Email: admission@champlain.edu
Phone: 802.625.0201
Email: admission@champlain.edu
Phone: 802.625.0201
Robin Shafto on Classes, Innovative Projects, and the Creative Culture at Champlain College
Division
Information Technology & Sciences
Major
Computer Science & Innovation
Hometown
Livingston, NJ
Pronouns
she/her
Internship
MakerLab Technician at the Emergent Media Center in Burlington, VT
Post-Grad Job
Software Engineer at LORD Corporation in Burlington, VT
”Many of our projects are open-ended, which is really fun. For my Innovation 1 final, I made a glove that you could wear and use to play rock, paper, scissors against a computer.
What first drew you to Champlain College?
I loved that Champlain had a maker space that students from every major and year could use. You could even use it for personal projects! I loved the idea of a school that would offer that, and a student body that would make use of it. I wanted to go to a school with those kinds of students.
Now that you've been in the Computer Science & Innovation program for a few years, what is your favorite part of it?
I love how passionate all of my peers are! Everyone has so many personal side projects, so even when we finish our homework, we're still coding. The program is definitely challenging, but I never feel like I'm doing busy work.
Did you have any experience working at any of Champlain's Centers of Experience?
I work at the Emergent Media Center®, and my job often overlaps with my classes in really exciting ways. I build physical components and write code for games and other interactive experiences. I have learned a lot about working on a team, and I'm much better now at figuring out new platforms and languages without classroom instruction.
Mackenzie Marsocci on the Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics Summer Academy, Dublin, and Staying Busy
Division
Information Technology & Sciences
Major
Computer Networking & Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics
Hometown
Arlington, VT
Studied Abroad
Dublin, Ireland
Pronouns
she/her
Internship
Intern at NuHarbor Security in Essex Junction, VT
”With the experience I've gotten at Champlain, I'm pretty confident to walk out into the real world, meet an employer, and say, 'I can do this job.'
What drew you to Champlain initially?
I attended the Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics Summer Academy before coming to college, and that gave me a lot of hands-on experience and allowed me to work for a few weeks in the Leahy Center for Digital Investigation before I was even a Champlain student. I met some professors I'm still close with, and having that kind of encouragement gave me the push I needed to pick a career path that wasn't necessarily in the plan.
So how did you decide your double major?
I decided to declare in Cybersecurity because that's what I enjoyed the most at the Summer Academy, and then I decided to add Digital Forensics. I knew it would be a lot more work, but I like being busy.
Have you studied abroad?
Yes! I studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland. We lived in a neighborhood called the Liberties. The great thing about living there is that you don't feel like a tourist. You get connected right away to the local community, and you realize that there are people living their lives there. Shopping at the local shops and staying away from the big grocery stores is very important because it allows you to get to know people in the community.
Sean Harple on the Emergent Media Center, Data Science, and the Rock Climbing Club
Division
Information Technology & Sciences
Major
Data Analytics (now Data Science)
Hometown
Hillsboro, OR
Pronouns
he/him
Internship
Intern at the Emergent Media Center in Burlington, VT
”The topics I learned about in class served as a base for me to build on during my internship experience, which also made it easy to bring the skills I learned in my internship back to class.
What do you like best about your major?
I think the most valuable and enjoyable part for me has been learning how to use graphing and prediction software to analyze different datasets. My class projects have been the most rewarding, analyzing everything from Chipotle sales to sports statistics.
Can you describe your experience working with the Emergent Media Center?
At the Emergent Media Center, I worked alongside a team of other interns to research, develop, and present our findings on emerging technologies. The topics I learned about in class served as a base for me to build on during my internship experience, which also made it easy to bring the skills I learned in my internship back to class. Because of this internship, I have a fuller résumé, and I already have experience in the workforce, which will put me a step above other applicants.
Are you involved with any extracurricular activities?
I participate in Climb Champlain, our rock climbing club. I enjoy it a lot because it's a fun, full-body workout, and it fits nicely into my schedule.
Zeke Tierkel on Internships and the Entrepreneurial Mind-Set
Division
Information Technology & Sciences
Major
Computer Networking & Cybersecurity
Specialization
Cybersecurity Operations
Minor
Data Analytics
Hometown
Amherst, MA
Pronouns
he/him
Internship
Application Security Engineer Intern at Workday in Pleasanton, CA
”The Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) is a growing community of entrepreneurs. The program offers the ability to collaborate with other like-minded individuals on campus and provide a space for them to work together.
Can you describe the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) program at Champlain?
