CCV in the News

Click here to read "Free career-readiness course to debut at CCV" which was published in Saturday's edition of the Burlington Free Press.

CCV HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE A SUCCESS!

The Student Advisory Board (SAB) ended their six week food drive last week collecting a total of 240 pounds of food for the Chittenden County Emergency Food Shelf. The staff at the Food Shelf were very appreciative of the donation and indicated that they are seeing a rapid increase in need among Vermont families. On behalf of CCV Burlington, the SAB would like to thank all those who contributed in making this event a success!

The Chittenden County Food Shelf accepts donations all year. If you are interested in contributing, please visit their website for more information.

http://www.cvoeo.org/htm/FoodShelves/foodshelves.html

Unclaimed Scholarships for CCV Burlington Students!

CCV recently awarded several scholarhips for 2009. However, there was one scholarship for which there were no applications received that met the minimum criteria to receive the awards. If you fall into the categories outlined below, consider applying!

Chadwick Fund Scholarship: This scholarship is for $600 from the Chadwick fund. This goes to a Burlington student who is a parent, and is married or previously married. If you are interested, contact Linda Gribnau (CCV Burlington Financial Aid Counselor).

CCV In the News

Here are links to some more recent new stories regarding CCV's new Career Readiness Certificate program:

1. State launches new job training program from Vermont Public Radio.

2. Governor announces Career Readiness Program from the state of Vermont's official website.

CCV Holiday Card Contest Winner: Bob Huntoon

Each fall, CCV holds its annual holiday card contest where students and faculty can be submit their artwork to be considered for the College’s official statewide winter holiday greeting card. This is a juried art contest and the winning entry is chosen by CCV’s Arts & Humanities Committee. The winner also receives an honorarium prize of $ 200, offered by President Tim Donovan.

This year, the winner of this contest is Bob Huntoon, a Vermont artist and member of the CCV Burlington art faculty. The included image is Bob's winning submission. Congratulations Bob!

Updated Slideshow for New Chittenden County Building

New pictures are now available from the construction site of our new building in Winooski! Click here to view a brief slideshow of the work so far.

CCV In the News

An article titled "State, CCV to offer career readiness program" appeared in today's Burlington Free Press. Click here to read the entire article.

Choir Performance Night

CCV's Burlington Community Choir and the Queen City Larks will be having their fall performance this Friday! We hope you can attend. Here are the details.

Friday, December 5, 7:00 pm
First Congregational Church Chapel, So. Winooski Ave.

REFRESHMENTS TO FOLLOW

Directed by Amity Baker
Accompanied by Carolyn Wood

Guest Student Post: Straight Edge Lifestyle

The following is a guest post submitted by Dylan Niquette, a CCV Burlington student in his first semester. He wrote this piece for his Fall 2008 English Composition class with Deborah Straw. If you'd like to contribute some of your work to the CCV Burlington Blog, contact Adam Warrington (adam.warrington@ccv.edu).

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Straight Edge is a philosophical lifestyle, a sub culture revolving mostly around the punk/hardcore movement. Straight Edge is a philosophy based around self-control, with the ability to abstain from drug use, alcohol use, and casual sex. Straight Edge centers around a lifestyle of personal development and well being, with belief in having a healthy body and mind. The movement attracts those away from the dependency lifestyles of drugs and unhealthy living habits that are common in our modern day culture. Straight Edge is a lifetime commitment.

Straight Edge ideas could be found in songs by the 1970s, but were more expanded on during punk movements in the late 1970s and 1980s. The Straight Edge lifestyle found its way throughout the United States and Canada in the ‘80s, along with the punk movement that made its way around European countries. Although Straight Edge shares common beliefs with Christianity, it is not considered a religion.

The phrase, Straight Edge, comes from the drummer Jeff Nelson of the punk band, Minor Threat. While Nelson was drawing a poster with a ruler for one of the band’s shows, he told his band mates that the straight edge of a ruler was a metaphor representing what the band stood for (keeping themselves straight/clean). Minor Threat was one of the first bands to preach being a clean punk band. In 1981 Minor Threat came out with a song named “Straight Edge.” The lyrics of the song written by Ian MacKaye became the anthem for Straight Edge lifestyle of the punk/hardcore movement:

I’m a person just like you, but I’ve got better things to do, than sit around and**** my head, hang out with the living dead. Snort white **** up my nose, pass out at the shows. I don’t even think about speed, that’s something I just don’t need. I’ve got the straight edge.

Straight Edge can also be represented by “sXe,” which is an acronym for the word, and by the symbol of an “X.” The “X” symbol comes from the common practice at all age shows where those under the drinking age are marked with X’s on their hands by security. Even those of the drinking age who are Straight Edge mark their hands with X’s as a sign of solidarity when they go to shows. Since Straight Edgers are into the hardcore scene of music, they tend to have the same fashion of those in the scene. You may see Straight Edgers with camouflage shorts, hardcore band t-shirts, gauges, and possibly tattoos (sometimes Straight Edge tattoos.)

Several aspects of Straight Edge are common within the lifestyle. Many may follow the lifestyle of no drugs (including tobacco), no alcohol, no casual sex. Some may choose to abstain from caffeine while others believe that caffeine is not an issue. Many individuals become drug free, but in other cases (not Straight Edge), being drug free is not a lifetime commitment.

The militant view of Straight Edge is called Hardline. A more extreme lifestyle of Straight Edge, it forbids the use of caffeine and modern day medicines. It also tends to be a more conservative lifestyle, with views against abortion and homosexuality. Those who are Hardline are for animal liberation and live a vegan lifestyle. Hardline is also against pornography, masturbation, and artificial contraception, for some believe that sex should only be done for reproduction. Hardline tends to follow rules from Abrahamic religions.

Anyone can become Straight Edge, whether you’re straight or gay, a boy or a girl, old or young. Even if you have done drugs in the past, a way to change is to claim Straight Edge. Those who cannot become Straight Edge are those who have claimed it before and have sold out their moral beliefs and resorted to drugs, alcohol, or casual sex. Those who have done this are called sellouts in the world of the Straight Edge movement.

A common question asked about the Straight Edge lifestyle is: “Why do you give yourself a title?” Since Straight Edge is a philosophy, it is easier to describe your beliefs as a whole by saying you are Straight Edge. For example, if you are in a social situation, and someone asks you if you want to drink, or do drugs, or smoke, or have sex, instead of saying “no,” you can say you’re Straight Edge. Some may already know of Straight Edge, and those who don’t know may look it up. The label is like calling yourself Christian, Jewish, Republican or Democrat; it describes your beliefs. The label shows that you are committed and serious about your beliefs and lifestyle.

