a bit about your experience in your major!

I really enjoy how the game majors are formatted from semester to semester. Each fall semester is mostly individual work within your major and specializations. For example, second-year designers take Game Technology, Principles of Game Design, and a specialization class. Then, all of the majors come together in the spring semester to work in teams for the Game Studio classes. This format really gives students time to learn and then apply themselves in a group setting with their new skills. The Game Studio classes are great for meeting new people and getting to know everyone in the game majors.

What’s the best thing about living on campus?

My favorite thing about campus is the huge amount of events that the Student Engagement team puts on throughout each semester. My second year, they organized an obstacle course called Grit ‘n Wit. In a group of four, we competed in a timed race that included logic puzzles and physical challenges that ran throughout campus. These types of events are always a ton of fun.

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

Imposter syndrome is a very real problem that most students feel at some point in their time in college. Remember that you’re here to learn, and that you don’t have to know everything from the start. I didn’t even know how to define “Game Designer” when I walked into my first class, and here I am with internships lined up in the future. You can do it.

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

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!

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Teagan Barton

Concentration

Creative Writing

Favorite Class

Introduction to Creative Writing

What drew you to your major? Why does your field matter?

I was always interested in creative writing, and have been making short stories, prose, and poems since I was a kid. When I started at Champlain, I thought I wanted to pursue Game Design. However, as time went on, I realized that it wasn’t truly what I wanted to do and decided to change majors. With the Creative Media major, we learn how to collaborate with each other on modern topics that require multiple levels of understanding. Being able to express ourselves in different mediums is an important aspect of the major and Division of Information Technology & Sciences impact on the world. Through the lens of an artist, we have perspectives on subjects that wouldn’t normally be seen by people, and we strive to relay those perspectives through our work. The Creative Media teachers that I’ve had are passionate about what they do, making the classes very enjoyable. They bring the students together in ways that benefit us individually and as a whole. The curriculum here is a lot better than I had even expected, and I look forward to the classes I will be taking in the future.

What has surprised you the most about Champlain?

The aspect of Champlain that surprised me the most was how much better small class sizes were for learning. I knew about the class size prior to attending, but I didn’t realize how much of a difference it would make in getting to know my classmates and the professors. I was used to classes being at least 25 people, and now that I have had classes with only 10 people, being in a class with fewer people is immensely more helpful.

What is something you’ve grown to be proud of while here? What has humbled you or challenged you in that time?

After taking Creative Media classes, I have grown to be proud of my own iterative process. I learned more about it in the Spring semester, and now I have the chance to deepen my knowledge. My process has improved significantly since beginning at Champlain. My work now revolves around making drafts and alternate versions of the final product, which allows for more creative freedom. Being confronted with more complicated or broad prompts challenged me to think outside the box for a solution or a final product. I expect to be challenged even more before the semester ends, and I relish the challenge.

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Brooke Barwick

Graduation Year

’18

Organization

Stowe Area Association / Go Stowe

Position Title

Membership & Marketing Coordinator

How are you using your Communication degree at your job?

As the Membership & Marketing Coordinator at Stowe Area Association/Go Stowe, the destination tourism marketing organization for Stowe, Vermont, my Champlain College education has been invaluable in not only my current success but also for creating the opportunities to get me here. My PR degree, marketing specialization, and event management minor from Champlain was the perfect storm of educational skills and knowledge to enter the professional world.
Throughout my time at Champlain, I was fortunate enough to have real-life experience with local clients, a variety of internships, and opportunities to learn technical and professional development skills. This has been extremely helpful in my role. I execute PR campaigns, create and evaluate marketing content, and plan member events for the four-season destination of Stowe. Especially in these uncertain times, my experience and education have been imperative to help navigate our new world and pivot to continue to create impactful marketing and PR opportunities in tourism.
One of my most valuable learning experiences that prepared me to enter the professional world was the Public Relations Campaign Development class. We worked with an actual client, Shelburne Museum, to prepare all the aspects of a full PR campaign as well as develop the skills to work with clients. Experiences like these at Champlain are what made my higher education experience invaluable.

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

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.

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Amaya Baustert

Specialization

Event Management

Favorite Class

COR 240: Bodies

What do you like about your program?

Being a part of Robert P Stiller School of Business has opened the doors to so many opportunities beyond the college Division of Information Technology & Scienceself. I was the event planner for Stiller Women in Business, which allowed me to use my event management skills. I was later promoted to the position of Vice President, where I used my business skills.

What extracurricular activities are you involved in?

One of my favorite clubs was International Round Table, where we talked about an array of things. Every semester we took a trip to Montreal, where we would meet numerous consulates and experience the local culture.

How has Core changed your perspective?

Core has given me the ability to think outside my comfort zone and look at the world from a different perspective. Critical thinking is something that is often not used, but in Core, it is all you use. I will be able to leave college confident in knowing that I can pull apart a situation and put it back together by myself.

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Wesly Beard

Concentration

App Development

Travel Course

India

Internship

Leahy Center (Champlain) and SOOS.io (Winooski)

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

Core afforded me the special opportunity to travel as part of an educational trip to India. The experience expanded my view of the world in a literal and figurative way. The trip was eye-opening and exposed me to a part of the world that I had never seen, as well as entire religions I knew very little about before the course. It was a life-changing experience and one of my favorite times in college.

Describe your internship experience.

