Fall Newsletter 2010

Leahy Says Champlain's Got Game

Senator Spotlights College's Emergent Media Center

Vermont's brilliant fall foliage wasn't the only show in town this past autumn. On October 15th and 16th, the Vermont 3.0 Tech Jam celebrated the next generation of technology companies now reinvigorating the economy. And Senator Patrick Leahy, the longest serving federal office holder in Vermont history and the second most senior member of the United States Senate, made a very special appearance to praise the work of Champlain College students, who recently debuted a unique project to help reduce violence against women around the world.

Breakaway, a free online computer game that moves between interactive soccer matches and player decisions about social and life issues, was created by Champlain students in the College's new Emergent Media Center. Part of an international project sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund, the game is designed to teach young men the importance of showing respect on and off the field to both their teammates and the women in their lives. It was unveiled during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and distributed to young soccer players in Africa during the month-long competition.

Speaking to a packed Tech Jam house, Senator Leahy congratulated Champlain College students and faculty for designing the acclaimed new game and said that the end result was a working model of excellence in higher education. His remarks echoed the fact that not only is Vermont fully immersed in the new industries of the 21st century but that Champlain College and its students are leading this renaissance.

"The Breakaway project is a shining example of what an education should be today," said the Senator. "As a student, you have become an engaged global peer, you have studied innovative concepts, and tackled the root of a generationally embedded social issue. All of you who have taken part in this venture-you should walk away confident in your abilities as a well-trained professional and leader in your field."

Watch Sen. Leahy's full presentation online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV4-QeWle8I. For more information about Breakaway, visit http://www.breakawaygame.com/

Education Without Borders

International Students Cross New Learning Frontiers

Champlain College students on our Montreal and Dublin campuses continue to enjoy real-world experiences around the globe. This fall in Montreal, a group of Champlain undergraduates toured facilities at Funcom, an award-winning producer of multiplayer online games. Students met CEO Miguel Caron and had the chance to talk with employees, who offered a wealth of invaluable game design career advice.

Across the pond in Dublin, Ireland, Champlain students assisted international non-profit organization ATD Fourth World-Ireland as it marked the United Nations International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17th. Students helped organize and run the day's events, which brought together people from all walks of life to aid young adults struggling with poverty and its stigma.

Roger H. Perry Hall Welcomes the Future

For years, the once stately mansion directly across from Champlain College's IDX Student Life Center, stood abandoned. But behind the weeds and boarded up windows remained one of only 11 houses in the vicinity to predate the Civil War, an architectural gem constructed in 1859 by a local lawyer and diplomat. Flash forward to today and that historic structure has become the center of Champlain student life.

In late September, Champlain College President David F. Finney officially opened The Welcome and Admission Center at Roger H. Perry Hall, which is named for Dr. Finney's predecessor, the sixth president of Champlain.

"The grace with which this 151-year-old Italianate-style brick home expands into the sleek glass-fronted additions reflects the masterful partnership of architects and preservation experts," said Dr. Finney. "The finished landmark is as innovative as it is spectacular-its incorporation of sustainable and efficiency features sets a new standard for energy and environmental design in the State of Vermont."

Champlain Ed Students In The Zone

New College Program Boosts Childhood Learning Skills

The challenges facing Vermont's disadvantaged children are numerous, but none are greater than those faced at school, where many kids lack the skills needed to become good learners. To help children acquire these fundamentals, the Champlain College Division of Education & Human Studies has partnered with the Salvation Army to create the Learning Zone, an afterschool program for Burlington elementary and middle school children at risk of failing.

Designed in cooperation with College faculty, the new program helps kids "learn to learn." Champlain students provide one-on-one tutoring to children in grades 1-6. Education major Katie Scanlon ('11) helped create the program's library. "The kids come in and are actually excited to pick a book to read with their Champlain reading buddy," she says.

Program director Emily Reynolds sees such results every day. "Students act as mentors helping kids get excited about learning and take pride in their work," she explains. "These relationships help social and behavioral development among the kids so that they can become independent learners."