Use Financial Aid to Help Pay for Your Textbooks

Did you know that students will be able to use up to $200 of their financial aid money toward the cost of your textbooks starting in Spring 2009? CCV is very proud to announce this change that should help many students ease the burden of acquiring thier books.

For more information on this new option, visit http://www.ccv.edu/financial_aid/textbooks or contact the CCV Burlington Financial Aid office at 802-859-3023.

Got Health Insurance?

Many Vermonters, including many CCV students, are living without health insurance. If you are one such Vermonter, consider looking into the new Catamount Helth program. For more information, check out the guest post below submitted by Margaret Brault from Vermont Interfaith Action.

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Catamount Health, the State of Vermont’s new health care program for the uninsured, provides a comprehensive benefits package that includes hospitalization, prescription coverage, doctor visits for primary and specialty care, mental health and substance abuse treatment. For more information about Catamount Health visit http://www.catamounthealth.org/ or call 1-866-482-4723.

Also, Vermont Interfaith Action (VIA) is a faith-based group of congregations in the Burlington area working with faith communities to reach out to uninsured Vermonters to help them get access to affordable health care. For information on VIA, contact Emily Wexler at Vermont Interfaith Action at Emily@viavt.org or call (802) 651-8889.

Looking for a spring course? Try CIS-1045

Looking for a computer course for the spring semester? If so, why not consider CIS-1045, Intro to Multimedia Applications & Tools. The course is being offered on Tuesdays from 6:15 - 9:00 PM (January 27 - May 5, 2009) and is being taught by David Wells.

You certainly have consumed media- surfed the web, watched tv, listened to radio. With Intro to Multimedia Applications & Tools, you will learn about the tools that you can use to create and publish on the web. This is a hands-on course where you will spend most of your class time creating new content. Grab your own piece of the web with Introduction to Multimedia Applications!

Want to learn more about the course? If so, check out the following...
1. Spring 2009 course description

2. Fall 2008 course blog (check out the links to the current student blogs on the right side)

3. The following is a video made by Jennifer Borthwick-Leslie, a student in the fall 2008 section in Burlington. (Music by Heavyweight Dub Champion):

Space is limited so register early the get the courses you want!

Tim Donovan on colleges and the economic turndown

Yesterday, CCV's president Tim Donovan appeared on Vermont Edition, a daily radio broadcast on Vermont Public Radio. The topic of the show was the impact of today's economy on the the cost of higher education. To hear the entire broadcast, visit this page: http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/82986/

President Donovan on VPR... Today!

CCV's President Tim Donovan and Robert Clarke, Chancellor of the Vermont State Colleges, will be guests on Vermont Public Radio's Vermont Edition call-in show today. The topic of the show will be our nations current economic circumstances and how it is impacting higher education. Tune in today at noon! (107.9 FM in the Chittenden County area). For more information on this broadcast, click here.

CCV Burlington welcomes Liz Stahle

CCV Burlington recently hired Liz Stahle as a work study student in our operations office and we would like to officially recognize her joining the staff. Here is a short bio that Liz wrote for the blog:

Hey! I'm Liz Stahle, the new Work Study in Operations. I'm from Rutland, VT and attended high school at Rutland High School. I also attended the CCV in Rutland for a Semester. In my free time I enjoy painting, dancing, and reading. I moved to Burlington in June and love it here. I'm hoping to go into some kind of Environmental Studies, but I'm trying to complete some more of my core requirements before deciding on a major. This is my second semester at CCV, and I am really enjoying it so far. I look forward to meeting and working with all of you. See you around!

Welcome to the staff Liz. We’re glad to have you here!

Transfer Fair Recap

Yesterday, CCV Burlington hosted it's 2nd Annual College Transfer Fair. 24 colleges and universities attended as well as the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation and the University of Vermont's ROTC program. 52 students attended the event and several traveled from other CCV loations including Montpelier, Middlebury, Morrisville, Rutland, and Brattleboro!

Thank you to everyone who helped make this event a reality... especially to the admissions counselors who traveled from far distances to speak with CCV students. Here are a few images from the event:

CCV in the News (Part 4)

Here are a few more local news stories that appeared this week regarding CCV's purchase of the Woodbury College campus.

1. Today's Times-Argus editorial takes the form of thumbs-up/thumbs-down
week in review. This morning’s editorial includes CCV’s return to Montpelier as a thumbs up item. Click here for the entire article.

“Good news this week that the Community College of Vermont will purchase the Woodbury College campus on Elm Street and move more than 30 administrative jobs back to Montpelier. It was disconcerting to learn of Woodbury's plans to merge with Champlain College and essentially move to Burlington, not only because of worries the building would sit empty, but also because of the loss of an important higher education component of Montpelier's economy and student opportunity. Moving CCV's administration and eventually its classes into the Elm Street campus guarantees a good use of the Woodbury facility that will benefit the central Vermont region. This is a return home for CCV, which had been headquartered in Montpelier until moving to Waterbury in 1985. Welcome back.”

2. WCAX ran the following video segment:

Students Host Film Night

Come join the Student Advisory Board on Wednesday, November 19th for a viewing of "CoSM the Movie: Alex Grey and the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors." The film will begin at 6:30 and is being held in the Mac Lab (Cherry Street, LL19). Popcorn and refreshments will be provided. Please see below for some examples of Grey's incredible work or visit http://www.alexgrey.com/

We hope to see you there!

For more information contact Kelsi Powers, Student Advisory Board member, at kap0416@students.ccv.edu.

College Transfer Fair

Thinking about transferring from CCV to another college? If so, you should attend CCV Burlington's 2nd Annual College Transfer Fair! Representatives from colleges and universities around New England and New York will be on hand to speak with you about degree programs and transfer options. We hope to see you there!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Drop in hours: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

CCV Burlington
119 Pearl Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Room 2C (2nd Floor)

Schools in Attendance (Updated: 11/14/08)

Vermont

• Burlington College
  
• Castleton State College
  
• Champlain College
  
• Champlain College: Continuing Professional Studies
  
• College of St. Joseph in Vermont
  
• Green Mountain College
  
• Johnson State College
  
• Lyndon State College
  
• Marlboro College
  
• Saint Michael’s College
  
• Southern Vermont College
  
• Sterling College
  
• Union Institute & University
  
• University Of Vermont
  
• University Of Vermont ROTC
  
• Vermont Student Assistance Corporation
  
• Vermont Technical College
  
• Woodbury College
  

Maine

• University of New England
  
• University Of Southern Maine

Massachusetts

• Smith College

New Hampshire

• Daniel Webster College

New York

• North Country Community College
  
• St. Bonaventure University
  
• Syracuse University

Rhode Island

• Bryant University

For more information contact Adam at adam.warrington@ccv.edu.

