Meet Some of Our Business Administration Students

I chose Business Administration because growing up, I was always told that I had the gift of persuasion and strong communication skills. I decided I would have a future in the business world due to my strength, drive, dedication, and straightforwardness. The business program at Champlain College is amazing. I especially enjoy group projects because they give me the opportunity to broadcast my natural leadership abilities while working with different people with different personalities.

A specific project that I was able to work on that I found rewarding was for my Global Condition class. I worked with Feeding Chittenden, and was granted the opportunity to cook for low-income families that live in poverty around the Burlington area.

I started my professional career as an Administrative Assistant at the Quality Inn in Colchester, Vermont. I was in charge of making reservations, solving guest issues, keeping track of paperwork, all while maintaining a strong work ethic. I've enhanced the skills I've gained at Champlain since my first year to guide me through my professional career so far, especially my communication skills. I have learned to be well-rounded and adapt to any and every situation I am faced with. Since this internship, I have become a Front Desk Manager at the Hampton Inn in Burlington.

I am the President of the Student Government Association (SGA). We fund and regulate all the clubs. We have a grant process for student projects, and we work as a liaison between the students and the administration. I would say give yourself the opportunity to experience different things and try out for leadership roles. Get yourself into those spaces, and try everything you can.

A minor can work in a lot of different ways. Some people choose one because it's actually what they want to do, but they're not sure yet. That's what I did with Legal Studies. I wanted to go to law school, but what if I changed my mind? So I chose Business Administration as a general degree that can be applied in a lot of different ways, but can also be used as a specialization. It's a unique thing for different job opportunities.

Business for good means taking not just working for the company that will pay you the most but working for a company whose mission you stand behind. Advocacy in business means being able to work for a business that is working for change, either for an outside cause or within the business itself.

Being a part of Stiller School of Business has opened the doors to so many opportunities beyond the college itself. 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.

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. 

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. 

I began looking at Champlain College when Event Management was a major. When I applied, Event Management changed to a minor, but I loved Champlain so much that I chose Business Administration instead. I knew it would cover many topics in the business sector, and I could be successful when it came to looking for a job. I felt good choosing a school where jobs are a priority and learning is experiential and practical.

I have had many jobs on campus, including being a Resident Assistant, an Orientation Leader, and President of CHAMP (Champlain Has Activities and Motivational Programming). These jobs allowed me to connect with students in various ways. Some were focused more on helping students process new things and handle information, while other jobs allowed me to be on the more playful side of things. Events on campus help students to relax and have fun, and I love being a part of that.

I was the Operations Intern for Road Pitch based in Shelburne, VT, which is a week-long event where more than 50 business people ride motorcycles across Vermont to listen to pitches from small businesses for prize money and mentorships. I organized much of the event, like booking sites, taking RSVPs, updating the website, facilitating registration, and doing a lot of financial organization. It was a perfect combination of the material I had learned in business classes as well as my event management classes.

During one of my Core classes, I got the opportunity to research and learn about the importance of clean water and the impact of microplastics. I enjoy being outside and, having lived in Vermont my whole life, I have a deep connection with nature and Lake Champlain. In my Core class, I realized how big of a problem microplastics can be, and now I care a lot about that.

I was drawn to the individual attention that I would get in the classroom. This gave me a chance to discuss topics one-on-one with my professors. They're approachable, and they always challenge me to think deeper.

I was able to start getting internships the summer after my first year because the Upside-Down Curriculum gave me the experience I needed. I've had four internships during my time at Champlain, ranging from marketing to event planning to business development. My studies made me adaptable and confident at work, and I was able to take in new knowledge and skills. I was surprised to find out how many certifications I can get through my classes. I'll have a leg up on the competition when I graduate.

Having the opportunity to start building my own business and using it as a project in my classes has been an amazing experience. As my Capstone, I decided to start a business called Dollars.fyi that focuses on personal finance education to help improve financial literacy in young adults.

Through my different business classes, I've been able to use the material we are using in class and directly apply it to creating a business plan, defining my target market, and even start development. Events outside of the classroom like the Elevator Pitch Competition and Launch Champlain have even helped me receive funding to get things started. By the time I graduate, I'll have experience pursuing an entrepreneurial venture and understand what goes into creating a new business.

I felt really prepared going into my internships because the classes at Champlain are designed to give you practical experience in a classroom setting. Especially our focus on collaboration and group projects proved to be helpful when you're on a team in the workplace.

One experience that still resonates with me is from my first year Marketing and the Organizational Mindset course. We were able to work with Northern Stage, a non-profit professional theater company in White River Junction, to develop a marketing strategy. We analyzed their current situation, did market and demographic research, and presented a final plan and mockups to the company. Being able to apply your course content to a real client project in your first year of college was an amazing and impactful experience.My courses on entrepreneurship have also played a big role in my confidence entering my internships, especially my time working at Unify Ordering. In the classroom, I learned about startup business models and how to quickly analyze and adapt them, and then I was able to actually see that play out in a real business.

I'm really glad that I had the opportunity to work two internships abroad because business is becoming more global than ever before. Especially with work from home rising in popularity, international teams across different time zones will start to become the norm.

Already having experience working with a diverse team and with coworkers from different cultures and even with language barriers will give me a huge advantage as workplaces become more globalized. These are the types of experiences that help to develop emotional intelligence and personal growth.