CIE is a growing community of entrepreneurs. The program offers the ability to collaborate with other like-minded individuals on campus and provide a space for them to work together. At least once a month, a guest speaker—usually a business owner from the Burlington area—will come to talk about their experience in the field of entrepreneurism.
CIE also hosts events such as the Elevator Pitch and the Champlain branch of LaunchVT.
What does the entrepreneurial mind-set mean to you?
An entrepreneurial mind-set does not necessarily mean you need to go out, abandon your career, and start a business. The mind-set of an entrepreneur can be utilized in a corporate setting just as much as in your own startup. Entrepreneurism within a company is often referred to as "intrapreneurism," and it's just as valuable a skill.
Outside of your work with the CIE, what professional experiences have you had during your time at Champlain?
I have had three internships over the last three years. My first was as a Research Assistant at the Leahy Center for Digital Investigation. Next, I worked as a software engineer for a small web firm out of Easthampton, Massachusetts. Most recently, I worked as a Security Engineer for Workday, located in Pleasanton, California.
I am a big believer that it takes time within an industry to learn the intricacies of running a business. All three of my internships taught me different ways of building a successful business.
Anna Matich on Starting a Nonprofit to Provide Children with Technology, Seeing the World with Core Classes, and Managing a Double Major
Division
Information Technology & Sciences
Double Major
Computer Science & Innovation, and Computer & Digital Forensics
Hometown
Carmel, Indiana
Pronouns
she/her
Internships
Software Engineer Application Developer Intern at Workday in Pleasanton, CA
Travel Courses
Tanzania and India
”Techdren, Techology for Children, is officially a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and I'm the CEO and co-founder.
You’ve been on several Core travel courses. Can you tell us about those?
Champlain offers many Core travel courses, and I was fortunate enough to take two. My second year, I took an Aesthetic Expressions course in the fall semester. We learned about the artistic culture in Zanzibar. Then, over winter break, we spent two weeks in Zanzibar, which was amazing. We met with three schools on the island of Pemba, which inspired my work with Techdren. I took the second class in the series during the spring semester, where we debriefed the trip and learned more about the religious and secular aspects of the culture.
My third year, I took a Core class with a travel component to India. We went for a week and saw the Taj Mahal and the Lotus temple. It was a really great experience, and we were able to see how different religions interacted together.
What is Techdren?
Techdren, Technology for Children, is officially a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and I'm the CEO and co-founder. We first started on a Core travel course, and since then we've grown into a full nonprofit and run two successful trips delivering technology to students and primary schools on the Island of Pemba. We focus on providing technology for children with the goal of furthering education and technology literacy, as well as empowering girls and women.
Can you tell us about your double major?
When I first came to college as a Computer Networking & Digital Forensics student, I was really excited about everything I was learning in class, but I was missing computer programming. When I talked to employers about what kind of opportunities they had, they said how great digital forensics is, but they also needed someone with a programming background. Since then, Champlain has added programming classes to the Digital Forensics major, but I decided I was going to try some on my own before they did. I realized I really enjoyed my computer science classes, so I added my second major of Computer Science & Innovation. Even with a double major, I'm able to graduate in four years, which is amazing.
Michelle Nie on Integrating Art and Technology, Interdisciplinary Education, and Adapting her Programming Skills for Game Development
Division
Information Technology & Science
Major
Game Programming
Minor
Mathematics
Hometown
Marlborough, MA
Pronouns
she/her
Favorite Class
Game Production I and Game Architecture
”I love integrating art and technology and using it as a medium for storytelling and experience-making.
What made you choose Game Programming?
I love integrating art and technology and using it as a medium for storytelling and experience-making. I used to be more of an artist, but upon learning how to code I fell in love with it and decided to move more into technology and programming. It absolutely fascinates me that something I can type out on my keyboard can turn into incredibly powerful game engines, software, and tools.
How has the Core curriculum changed your perspective?
The flexibility of Core and its inherent interdisciplinary nature lends itself to forcing your creative muscle to work. Not only am I learning different perspectives to look at myself, communities, and the world, I am also allowed freedom to tie it back into the tech world. For most people, programming isn't the first thing that comes to mind, but there are a lot of surprising ways social impact can come into the world of ones and zeroes.
Do you have a favorite class?
It's hard to pinpoint a particular favorite class. I'd say my current favorites are Game Production I and Game Architecture. I'm learning so much about the application of the programming skills that I've been learning for years. I was a programmer before, but these two classes really put the "game" in Game Programming by teaching me skills specifically for programming in games.