CCV Burlington Student Nominated for Citizen Award

The Vermont Teddy Bear Company has announced that CCV Burlington student Kelsi Powers (and CCV Burlington Blog author!) is a finalist for the 8th annual Vermont Student Citizen Award. Powers, a CCV student graduating in December, is being recognized for her volunteer work with the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf – the largest food shelf in Vermont, which serves over 10,000 people a year.

Powers began working with the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf in the Spring of 2008 and now volunteers 4-5 mornings a week at the organization’s warehouse and grocery distribution location. “My motivation to contact the Food Shelf came from my brother-in-law, who, for as long as I have known him, has never wanted a gift for Christmas. The only thing he has ever requested is that I volunteer my time,” said Powers. “Wanting to follow through on telling him that I would, I contacted the closest food shelf and signed up for a morning of service. After that, it wasn’t difficult to go back again and again and again.”

Letters of recommendation in support of Powers’ Vermont Student Citizen Award application were sent in by representatives of the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf and CCV, including the college’s provost, Joyce Judy. “That she has found time to volunteer a large amount of her time to our community and student body reflects on Kelsi’s character and commitment to service,” said Judy. “I am proud of the work she has done, and proud that we can claim her as a CCV student.”

Created by The Vermont Teddy Bear Company in cooperation with Vermont Campus Compact, Vermont Higher Education Council, and Vermont Life Magazine, the Vermont Student Citizen Award recognizes the outstanding community service contributions Vermont college students make in the community to nonprofit groups and civic organizations. The award carries a reward of $1,000 to the student, a corporate gift of $1,000 to the nonprofit organization where the student serves, and a gift of $1,000 to the institution the student attends. The winner will be announced later in November. Way to go Kelsi! Good luck.

CCV in the News (Part 3)

Here are a few more news stories from today about CCV...

1. "CCV spring registration has begun" from the Burlington Free Press

2. "CCV moving from Waterbury to Montpelier" from WCAX.com

CCV in the News (Part 2)

An articile titled "CCV buying Woodbury’s Montpelier campus" appeared in today's issue of the Burlington Free Press. Click here to read the entire article.

CCV in the News

An articile titled "CCV to make former Woodbury College building its headquarters" appeared in today's issue of the Times Argus. Click here to read the entire article.

CCV to Purchase Woodbury College Facility

Yesterday, CCV's President, Tim Donovan, announced the pending sale of Woodbury College’s facility on North Elm Street in Montpelier to CCV. The 22,000 SF facility which has served as Woodbury College’s home since 1989 sits on 8 acres of land approximately a mile and a half from the center of downtown Montpelier.

CCV will take possession of the property at the end of 2008. In time, this location will house both CCV’s central Vermont academic site, currently located at the Vermont College of the Fine Arts, and our administrative functions that are currently located in Waterbury. The consolidated location will be less expensive to the College and, therefore, its students than the projected costs of continuing current leases. This co-location will happen in phases in order to accommodate a lease obligation at VCFA and to plan and construct an additional classroom building at the new location. Phase one will be to move what is currently located at Wasson Hall and the Carriage House locations in Waterbury to Montpelier by the end of June.

Spring 2009 Study Away: New Orleans

This spring, CCV is organizing its first "study away" trip. Unlike previous study abroad courses, this offering will present a unique opportunity to provide community service work in our own country. Social Problems (SOC-1030-VU02) will bring students to the New Orleans area, where they will not only experience the culture and beauty of the city, but also learn about social problems there and provide 30 hours of hands-on community service.

The course will be taught by Burlington academic advisor Mica DeAngelis and long-time teacher Barry Mansfield. They have been to the Gulf area four times since Hurricane Katrina, working with Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild homes. (For more information on their trips, click here.) 

The class will also meet four Saturdays in Burlington from 1 - 5 pm on Feb. 21, Apr. 11, Apr. 25 and May 30, with the trip to New Orleans taking place May 9 - 16.The course fee of $988 includes group flight to and from Burlington, most breakfasts and lunches, lodging, transportation, and a guided tour of New Orleans. For more information on this trip, including the required application packet, visit: http://www.ccv.edu/study_abroad. 

Internship Opportunity on (and in) Lake Champlain

Lake Champlain Submarine Cruises Inc. is currently searching for local college students to fill upcoming intership opportunities. If you have an interest in Marine Life, boating, or just want to try something new, this could be the internship for you. For more information, click here.

Hopes for President-elect Obama

On the day after our recent historic election, Deborah Straw's fall 2008 English Composition I class spent some time writing about their hopes for President-elect Obabma. Below is a sampling of their responses. If you'd like to add to this list, submit a comment to this blog post!

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On this historic occasion, a few hopes for President-elect Obama:

I hope he does a good job. I hope America takes this as a wake up call!


Peace. A sturdy economy. An America to be proud of again. No more fear.


I would like to see proof within the next few years that once I graduate college and start the process of home ownership, Obama will be focused on rebuilding the housing market to help my generation and middle class families.


I hope for: change, peace (no more war in Iraq), life, better spending, environmental changes – turn into a greener country, opportunity. I hope Obama is able to do all he’s spoken about. He’s amazing, and I can’t wait to see where our country goes.


I hope he helps out the economy. I also hope he starts to pull troops out of Iraq.


I am hopeful that this election sets a precedent for the youth of this country to have a continuing interest in politics. Ever since I registered to vote in 2003, I have watched teachers, elders, and public service announcements plead for the youth vote. I believe that youth involvement in campaigning and voter turnout was unprecedented in this election. In my opinion, a knowledgeable youth can help shape a better future and a better country. Obama truly spoke to and for the younger generations in America. I hope that this generation continues to have faith in their country and that future generations feel the same sense of pride. If you are engaged and passionate about a candidate, go out and do something about it. Use this election as an example of the power of your voice.


More speeches that bring tears of joy to our eyes. Intelligence, wisdom, kindness.

CCV in the News: CCV Receives $50,000 Grant

An article titled "CCV to use $50,000 grant for college transition program" appeared in today's Burlington Free Press. The article highlights a grant received by CCV to support our Introduction to College Studies (ICS) course for high school students. To view the entire article, click here.

