This past weekend the Emergent Media Center (EMC) at Champlain College was awarded the Ambassador Award at the 6th annual Vermont Tech Jam for being a leader in technology, blending business and learning.

Vermont Tech Jam is a two-day job fair and tech expo organized by Seven Days and Vermont Technology Alliance, and sponsored by Dealer.com and MyWebGrocer, to bring together some of Vermont's fastest growing and most innovative companies. Each of the companies exhibiting were also recruiting staff and interns as well as demonstrating their products and services to students and the general public. Within two days, more than 500 students from around the state met with scientists, engineers, programmers and entrepreneurs who are shaping the future of Vermont's economy.

New this year to the Tech Jam, the Vermont Technology Alliance (vtTA) presented two awards honoring businesses and individuals for their outstanding contributions to the local tech community. The awards were designed by local artist John Brickles.

The panel of judges that evaluated nominated groups and selected the winners included: Lawrence Miller, Secretary of Vermont's Agency of Commerce and Community Development; Dr. John Cohn, IBM Fellow and Chief Scientist of Design Automation at IBM; Matt Dunne, Director of Community Affairs for Google; and Paula Routly, Publisher and Co-Editor of Seven Days.

Champlain's EMC was awarded the Ambassador Award for leadership and actions positively representing the state as a home for technology business, and whose efforts help put Vermont "on the map" as a place for technology businesses to start, succeed and grow.

The second award winner was MicroStrain of Williston, a leader in the design and manufacture of sensing systems for industrial and aerospace applications. MicroStrain received the Innovation Award for its new LXRRS Wireless Communications product, used in helicopters, trains, earth moving equipment and farming operations.

Lawrence Miller presented the two awards Friday evening at the exhibitor mixer. "The EMC acts as a software design studio within an academic setting, giving students the opportunity to work for real-world companies before graduation.

"The EMC is not only a leader in new media and game development in Vermont, but has an international reputation. "By integrating advanced technological tools with cultural awareness, creativity, communication, and a sense of history and place, the EMC helps prepare students to be successful in their chosen fields," said Ann DeMarle, Director of the Emergent Media Center. "While giving these students the opportunity to define the future of interactive and immersive mediums and technologies, we are helping to create leaders in technology, innovation and insight in the future ahead."

Students in the program work with private, public and non-profit organizations to produce emerging forms of software such as games or mobile applications for positive community impact. They work with a wide variety of organizations, including business, medicine, tourism and government. Through these collaborative projects, students engage and discuss with industry professionals, clients and the community to solve problems and create positive change. The students participate in the entire product development process and gain real-world experience necessary to succeed in the creative economy.

Students work locally, as well as in inner cities and places as far away as South Africa and Palestine for a game project called BREAKAWAY, designed to help educate young boys and men about treating women equally and breaking a pattern of violence.

EMC students are not only great technologists, but are involved in Vermont and have global perspective. Graduates can be found working at Vermont tech companies such as Dealer.com, Green Mountain Digital and MyWebGrocer, while some are going on to build their own businesses.

Champlain's EMC shines a spotlight on the capabilities of Vermont as a home for technology business, attracting young people to tech careers, and creating partnerships that grow Vermont companies and the next generation workforce.

For more information about the Vermont Tech Jam 2012, visit techjamvt.com.