Student

Lena Groves

School/Division	Division of Communication & Creative Media
Programs	Filmmaking Degree
Class	2020
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Home State	New York
Study Abroad	Dublin, Ireland

Specializations

Sonic Arts and Motion Graphics

Internship

Intern at Dublin Intercultural Language Service in Dublin, Ireland

Favorite Class

Documentary Filmmaking

What makes Champlain special?

I was particularly drawn to Champlain’s small size. It’s perfect because you get to know the people you’re going to class with, and you become close with your professors and mentors. Those relationships allow you to learn as much as possible from the most inspiring people.

Which was your favorite class at Champlain?

My favorite class was my first documentary class because that’s where I found out about the type of work I want to pursue. I also got to work on my own for the first time, which was challenging but rewarding. My project ended up receiving an honorable mention at the Northeast Student Emmys. It made me realize the impact I can have on people by telling their stories to the world.

Are you involved in any extracurricular activities or clubs?

I’m involved in the Women in Film Club and the annual service trip to Uganda. Women in Film is a great space that inspires women and nonbinary students in a male-dominated field of study. We inspire each other to create change and make the future more inclusive for all people in the industry.
I have also helped with the Uganda Service Trip for three years. It’s a great way for students to learn intercultural intelligence while creating meaningful change and fulfilling relationships through service learning.

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

Abi Guertin

Programs	Writing & Publishing Degree
Class	2026
Pronouns	They/She

Why do you want to be a tutor?

I chose to become a tutor because I’ve worked as an editor in many of my writing classes and think my skills will be helpful for anyone looking for another set of eyes on their work.

Advice to Champlain Student?

Find a scheduling system that works for you and stick to it!

Fun fact

I love collecting CDs!

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

Genevieve Guimond

School/Division	Division of Communication & Creative Media
Programs	Game Design Degree
Class	2020
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Home State	Massachusetts
Study Abroad	Montreal, Quebec

Specialization

Interactive Narrative

Internships

Rooster Teeth in Austin, Texas/Double Stallion in Montreal, Quebec

Favorite Class

Principles of Game Design

How has the Upside-Down Curriculum enhanced your education?

Being thrown into teams and development processes immediately at the start of my college career helped me confirm that game design was something I actually wanted to commit to. Without having hands on experience, I feel like we wouldn’t have the chance to understand our future careers nearly as well, not to mention we wouldn’t be as prepared for professional lives after graduation.

What projects have you worked on in classes that you’ve found particularly rewarding/useful?

There are too many to choose from! One game I worked on in the spring of my junior year was a survival game called Lymantria Dispar. It offered me a fascinating challenge when it came to developing and implementing a narrative that, while it wasn’t the focus of the gameplay, really added to the game and improved replayability. I might have torn my hair out a bit trying to develop a variable narrative based on the order players picked items up in, but I was very proud of my work at the end.

Can you tell us about your internships?

After my sophomore year, I interned at Rooster Teeth as the ScrewAttack Writing intern, which meant I contributed to a bunch of scripts that were being published to their YouTube channel (which is now named DEATH BATTLE!). I was able to write solo pieces even as an intern, and when it came time for me to go back to school they kept me on as a contracted writer, which is something I’m still doing! The fall of my junior year, I went abroad to Montreal and interned with Double Stallion as one of two Game Writing Interns. This meant I got to research for their IPs as well as contribute to not only their games’ story and flavor, but also help out with their social media by writing tweets! If you happened to follow that company and you saw a bunch of cryptic tweets about the enemies from their gam, Speed Brawl, taking over the world… that was the interns!

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

Evelyn Gustafson

School/Division	Division of Communication & Creative Media
Programs	Filmmaking Degree
Class	2021
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Home State	Vermont

Specialization

Sonic Arts

Internship

Fighting Words in Dublin, Ireland

What made you choose Champlain?

I was drawn to Champlain because of Division of Information Technology & Sciences amazing Filmmaking program, study abroad programs, and internship opportunities. Champlain has a really unique Filmmaking program in that it is very non-competitive and everyone wants to support each other. There’s a great sense of community at Champlain, which makes it a great place to learn and grow as a filmmaker instead of just competing against your classmates. In addition, Champlain has smaller class sizes, which makes your experience personalized since your professors and classmates get to know you well and always want to see you succeed.

What’s your favorite Core experience?

One of my favorite Core classes at Champlain was called Kid Heroes and explored the representation of kids as the protagonists in books, movies, and TV shows. I found this class fascinating, as it taught us about storytelling, examined how kids are represented as protagonists in media, and even explored philosophical questions like what it means to be a kid. I really liked how this class related a lot to my major, but also gave me a chance to work with other students who aren’t Filmmaking majors and who I might not have met otherwise.

What extracurricular activities are you involved in?

I always go to the Grind, which is Champlain’s weekly open mic event. I met a lot of friends there and have performed quite a few times, usually playing guitar or ukulele and singing! One of my best friends and I have been performing together at the Grind since our first year at Champlain!