If you'd like to learn more about CCV's Introduction to College Studies course, including an upcoming schedule of classes in your area, visit http://www.ccv.edu/intro_to_college_studies.

New Chittenden Building Slideshow

Ground has been broken and the construction crews are now laying the ground work for our new building in Winooski! Click here to view a brief slideshow of the work so far.

Spring 2009 CCV Study Abroad: Amsterdam

Did you know that CCV's spring '09 Comparative Religion class (PHI-2010-VO01) will include a study abroad trip from May 15 - 24 to Amsterdam!?

By experiencing the architecture and artifacts of many faiths, walking in the footsteps of the Nazi invasion of Amsterdam, and having access to the Eastern religious houses of worship of immigrant populations, students will have a unique opportunity to contrast a European perspective on religion and society with common American views. They will also be able to experience the authentic foods associated with the religions and cultures, as Amsterdam is home to Hindu, Sikh, Chinese, Indonesian, kosher Jewish, Persian and African restaurants.

Highlights of the time in The Netherlands include:

• Visits to the Museum Amstelkring, the Jewish Historical Museum, the Bijbels Museum, and the Rijksmuseum
  
• Visits to the first genuine Chinese Buddhist temple in Western Europe as well as to the Radha Krishna Mandir Hindu Temple
  
• A walking tour of Amsterdam and visit to the Anne Frank Huis
  
• A day trip to the Islamic University of Rotterdam

The course includes five online sessions on March 9 & 23, April 6 & 20, and May 25, as well as one on-ground meeting May 2, 10 am - 3 pm, at CCV Upper Valley.

The course fee of $3197 includes group flight to and from Boston, breakfasts and some lunches, lodging, transportation, and entry fees.

For more information in this and other study abroad trips at CCV, as well as the study abroad application packet, visit http://www.ccv.edu/study_abroad.

Vermont's Funding of Higher Education

VSC Chancellor Bob Clark was interviewed by VPR about the lack of funding in Vermont for higher education. Click here to listen to the podcast.

http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/82694/

Susan Raber Bray - Recent Work

Susan Raber Bray, a Vermont artist and CCV art faculty member, will have a show of her recent work on display at Frog Hollow in Burlington (85 Church Street). An opening reception will be held on Friday, November 7 from 5 – 8 PM.

The show is titled “La lumière intérieure des oiseaux et des chèvres” (The interior light of birds and goats) and will be on display from November 1 through 30, 2008. For more information on Susan Raber Bray’s work, visit her website at http://www.susanraber.com.

Gail Salzman: New Painting Displayed SVAC

Gail Salzman, a Vermont artist and member of the CCV Burlington and St. Albans art faculty, will have some of her recent paintings on display from November 1 - December 2 at the Southern Vermont Arts Center (SVAC) in Manchester, Vermont (click here for directions)

The Bennington Banner reports that Salzman's "abstract paintings have their source in the elemental forms and rhythms of nature. Combining luminous layers of color with animated brushwork, she suggests both depth and continual movement, and reflects upon the shifting relationship between our internal and external lives. " (Click here for the complete article.)

Want to learn more about Salzman's work? Visit her homepage at http://www.gailsalzman.com.

CCV St. Albans Transfer Fair: November 6, 2008

CCV St. Albans will be hosting its 3rd annual College Transfer Fair on Thursday, November 6th from 4:30 pm—6:30 pm. This is a fantastic opportunity to talk with college representatives about transfer options. You will also be able to talk with a representative from VSAC about career decisions and financial aid opportunities.

The following schools will be represented:

• Burlington College
  
• Champlain College
  
• Clinton Community College
  
• Johnson State College
  
• Suny—Plattsburgh
  
• University of Vermont
  
• Vermont Technical College

The event will be held at CCV St. Albans (142 South Main Street in St. Albans). For more information contact Kerri Brooks at 802-524-6541 or kerri.brooks@ccv.edu.


DON'T FORGET! CCV Burlington's Trasnfer Fair will be held on Tuesday, November 18 from 10 am - 2 pm. For more information, visit http://www.ccv.edu/burlington/transferfair.

SAB Organizes Food Drive!

CCV Burlington's Student Advisory Board (SAB) is holding a food drive to benefit the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf in Burlington. Two shopping carts are set up to collect your donations. One is located in the lobby of our Pearl St. building, the other is on the second floor of the Cherry St. building (outside the Learning Center).

Many Vermonters are feeling the effects of the current economic downturn. As a result, the Food Shelf cannot keep up with the demand of providing food to Burlington residents. If you can, please make a donation to this good cause to benefit those in need. Collection carts will be available until mid-Novemeber!

Spring 2009 Course Schedule Now Available

CCV's spring 2009 semester schedule is now available! To view the schedule, visit this webpage:

https://andromeda.ccv.vsc.edu/Learn/Grid/SiteList.cfm

Starting Monday, October 27, Burlington students can call (802) 652-2087 to schedule an appointment to register for the spring semester (Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM - Noon & 1:00 - 4:30 PM). Registration will begin on Monday, November 3. For more information on course registration at CCV Burlington, visit this webpae:

http://www.ccv.edu/burlington/registration

Register early to get the courses you want!

CCV Burlington welcomes Natasha Pratt

CCV Burlington recently hired Natasha Pratt as a work study student in the Learning Center and Admissions office (110 Cherry Street, Room 204) and we would like to officially recognize her joining the staff.

Natasha was born and raised in Vermont. She has sophomore status at CCV and is pursuing the Liberal Studies degree. She also plans to transfer to UVM after her time at CCV in order to study Anthropology, where she plans to pursue both her bachelors and her master degrees.

After college, she would then like to do field work and research throughout the world, focusing on indigenous populations and Latin America.

Welcome to the staff Natasha. We’re glad to have you here!

Champlain College Fall Internship Failr

CCV students are invited to attend the 2008 Champlain College Fall Internship Fair. This event is co-sponsored by Champlain College's Career Services office and Student Government Association.


The event will be held on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday, October 27th, 28th & 29th from 2:30 until 5:00 p.m. in the Hauke Conference Room. Plan to attend all three days since the list of participating employers changes each day! 100+ employers will be in attendance!


For more information, including a full list of employers that will be in attendance click here. For additional questions regarding this event, send an email to Patricia Boera at Boerap@champlain.edu.

Opening My Eyes to the World of Politics

The following is a guest post submitted by Gary Walker, a CCV Burlington student in his third semester. He wrote this piece for his Fall 2008 English Composition class with Deborah Straw.