I have completed internships at the Leahy Center and at a software security company, SOOS.io, in nearby Winooski. At SOOS, I had the opportunity to work on both front- and back-end software projects, which helped me get a feel for what I enjoyed doing. While I definitely learned a lot from the experience, I also knew quite a bit going into it—like important day-to-day actions, as well as many advanced topics that had been touched on during my classes at Champlain. My internship experience was very helpful for job interviews and for helping me get my current post-graduate position.

Having been at Champlain now, what advice do you wish you could have given yourself on day one?

Form friendships with your professors earlier. You’ll see them a lot and it’s great to be on a personal level with them, even if it’s not always in an academic setting. I ended up forming some great connections with faculty later on in my college career, which provided me some fantastic opportunities. I wish I had done that earlier.

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Katherine Beauregard

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Kate Beauregard

Minors

Psychology and Social Justice

Service Trip

Uganda Service Trip

Internship

Parent Child Center Intern at Lund in Burlington, VT

Favorite Class

Oppression and Empowerment

What is the best part about being in the Social Work major?

My experience within my major has had a huge positive impact on my overall experience at Champlain. Social Work is a small major, so I have grown very close to my cohort. I’ve connected with alumni from this program who have assisted with my field learning, worked closely with my professors, and established great relationships with members of my division.

How has the Upside-Down Curriculum impacted your education?

The Upside-Down Curriculum allowed me to enter a placement at the Converse Home in my very first year at Champlain. From this field placement, I was hired as a substitute, which helped build my résumé and knowledge base in working with older adults. This placement so early on in my college journey helped reinforce that I picked the right profession.

Can you tell us about your senior internship?

I am currently in my senior placement at Lund, where I work with three different programs. I work with Independence Place, which is transitional housing for families at risk of homelessness, and Lund’s residential treatment program, both of which I help run. I also work with a program called Kids-A-Part, where I take part in an initiative called Storybook at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility. Through this program, I record mothers reading stories for their children and assist with family visDivision of Information Technology & Sciences.My classwork did an excellent job of preparing me for my work in the field. Starting from my first year, I was given opportunities to work directly in the community. My third year, I took Generalist Practice, where I learned to apply skills in ethics and working with clients. As a senior, I have a weekly class to discuss what is occurring in the field.

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Jocelyn Bedell

Specialization

Concept Art

Internship

Intern at Harmonix Music Inc. in Boston, MA

Post-Grad Job

Junior 3-D Artist at Harmonix Music Inc. in Boston, MA

What is the best thing about the Game Art major at Champlain?

Game art is always developing. There are new programs, new pipelines, and new methods. Champlain is always tweaking Division of Information Technology & Sciences programs to keep up with industry trends in game art, which gives students an edge when they enter into the field.

Have you had any internships?

I had a summer internship with Harmonix Music Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts. I created assets for character customization in Rock Band Four and seasons rewards for character customization. Now, I will be working full-time for Harmonix after graduation!

How did Champlain prepare you for the professional world?

Without Champlain and the support of my professors, I would have never applied for my summer job at Harmonix. I would have never worked on Rock Band Four, and I certainly would have never been hired by them now.

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Cameron Belcher

What made you choose Champlain College?

I found my love for the Game Programming major after going to Champlain’s summer Game Academy program. I decided the teaching style was a perfect fit for me, and I was drawn by the culture of Champlain as well as their connections to the game industry.

What has been your favorite class?

My favorite class so far would have to be Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Games. It was a real turning point in finding out what specialization I wanted to pursue. Now I’m working on a game called Cash Force, where I am combining my knowledge of artificial intelligence and Unreal’s vehicle to create AI for our game.

Have you had any jobs on campus?

I worked with other students on an augmented reality (AR) project at the Emergent Media Center. They were very flexible in adapting our work commitments to our school schedules. During the project, I used all my knowledge from my programming classes and applied it to real life situations.

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Cara Benjamin

Favorite Class

Legal Research and Writing

Why Champlain for studying Law?

Champlain’s Law program feels so unique compared to other tracks in the legal field. Instead of focusing my time on the idea of justice and legal philosophy, I’m learning how to write legal memorandums, file motions with the court, and present an effective oral argument in the realms of civil, criminal, probate and family court.

What has Burlington added to your overall education and personal and professional development?

Part of why I chose Burlington is that it doesn’t really feel like a city compared to most other college towns. I grew up in Vermont and always saw Burlington as a big place. After coming to Champlain, I learned it’s a pretty close-knit, supportive community. The amount of small businesses helped me to appreciate the work-ethic of our small state. The views of Lake Champlain from campus can be stunning. It’s a welcoming place, and it doesn’t just feel like I’m here to be solely at school.

How prepared do you think you are for life after Champlain, both in your future career and day-to-day life?

Not only do I think I have the necessary skills to move into the legal field, I’ve been able to network within the Vermont legal community. It’s reassuring to know that Vermont has been supportive of the program. I’ve walked into job interviews where employers are already aware of Champlain’s curriculum and the experience students gain, and they’re enthusiastic about it. That reassurance helps me professionally and has boosted my confidence about leaving academia.

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Harper Bennett

Advice to Students?

Working with friends is better than working alone!

Favorite: Book, Movie, Podcast?

Movie: A Silent Voice

Inspirational Quote?

“And remember that bad times…are just times that are bad.” – Katrina, Animal Crossing

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page