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

Dy’mon Guthrie

Class	2021
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Home State	New York
Study Abroad	Dublin (fall semester)

Internship

Student Teacher at Rick Marcotte Central School in South Burlington, VT

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

Dymon Guthrie

Class	2020
Home State	New York
Study Abroad	Dublin (fall semester)

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

Sean Harple

School/Division	Division of Information Technology & Sciences
Class	2021
Pronouns	He/Him/His
Home State	Oregon

Internship

Intern at the Emergent Media Center in Burlington, VT

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.

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

Lily Haut

School/Division	Division of Communication & Creative Media
Programs	Game Art Degree
Class	2027
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Home State	Connecticut

How did you apply to Champlain?

Regular Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

I knew I wanted to stay in New England and was thrilled when I saw Champlain not only offered game majors but had a proven, well-known program. It was in the perfect area, a great size, and seemed like such a tight-knit community when I came to visit. I liked how well everybody knew each other and really felt like I could find my place here. Everything felt like it was falling into place when I came to visit.

Ideal Weekend in Burlington

During a warm and sunny weekend, I’d love to head down to Church Street and go to Phoenix Books. I’d buy something fun to read and buy breakfast and coffee at the Burlington Bagel Bakery. Then, I’d either head down to the lake and read my book, or head back up to Finney Quad and read it there. I’d also like to draw and/or paint. Any time spent being creative is very healing to me.

Favorite Champlain Memory

There are too many to count, but a very fond one I have is from the end of last semester. Two of my friends were making a short film for their final, and they enlisted our friend group to act in it. It was an all-hands-on-deck type of thing and we ended up filming until about 11 PM. We were mostly filming in the Morgan Room in Aiken Hall, and while it was a freezing night, it was one of the funniest and most memorable ones of my time here. I also love going down to Church Street with my friends.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

I don’t think you’ll ever feel fully “ready”. There’s always going to be a level of uncertainty and maybe nervousness, but it’s totally normal. If you give it your best shot, put your best foot forward, then it’ll be much easier to settle in. Focus on the good things and know that while change can be scary, it can also lead to some of the best moments of your life. Don’t make your fear keep you from making the decision you think is truly right for you.

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

Danielle Hazelton

School/Division	Division of Communication & Creative Media
Programs	Filmmaking Degree
Class	2019
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Home State	Vermont
Study Abroad	Dublin, Ireland

Specialization

Sonic Arts

Internship

Production Coordinator at Ned Kelly Pictures in Dublin, Ireland

Post-Grad Job

Senior Video Producer at Scout Digital in Burlington, VT

How did you choose Champlain College?

Champlain College was the only in-state school I applied to because I loved the hands-on Filmmaking program and all the production classes. I couldn’t afford the other colleges I got into, but when I visited the Champlain Financial Aid office during an Open House, they said I was being considered for a first-generation Vermont students scholarship that would cover most of my tuition for all four years.
The day I found out I got the Vermont First Scholarship, I started crying. I had been planning on staying home to work because I couldn’t afford college otherwise. Champlain made it possible for me to earn a college degree, pursue my career, and realize that I could grow and flourish if I put in the work.

How did the Upside-Down Curriculum impact your education?

I loved all of the production classes. Having a camera in my hands on the first day of school was so unique. Being able to practice so much in my classes made me feel better prepared to get an internship and work as a freelancer in the film industry starting in my first year of school. In the Production Management course, we learned how to be an Assistant Director (AD), and we used the software that professionals use on blockbuster pictures to go through the process an AD does during pre-production on a feature film.

How did Champlain prepare you for the professional world?

I completed over ten internships and freelancing assignments during my time at Champlain, including working for companies like BBC Three UK, Vice Media, Wild Hart Gin, and Ned Kelly Pictures in Dublin, Ireland. I was able to bring industry knowledge and experience to each internship because of the content I created and experienced in my classrooms. I came into each role knowing exactly how to do my job and elevate the expectations that were given to me because I’d done it before at Champlain.

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

Shelsea Henry

School/Division	Robert P. Stiller School of Business
Programs	Marketing Degree
Class	2020
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Home State	Massachusetts

Post-Grad Job

Service Job in Washington DC for a nonprofit

Internships

Boss Enterprise in Boston, MA & Fuse Marketing, Burlington, VT

How does your Data Science minor enhance your Marketing major?

Data Science and Marketing are a great fit because a lot of companies are looking for analytical skills. In my marketing internships, it’s been an extra bonus to have a Data Science background.

What was it like to take a travel course?