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Growing up, I really never paid any attention to politics. In fact I often ignored it as something for older people to enjoy. In my neighborhood, the topic of the conversation was never why Scooter Libby lost his job, or how Elliot Spitzer disgraced himself by entertaining prostitutes. Most things I would see on the cover of a magazine and immediately dismiss because this is so far fetched from the reality I live in.

A reason why politics is not so attractive in my neighborhood is because there are always things that are more important than spending time worrying about politics. For instance some people are single mothers in college that have to work very hard on school work, so they have little time to get into politics. This is just one example of many, which echo throughout a lot of urban environments.

By no means am I saying that all people where I grew up are not into politics, I’m saying that I was not. I’m sure there’s a fair share of older people in my neighborhood that are glued to NBC, ABC and CNN. In fact, my grandmother is one of those people. By far I think for the most part politicians look at urbanites in America as people who don’t vote and are out of touch with things that are going on in the government and congress today. I think for a while that was a pretty fair argument.

It’s no secret that urban environments consist of mostly working class to impoverished minorities. Despite working hard from 9 to 5, they find it hard to make financial progress, living paycheck to paycheck. It is also no secret that the working class people are the backbone of our Democratic society and often work hard to do their part for America. When they need a little help with their daily lives to get by, they often find themselves on their own.

One reason for these feelings could be because in urban or impoverished neighborhoods, there are never any politicians coming to their aid. A few examples of this are Hurricane Katrina, the murder of Sean Bell, the Jena 6, and the list goes on. So many things hinder or hamstring the opportunity for a person in an urban environment that it is easier to stay focused on day-to-day operations than to dwell on things that are out of their control.

When things like Katrina and the Sean Bell murder happen, I think it builds on the distrust that some people in America harbor for politicians and their government. In return a lot of people tend to believe politics is rigged and that if you vote, it would not count anyway, so they can’t see the point in voting. Time after time, they go to the poll to vote, hoping they will get someone in office that will help average citizens. Time after time, they realize it is all political rhetoric and politicians are just telling them what they want to hear.

Recently all this has changed for me. It all started with the candidacy of Barrack Obama. In the last race for the white house I voted for John Kerry not because of his stance on issues or his values but because I was under the impression that he would bring help to average working class Americans. In a way this was a bad decision, not because he would not deliver on promises, but I really did not investigate whether Kerry comes close to the morals and values I believe in.

Believe it or not before Barrack Obama decided to run, I never heard of a primary race. In addition to that, there were many more things that I had never heard of like caucuses, electoral votes or a convention. Realizing this, I found myself wondering what other things I had missed over time by not being involved in politics. Often now I try to go back in time to find other presidential races, searching for things that I might have missed or discounted as irrelevant.

This presidential race I decided to get the facts on my own. So what I did was go buy John McCain’s book, Faith of our Fathers. In addition to that I also purchased three books based on Barrack Obama: Dreams of our Fathers, Audacity of Hope, and The Improbable Quest by John K Wilson. The reason I did this is because I wanted the facts in their own words without the idealism or spin you get from Fox or other new networks.

After reading all four books and not before reading all the books, I decided that Obama was the lesser of the two evils. Reading the books, I realized he stands for some of the same things I believe in like pro choice for women, universal health care and the thought of revamping the free trade system. Personally I like McCain. I think he has done outstanding service for the country and is a very funny and likable man, but when it comes to his policies and political agenda, this is where we don’t see eye to eye.

In my opinion, if you are a part of the middle class, a woman, or live in an urban environment, particularly if you’re African American, it just does not make sense for you to vote for John McCain. My reasoning behind this is that I have a sister; John McCain does not support equal work for equal pay, which means my sister will not get paid the same for doing the same job as me. Also John McCain does not support abortion, which could contribute to why some families in urban environments have to work harder, often enduring a lot of stress. Another issue where we don’t see eye to eye would be for me, as I am an African American, is he voted against the Martin Luther King holiday three times and conveniently had a change of heart when running for president.

The candidacy of Barrack Obama has opened my eyes to the world of politics, but I still find myself not enthusiastic about politicians. In light of Barrack Obama running for president, I have now been open to the thoughts of politics, and I am more aware of the political process. With that said, I often find myself watching this presidential race with a microscope for words, phrases and terms that are uncommon to me. Even if Americans don’t elect Barrack Obama, the candidate for change, he has brought change to me by opening my eyes to politics.

CCV Burlington welcomes Liz Thibault!

CCV Burlington recently hired Liz Thibault as a work study student in the Learning Center and Admissions office (110 Cherry Street, Room 204) and we would like to officially recognize her joining the staff.

Liz is a born and raised Vermonter and this is her third year at CCV. She is currently working toward her Associate Degree in Liberal Studies. After CCV, she plans to transfer to another Vermont State College to finish out a Bachelors Degree, and perhaps pursue a Masters later on. Liz says that her "goal would be to get into teaching or doing anything art related. And Iʼll be President at some point."

Welcome to the staff Liz and good luck with your run for the Presidency. We hope you'll give CCV a lot of credit when you make it there!

VT International Film Festival: Admission Free for CCV

The Community College of Vermont is proud to again be a sponsor for the Vermont International Film Festival which is being held from October 23 -26, 2008, at Burlington’s Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center and the Palace Cinema 9 in South Burlington.


As a special bonus this year, all CCV students, faculty, and staff can attend for free! All you have to do is show your CCV ID at the door. The opening show on 10/23 is excluded from this offer as are any sold out events. See you at the movies!


Want to keep up to date on what is in store at the VT International Film Festival? If so, visit, and subscribe to, the VTIFF Blog: http://www.vtiff.org/blog/

Blog Action Day: There IS help to succeed in college!

Today, the Community College of Vermont is participating in Blog Action Day 2008. This annual nonprofit event aims to unite people around the world on one issue on the same day. This year's topic is poverty. Messages from several members of the CCV community will be posted here throughout the day. The following post is submitted by Mel Donovan, CCV’s Director of Student Support Services.

There IS help to succeed in college!

Students living in poverty, or even moderate income levels, face multiple barriers in taking advantage of educational opportunities. These students most likely hold down not one but two, three, or even four jobs in order to make ends meet. They often have children and other family members depending on them for basic needs. Finding trustworthy, consistent, childcare can be difficult in the best of circumstances. Transportation is a car that often needs repair or public transportation with an inflexible schedule. The dependability of a new car is more than offset by the loan debt, especially when fuel prices are added to monthly payments. Housing, food, fuel, and medical care also compete for any available income.

