Student

Lucia Hughes

School/Division	Division of Communication & Creative Media
Class	2023
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers

Advice to Students?

Don’t be afraid to talk to your professors if you are struggling.

Favorite: Book, Movie, Podcast?

Movie: Knives Out

Inspirational Quote?

If we were all trees there’d be no more wars, because we’d be trees.

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Mohammed Hussein

School/Division	Division of Information Technology & Sciences
Programs	Computer Networking & Cybersecurity Degree
Class	2025

Advice to Students?

Google All The Things

Favorite: Book, Movie, Podcast?

Movie: Iron Man

Inspirational Quote?

“Everyone Wants a Happy Ending, Right? But It Doesn’t Always Roll That Way.” – Tony Stark

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Lily Jackson

School/Division	Division of Information Technology & Sciences
Programs	Computer Networking & Cybersecurity Degree
Class	2021
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Home State	Texas

Specialization

Cybersecurity

Favorite Class

Any tech class!

How has the Upside-Down Curriculum impacted your education?

I did Cisco Networking for three years in high school and I liked it a lot, so I knew I wanted to continue learning about it. Since I knew what I wanted to do from the start, the Upside-Down Curriculum was very helpful in confirming that the Computer Networking & Cybersecurity program was where I wanted to be.

Are you involved in any extracurricular organizations?

I’ve been an officer in the Womxn in Technology club for the past two years, and an officer in the Cybersecurity Club for a year. I’ve also been in the Digital Forensics Association for two years. I enjoy these clubs because you can come together with your friends and classmates to learn something that you may not discuss in classes.

How has your time at Champlain prepared you for the professional world?

From the InSight curriculum to all my tech classes, I feel prepared to be out in the real world because I’ve been given so many opportunities for success. All of the professors here want to help you succeed in classes and in the rest of your career.

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Ryan Jackson

Programs	Computer Science & Innovation Degree
Class	2026

Why do you want to be a tutor?

During my first semester at Champlain, I attended peer tutoring hours almost every day of the week. I wasn’t someone who liked admitting that they needed help, and overcoming that anxiety gave me the strength to succeed within my coursework and within my college life. I wanted to give other students that same strength, and leave a lasting positive impact through my passion for teaching and learning.

Advice to Champlain Student?

Asking for help is an extremely valuable skill and will allow you to overcome many challenges throughout your college experience. Reach out to professors, ask a tutor during drop-in hours, or ask a classmate (when applicable).

Fun Fact

I like to play basketball.

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Katie James

School/Division	Division of Information Technology & Sciences
Programs	Computer Science & Innovation Degree
Class	2025
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers

Advice to Students?

Don’t push off studying until the last minute – ensure that you understand the topics as they come so that you only have to review rather than learn right before an exam.

Favorite: Book, Movie, Podcast?

Book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Inspirational Quote?

“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

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Tyler Jennings-Peczka

School/Division	Division of Communication & Creative Media
Class	2017
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Home State	Connecticut
Study Abroad	Dublin, Ireland

Internship

Community Relations Intern for Vermont Works for Women in Winooski, VT

Post-Grad Job

Senior Operations Associate for Talent Acquisition at Away in New York, NY

How did you choose your major?

Champlain’s Broadcast Media Production major was exactly what I wanted. I didn’t want to study journalism or communications, and I didn’t want to be on camera at all. My dad suggested Champlain, and when I saw the Broadcast major, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. Champlain really allowed me to customize my major. I started off by taking all production classes and a few film classes, then branched out into taking marketing, public relations, and even a few law classes.

How was your study abroad experience?

My favorite thing about Champlain was going abroad to Dublin, Ireland. We have a campus there, and the staff is amazing. It was so easy for my tuition and scholarships to be transferred over. I loved every single minute of it—I went to six countries and met a lot of great people. Dublin was amazing, and I recommend it to every single person.

Have you had any internships during your time at Champlain?

I interned with Vermont Works for Women, where I was the Community Outreach intern. It was a catch-all position, and I got lots of opportunities to exercise my strengths. I helped write their annual appeal letter, and I created two promotional videos for them. In the fall of 2016, I went to Randolph, VT and held a video booth for their annual Women Can Do conference, which promotes STEM and trades to ninth through twelfth grade girls. It was amazing.

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Kristen Jensen

Class	2019

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Jimmy Jiang

School/Division	Division of Communication & Creative Media
Class	2023
Pronouns	He/Him/His

Advice to Students?

Don’t be afraid to reach out for help, even if it’s from someone not in your discipline. Most people are always willing to help.

Favorite: Book, Movie, Podcast?

Movie: Parasite by Bong Joon-ho

Inspirational Quote?

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot

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Sam Johnson

School/Division	Division of Information Technology & Sciences
Programs	Computer Networking & Cybersecurity Degree
Class	2022
Pronouns	He/Him/His
Home State	California

Post-Grad Job

Department of Defense

How has the Upside-Down Curriculum enhanced your education?