The first travel course I took was in my sophomore year, and it was to Zanzibar. It was with Professor Gary Scudder. The class was on aesthetics expressions, and it was basically about art, looking at different types of art and the world in general. We went to Zanzibar during winter break, and it was an amazing experience. I never thought I would travel at all, but Champlain provided me with that opportunity, so I took it. It was mostly about looking at different cultures in the area and expanding our knowledge on different types of art. One of our projects when we were there was to pick an artifact, it could be anything at all, and basically analyze it and see how it differs from different types of art in the world in general.I also went to India in my junior year, also with Scudder, and it was a religion class looking at Islam and how, in different parts of the world, it affects different mechanisms in terms of how people worship. That was also very educational, and I loved it.

How have you gotten involved on campus?

During my freshman year, my first year here, there was a volunteer workshop at Black Girls Code. Black Girls Code is a company that tries to help women of color get into tech world, and they focus mostly on programming. So, getting women to code and stuff like that, but mostly minorities in different regions that they might not have the resources to. I did a volunteer workshop and I taught an HTML class, so that was really great. It was very hard teaching kids, but I definitely learned through it, and I was able to teach the class really well.

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

Michael-Paul Ho-Kang-You

School/Division	Robert P. Stiller School of Business
Programs	Game Production Management Degree
Class	2020
Pronouns	He/Him/His
Home State	Aruba
Study Abroad	Shanghai, China and Montreal, Canada

Internship

Project Management Intern at Ironbelly Studio in Montreal, Canada

How has the Upside-Down Curriculum enhanced your education?

Thanks to the Upside-Down Curriculum, I have worked as a producer on 12 different projects since my first year with various teams in different genres ranging from racing, action, horror, adventure, narrative, and platformer games. Because of these experiences, I’ve been able to strengthen my skills and widen my knowledge of production management.

You’ve studied abroad twice. Can you tell us about one of your internships abroad?

I was a Project Management Intern at Ironbelly Studio in Montreal, Canada. I worked with 80 developers around the world to develop over 16 games. I was in charge of updating the team continuously with new materials, keeping a healthy communication between the studio and developers, updating the tasks of the projects, and play-testing all the games.

Have you had any on-campus jobs?

I have worked as a Student Ambassador for five semesters. I love connecting with prospective students and their parents, and sharing my experiences at Champlain. Every day at the office is different and unique, and helping high school students find their ideal college and major warms my heart.

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

Kyle Holland

School/Division	Division of Communication & Creative Media
Programs	Game Sound Design Degree
Class	2026
Pronouns	He/Him/His
Home State	Connecticut

How did you apply to Champlain?

Transfer Student

Why I Chose Champlain

I preferred the smaller class sizes and active community.

Clubs & Student Involvement

• Coffee and Tea club
• Include+

Ideal Weekend in Burlington

Walking down Church Street to the waterfront with friends.

Favorite Champlain Memory

Winning best outfit at Taylor Swift night.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

Keep an open mind!

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

Pal Hollywood

Class	2017

Graduation Year

’17

Organization

Sterling Communications

Position Title

Senior Account Executive

How are you using your Communication degree at your job?

My PR degree gave me the confidence in my skills that allowed me to push myself in other ways, because I knew I could rely on my career, and myself. It gave me the opportunity to move across the country and start my adventure in California! I still am facing new tasks in my career that aren’t ‘new’ to me, thanks to the foundation in PR I received at Champlain.

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

Maggie Hufnagel

Class	2024
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Home State	Maine

Favorite Class

Torts

Talk a bit about your classes. What projects, subjects, or experiences have had an impact on you? How does that apply to your field?

I have really enjoyed the immersive aspect of my law classes. We regularly read and annotate cases or write legal briefs, just as we would in a true practice. But it’s the near-acting experiences that mean the most. Having worked on a case all semester in the newly formed Appellate Advocacy class, everyone was instructed to do all of the research, create a brief, and perform an oral argument to a panel of judges (other law professors) as if we were presenting to the Supreme Court. Assignments like this occur in all divisions, as there is such an emphasis on exposing students to the realities and logistics of their chosen fields. It makes the future less scary in the sense that now I have a stronger grasp on how to conduct myself in similar situations.

How have you benefited from the Upside-Down Curriculum so far?

The Upside-Down Curriculum, for me, is the most beneficial part of the Champlain College experience. Being able to work toward my goals every single day since I have started college has only heightened my drive. I now have a much better idea of what being a law student or lawyer entails. There is always an idealized version of whatever dream job you have, and the Upside-Down Curriculum grounds that, while still maintaining the love for the subject you have when entering college.

Have you had opportunities to apply what you’ve learned in your major to experiences outside the classroom?

I participated in the Elevator Pitch competition on campus two years in a row, and this year I won first place in my category. My major focuses a lot on research, preparation, and composure—all of which allowed me to prepare and perform stronger each time I participated in the competition.

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

Billy Hughes

Class	2023
Pronouns	He/Him/His

Piece of advice to students?

Find core professors you like and enroll in all of their courses.

What's your favorite book, movie or podcast?

Movie: Lupin III: the Castle of Cagliostro

Inspirational Quote?

“In a rich man’s house the only place to spit is his face” – Diogenes

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