So how can financially strapped students pay for tuition, get to every class (and on time), find the time not only for classes but also for homework, find someone to watch the kids, and manage to pay for textbooks? Community colleges traditionally serve students from all economic backgrounds but are especially structured to serve low income students.

The Community College of Vermont (CCV) has flexibility built in: classes meet only once a week, days, evenings, and weekends; many are offered online. Tutoring and other crucial services are offered at the sites and online. Degree programs can be tailored to meet student interests. But best of all, CCV has financial aid advisors and academic advisors to help strategize ways to overcome each student’s particular set of obstacles.

CCV also offers the TRIO Student Support Services Program. This federally funded program is designed to help students from moderate income succeed in meeting their educational goals. Each year, 200 students receive academic services, leadership and cultural opportunities, as well as close advising relationships thanks to TRIO funding. Beyond serving these 200 students directly, TRiO works to help CCV address barriers to educational attainment for all students.

Blog Action Day: We are the Majority

Today, the Community College of Vermont is participating in Blog Action Day 2008. This annual nonprofit event aims to unite people around the world on one issue on the same day. This year's topic is poverty. Messages from several members of the CCV community will be posted here throughout the day. The following post is submitted by Amy E. Stuart, LiCSW, a Coordinator of Academic Services at CCV Burlington.

First some disclosures: When I was growing up people never talked about how much money they “made.” Ostensibly, parents considered talk about income “impolite.” I knew early on I was a member of what is called the “upper middle class.” My dad, a dentist through my childhood, easily earned what would now be about $150,000/year. I liked that my parents taught me to save some of the money I received (birthday gifts) or earned (from my summer job). I also liked that my parents taught me to share the money I had. I didn’t have to get a job to help my family pay the bills – ever.

Now I am a full-time employed woman, married to a full-time employed man.
I earned a Master of Social Work degree in 1989; my husband earned a Master of Education degree in 1998. I am a step-mother to two school aged girls whom we care for every other week. Our gross household income was about $67,000 in 2007.

The income for 87% of all households in the United States in 2007 was less than $100,000/year. Smack-in-the-middle middle income households earned between $36,000 and $57,657. The poverty level for a family of four in 2007 equaled $21,200 or less. I spent one year of my life from Sep. 1984 through Aug. 1985 as a Jesuit Volunteer earning $365/month. And, while during that year I was “living simply” (college-educated speak for living on a very low monthly income) I really have no experience living in poverty. I don’t write about poverty from personal experience. I do write about poverty from what others have taught me through their stories and research.

For a class I taught at the Community College of Vermont, I assigned a journal article from the May, 1999 issue of Social Work titled “The Likelihood of Poverty across the American Adult Life Span.” Authors Mark R. Rank and Thomas A. Hirschl revealed from longitudinal studies that “…60% of 20 year olds in America will experience poverty at some point during their adult years.” The authors continue, “What this analysis strikingly reveals is that rather than being an event occurring among a small minority of the US population, poverty is an experience that will touch a clear majority of Americans at some point during their adult lifetimes.”

Alarmingly, other studies at that time showed that most of us believe that encountering poverty is a remote possibility, even people who are statistically living in poverty. The implications of such false beliefs contribute to our sense “that won’t happen to me…” and more dangerously to the shame or resentment we often hold towards ourselves or others who need cash assistance, food stamps or other public benefits. The reality is that “those” few of us are actually most of us!

Today we hear daily about the incomes, bonuses and benefit packages of some of the wealthiest executives in our country. We hear how much money millionaires lost in the last 20 minutes. We hear thousands are losing jobs, retirement income and homes. I’m so glad more people are talking about what for some of us used to be considered impolite, even taboo.

I’m having these conversations and I hope you do too. I’m also combining conversations about money with current, clear, unarguable data readily available from the Census Bureau. Speaking the truth rather than silencing ourselves, we are poised to change as-we-know-it economic policy. Economic laws and policies impact my wages, how much I pay for utilities, taxes and tuition, how much I spend on health care and the dollar amount of my individual retirement account… Air currently pours out of the largest hot air balloon – our stock market. Talking together about income, savings, spending and debt will help us create ethical economic policy changes and behavior. By talking openly and clearly about the realities, we’ll be able to create new economic policy on our experiences and needs. We are the majority.

Blog Action Day: No One is Above Poverty

Today, the Community College of Vermont is participating in Blog Action Day 2008. This annual nonprofit event aims to unite people around the world on one issue on the same day. This year's topic is poverty. Messages from several members of the CCV community will be posted here throughout the day. The following post is submitted by Kelsi Powers, a CCV student, Student Advisory Board representative for CCV Burlington and AmeriCorps volunteer.

Seven and a half months ago I walked into the local food shelf to volunteer my time. I thought I encompassed the very definition of a good Samaritan - young female, college student, AmeriCorps volunteer. It doesn't fill me with a sense of pride to admit that my first thoughts upon walking into the building was that not only did I have nothing in common with any of the people I'd be serving, but that I was better than them. I thought my education and my commitment to volunteering somehow placed me above everyone else. What I've come to realize through hard work, laughter, tears, frustration and satisfaction, is that I could not have been more wrong.

The stories have affected me the most. It’s easy to assume you’re better than someone else until you take the time to talk with them. Once the pathway of communication is open between two people you come to realize that you’re not that different. I heard the story of a woman who had been faithfully married to her husband of 50 years before he died. She sat in the chair across from me, tears in her eyes, not knowing how to pay her bills anymore. How easily I could relate to her sorrow, as I have lost too many loved ones in my life. I’ll see her time and again, in for her monthly groceries, and she is still as strong as ever, just trying to get by. I have also been moved by the middle-aged man, 19 years sober, who is down on his luck right now. The mother with bone marrow cancer who has to have her legs removed is trying to support her three children through these hard times.

I have come to realize that for every client that comes through the doors of the Food Shelf, their reasons for being there are pretty much the same. Through no fault of their own they have fallen into a patch of bad luck and need a little extra help to get by. I’m not better than any of these people. Having a college education doesn’t make me superior and it certainly doesn’t give me the right to walk around like I own the world. Some of the people I serve are educated, some of them are not. Some of them are black, some are white. Some are young and some are old. I see families and I see individuals. No matter what label is placed upon a person, we are all human and all deserve to be treated with the same amount of respect.

Despite not being proud of my first opinions, I am proud to admit that I was wrong. The learning that has taken place in the last few months far outweighs any other I've yet to experience. Here is what I have learned: Poverty has no simple definition and affects us all. Poverty is our neighbor, our tenant, our parents, our siblings, our coworkers, our loved ones, our grandparents, and our struggle. No one is above poverty and no one is a lesser person by being affected by it.