The Upside Down Curriculum completely changed my expectation of college learning. Growing up, I had heard stories of students trotting through two years of general education before learning anything related to their major, and I was not looking forward to that. But at Champlain, I was able to get experience in my major immediately, enabling me to achieve internships and scholarships early into my college career.

What do you like about your professors at Champlain?

My professors have been absolutely AMAZING in their willingness to help me succeed. My tech professors are knowledgeable and always willing to help out of the classroom, and my Core professors are always willing to listen when I need someone to talk to.

As a recipient of the Department of Defense scholarship, what advice would you give students looking to apply for this in the future?

Apply. Certainly apply, because I went through the thought process of thinking that maybe I wasn’t a good candidate for the scholarships, and maybe I shouldn’t apply. The application is kind of daunting. It’s a very long application, as well as a medium to large-sized paper (depending on how you view papers). You need to write for it.
But I would say it’s definitely worth the effort because the government has a lot of jobs and while it is a very prestigious scholarship, I was surprised that within the group I was accepted with, a surprisingly little amount of people applied for it. Across the whole country, I think only 600 people applied for it.

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James Johnson

Programs	Game Design Degree
Class	2026
Pronouns	They/He

Why do you want to be a tutor?

I just enjoy helping people! There’s so much information out there, but it only takes a nudge in the right direction to make the whole process easier. I want to pass along what other tutors have done for me!

Advice to Champlain Student?

Be frank, keep it simple, & be honest with yourself. The rest is easy.

Fun fact

Early 2000’s scene was the peak of music culture and no one can change my mind!

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Nadine Jones

School/Division	Robert P. Stiller School of Business
Programs	Business Administration Degree
Class	2025
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Home State	Georgia

How has the CARE program helped you in your first year?

The CARE program has helped me identify what I want to get out of being here in a school of students and faculty that look different from me. It has helped me look for resources in case I feel uncomfortable or challenged.
I have met many awesome faculty members and great guides to the path of being successful. They are willing to go above and beyond and be a clutch if I need advice.
The CARE program has just so many opportunities to offer, so a lot of students won’t feel so alone going through their first year of college. I am grateful for having them and making a great choice of being with CARE.

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Olivia Jones

School/Division	Division of Communication & Creative Media
Class	2023
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Home State	Massachusetts

Concentration

Concept Art

Favorite Class

Concept Painting Fundamentals

How prepared do you think you are for life after Champlain, both in your future career and day-to-day life?

The Game Development classes have prepared me for what it would be like working on a real game development team. As the years have passed, our process has become more industry-level. I believe that if I transitioned into a fulltime position on a real team tomorrow, I would have a strong grasp on the work.

What is it about your major/area of study that appeals to you? Why does a career in that field matter—what value does it add to the world?

I’m a Game Art & Animation major, with a primary interest in concept art. I love all things 2D and also enjoy storyboarding, comic making, animation, and the collaboration between art and narrative. Ever since I was a child, one of the things I wanted most in my career was to make people feel something in the same way I felt while engaging with movies and games. They have the ability to transform and inspire a person, and that’s important to me.

What’s your favorite thing about Champlain’s community?

As a commuter, I think my favorite thing about the Champlain community is Division of Information Technology & Sciences friendly nature. More often than not, people are willing to speak to one another, and help with issues they are experiencing. It’s a community that bands together in tough times.

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Olga Kachura

School/Division	Division of Communication & Creative Media
Class	2021
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Home State	Russia
Study Abroad	Montreal, Canada

Favorite Class

3D Modeling II

As an international student, how did you hear about Champlain and why did you choose to come here?

I had an advisor at Education USA Russia, and she met Jessa Karki (Director of Student Services) at one of the educational fairs and gave her my contact info. From there, I looked up Champlain online and read more about the Game Art program.I was really drawn to the Game Art program because I wanted to gain some experience in digital arts. I liked the curriculum and the fact that Champlain is in touch with so many game studios. One of the key factors for me was how attentive and nice Jessa Karki was, and I was immediately more drawn to the school based on that.

Have you worked on-campus in either a part-time or work-study position?

I worked at IDX in the beginning of college, then as an Orientation Leader, Peer Coach in the Career Collaborative, and an Admissions Intern at the Admissions Office. I think each one of these jobs made me more organized, and I learned a bunch about working with people, which is a really useful skill to have wherever you work. Three of these positions were leadership positions, and I definitely became a more confident person, too!

How has your Champlain experience prepared you for your future career, both in and out of the classroom?

I think my game classes helped me become a harder worker and improved my work ethic. I used to be a competitive person, but working with so many talented artists made me more of a collaborator. I also got to talk to a lot of people who have been in the game industry for decades, and I feel like I have gained some very useful knowledge about it and have more realistic expectations.

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James Kainth

Programs	Computer Networking & Cybersecurity Degree
Class	2020
Home State	Connecticut
Study Abroad	Dublin (fall semester)

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Molly Kathleen Aldrich

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

Internships

Fundraising Intern at Rad Magpie in Burlington, VT

What has been your experience with the Student Government Association?

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.

Can you tell us about your Legal Studies minor?

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.

What does “business for good” mean to you?

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 Division of Information Technology & Scienceself.

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