This too I have learned – we can all help put an end to poverty by volunteering, donating, or making or serving a meal. Before we can begin to alleviate this issue, however, we must first admit that it’s an issue, a big one, that doesn’t leave a single one of us untouched.

Blog Action Day: Community Colleges Can Help End Poverty

Today, the Community College of Vermont is participating in Blog Action Day 2008. This annual nonprofit event aims to unite people around the world on one issue on the same day. This year's topic is poverty. Messages from several members of the CCV community will be posted here throughout the day. The following post is submitted by Beth Kuhn, a Project Director at the United Way of Chittenden County.

Community colleges have not one but three unique and powerful roles to play in ending poverty:

• They can support low-income students by forging connections with local resources to enable students to stay on track – transportation, child care, housing, etc. They can enhance that support by bringing resources on-site, offering direct assistance either in partnership with local nonprofits or by adding advisors who specialize in addressing the typical non-academic barriers to staying in school.
  
• They can support low-income employees though innovative management practices to better meet their needs, such as emergency loan programs and worksite-based barrier support like that described above for students.
  
• They can assure that they provide visible leadership in the community on the importance of ending poverty. They can and should be at the table on community-wide efforts in all their roles – as educator and employer. And they can use the classroom to be sure that successful and effective individual and community strategies to end poverty and build prosperity are taught and shared with others.

Let’s all work to engage the community college system in the important goal of building prosperous individuals, businesses and communities!

Blog Action Day: Is Higher Education an Option?

Today, the Community College of Vermont is participating in Blog Action Day 2008. This annual nonprofit event aims to unite people around the world on one issue on the same day. This year's topic is poverty. Messages from several members of the CCV community will be posted here throughout the day. The following post is submitted by Emily Spence, a CCV graduate and financial aid counselor in Burlington.

According to the US Census people with college degrees earn more than people without. This fact shouldn't surprise us as we see its evidence every day. So what's the problem? Why aren't more people making the move to enroll in college? What are the barriers preventing some of our potential students from attaining their goals?

College is expensive. It requires a large commitment of time and money, both hard to come by when you're living in poverty. Financial aid is available for students but often, even with grants and loans, students do not have enough to cover the cost of their tuition. They struggle to find a way to pay for college while at the same time keeping up with their everyday bills. It's true that scholarships are available, especially for high school achievers, but many people living in poverty don't go through high school planning for the next step of college. Those living in poverty, especially the intergenerational poor don't view college as an option, or if they do, don't know how to go about preparing for higher education.

Another barrier is that many students coming from a background of poverty are first generation college students. This means that they may not have the resources available within their own families or support networks as students with a family history of college. Not only do they not have the internal resources available but they don't know how to access the external resources that may be available to them. There are several programs like TRIO available to help students but the issue remains that they often don't know about these programs or how to utilize them.

Once a potential student overcomes these obstacles they can still suffer during the course of their education due to external stressors. When a student is worried about childcare or paying the rent or is skipping a class to pick up an extra shift at work, their academic work suffers. Because other matters are so pressing, education cannot be the priority.

Depressing isn't it? What can we do? We can demand an increase in funding for higher education both federally and locally. Increased funding would mean that the cost of tuition for students could be kept lower and therefore more affordable. We often hear politicians lament about "brain-drain" and the lack of a well trained, ready to work force. Education is the key to both of those issues so let's support higher education with more funding. Institutions of higher learning also need to get in on the act. We need more colleges and universities to make a commitment to creating and maintaining economic diversity on their campuses. Do what you can, whether it be allocating a portion of your endowment to low-income scholarships or hosting public information sessions to help low-income students find out about the resources available to them.

As individuals we can do more. Volunteer in a learning lab, encourage high school students to attend a college fair or help someone fill out their financial aid paperwork. We can all be doing things, both grand and small, to help those in poverty realize that higher education is an option for them if they so chose.

Students Host Movie Night: Hidden in America

Come join the Student Advisory Board (SAB) tonight, Wednesday, October 15th, at 6:30 p.m. in the Mac Lab (110 Cherry Street, Lower Level room LL19) for a viewing of “Hidden in America.”

The movie follows the story of a man who loses his wife and job and is left to support his two children in middle class America. The movie is being shown as a part of Harvest for Hunger week, beginning next Monday.

Popcorn and refreshments will be provided!

Questions? Contact Kelsi Powers, SAB member, at kap04160@students.ccv.edu.

Blog Action Day: Understanding Poverty via CCV’s Social Sciences Courses

Today, the Community College of Vermont is participating in Blog Action Day 2008. This annual nonprofit event aims to unite people around the world on one issue on the same day. This year's topic is poverty. Messages from several members of the CCV community will be posted here throughout the day. The following post is submitted by Yasmine Ziesler, an academic advisor and coordinator for Social Science courses at CCV Burlington.


Courses in the social sciences at CCV Burlington provide students with a diverse array of opportunities to explore and understand issues of poverty. Here are a few examples:

Students in Lawrence Ziegler’s “Introduction to Cultural Anthropology” course gain an introduction to domestic poverty issues via this video clip:

Larry also draws on his own research and book, Resistance in an Amazonian Community, to explore issues of poverty and political resistance.

“Introduction to Sociology” faculty Michael Ohler draws on his professional experience at the Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) and conducts class meetings at the COTS Waystation during college hunger and homelessness week.

I use my own book to facilitate an exploration of poverty and resistance, and we do an analysis of food policy, hunger, and the international financial institutions (IMF, World Bank, WTO, etc.) I've also started using relevant music to start each class and bring us back to the subject after a break (Sweet Honey in the Rock "Are my Hands Clean?" and Utah Phillips "We Have Fed You All For a Thousand Years" for instance) and much more!

Blog Action Day: Change Means: A College Education

Today, the Community College of Vermont is participating in Blog Action Day 2008. This annual nonprofit event aims to unite people around the world on one issue on the same day. This year's topic is poverty. Messages from several members of the CCV community will be posted here throughout the day. The following post is submitted by Adam Warrington, an Academic Advisor at CCV Burlington.

Teresa Lorenco, a former CCV student, and her son, Dylan Elliott recently posted a video to the "Change Means..." series on YouTube in which they give a glimpse into the difficulties of affording a college education in today's society. I believe that their story yet again helps eximplify the catch-22 that many American's experiencing poverty face... higher education is a necessary step toward relief from poverty and a livable wage... but individuals in poverty find the costs of affording a college education more and more out of reach. I'll hope you'll watdch the video below.

Blog Action Day: The Value of Higher Education as an Antidote to Poverty

Today, the Community College of Vermont is participating in Blog Action Day 2008. This annual nonprofit event aims to unite people around the world on one issue on the same day. This year's topic is poverty. Messages from several members of the CCV community will be posted here throughout the day. The following post is submitted by Dee Steffan, CCV’s Northwest Regional Director for Academics

I remember sitting in a graduate class at UVM in 1980, listening to a professor in a higher ed administration course forecast the cost of college 20 years hence. My jaw dropped to the floor when he noted that, by the year 2000, four years at a competitive private college was likely to cost students $150,000. I thought he had taken leave of his senses! Having recently graduated from such a college, and knowing it had cost my dad just over $25,000 for my gilded sheepskin, it seemed preposterous that those costs would multiply six times over by the time then-current toddlers walked across the stage to collect their undergraduate degrees. Honestly, I dismissed his projection as poppycock.

As it turns out, he was right and I was woefully wrong. It now costs about $50,000/year to attend my alma mater, where the annual tuition increases at it and schools like it are rising four times faster than the overall inflation rate. Tack on the expense of textbooks, and the fact that federal aid to education now takes the form of loans much more than outright grants, and it’s easy to see why graduates and their families are struggling under the weight of education-driven debt. Even in our public colleges and universities, rising costs have put an undergraduate degree out of reach for poor and middle-class families struggling to pay the competing costs of mortgages, health care, food, and gas. My daughter’s sister, who attends UVM as an out-of-state Mainer, plunked down $37,500 for tuition, room and board as an entering freshman last year, and that did not include books, laundry, and the occasional slice of pizza at Mr. Mike’s.

For decades, economists, sociologists, educators, and politicians have been able to agree on at least one fact of life: the definitive, causal relationship between educational achievement and poverty abatement. This relationship exists on an individual level (the higher one goes up the education ladder, the better off one is likely to be economically), as well as on a collective level (the better educated a society, the less vulnerable it is as a whole to the ravages of poverty). And in fact, the most recent census figures reaffirm the economic value of a college degree.

(Source: Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce)

A second relationship has long been thought to exist: the more prestigious the institution and the more one pays to attend it, the greater its graduates’ earning power in the marketplace. That has certainly been the case in past decades, when college costs were generally affordable and financial aid (heavily subsidized by the Federal government in the form of grants and aid) was easily accessible. Only recently, in light of the rapidly escalating costs of an Ivy League education, have experts begun to question the ironclad validity of the ‘elitism’ factor.

So here’s the conundrum: There persists a strong and predictable relationship between education and income potential. No betting person can guarantee that a college degree will pave the road from poverty to prosperity for everyone. There are too many factors that underlie the root causes of poverty in America for higher education alone to overcome them. But the converse is a bet that most would take: without the benefit of higher education in the 21st century, there is a far greater chance that someone born or fallen into poverty will never dig out from it. The cost of education, however, is outstripping inflationary factors and appears poised on the brink of pricing itself out of reach for many low and middle-income families, who nonetheless, NEED the benefits that a college degree confers if our sons and daughters—or we, ourselves-- are to make it in an increasingly competitive workforce. This is particularly true in an era when we’re witnessing an enormous cost-shifting of high-ticket items like health care and tuition from employers and government to individuals.

The question becomes: does the value of higher ed hold true today, in the context of spiraling costs, reduced federal and state aid, and much tighter national and family budgets? Put another way, Does earning potential conferred by a college degree outweigh the up-front costs that will force the average student in the Class of 2009 to graduate $21,500 in debt?

I would argue that it does, but that students will need to be very savvy about how they approach their college education. For students who might be reading this blog and attending CCV, I venture to say that you are already ahead of the game. Because one of the very smartest options that you and your family can consider is the value of entrusting the first two years of post-secondary education to your local community college. The mission of community colleges in general, and CCV in particular, is to focus on teaching and learning, access, and affordability. With its small classes and active learning educational philosophy, CCV provides you with many opportunities to hone your skills as college-level learners. By hiring faculty from our local communities, most of whom work in the fields in which they teach, CCV opens doors to real-world experience that keeps your education current, pragmatic, and often inspiring. The small class size gives you ample opportunity for ongoing feedback from faculty and advisors, and the liberal studies core that underlies all of our associate degree programs aims to broaden every graduate’s communication, quantitative reasoning, and critical thinking skills that are considered absolutely essential in the job market.

The two-year degree carries some significant advantages beyond the financial gains you are likely to realize over a lifetime of employment. In completing an associate degree before moving on to a bachelor’s or master’s degree, you as a community college graduate:

• Have saved an average of $10-20,000 on the annual costs of your education;
  
• Have earned a credential that will confer and retain its value regardless of some unforeseen interruption in your college tenure that forces you to postpone school before completing your bachelor’s degree;
  
• Have more likely ensured the transferability of all of your credits so that you pick up as a junior at your next chosen university or college.
  
• Have avoided the typical freshman year experience of large lecture halls and professors who will never know your name;
  
• Have benefitted from the importance that community colleges place on teaching and learning. This is nowhere more pronounced than at CCV, which has deliberately chosen to make the classroom the primary focus of our program.

All of that said, there are some things that you can do to optimize your time at CCV:

• Carefully consider all of your competing obligations in any given semester—family, job, volunteer, healthcare, and school—before enrolling in classes, and make sure that you can devote the time it takes to be successful in your classes. On average, this really IS 6-9 hours outside of class for every three-credit course. Plan accordingly!
  
• Borrow only what you need in financial aid. Remember, you will need to pay this money back, so it’s best to be as conservative as possible when taking on debt.
  
• Work with your academic advisor to map out a plan for completing your degree, semester by semester. Do your best to stick to the plan.
  
• If you find yourself overwhelmed, talk with people—financial aid, academic advisors, your teachers—before dropping a class. There are often costs associated with dropping, and the setbacks of time and money lost may not be worth it.
  
• Make it to the finish line! The longer you stay at CCV, the more money you’ll save, and the more opportunities you’ll have to reap the rewards of persistence. (See list above!) Remember, attaining a degree makes you more employable in the job market, and serves you well in terms of transfer credits at your next college if you opt to go on.

You’ve already made an excellent choice in coming to CCV. For all of you who are first-generation college goers, congratulations on your achievements to date. Earning your degree can be a life-changing accomplishment for you and generations to follow. For those of you using an associate degree or coursework as a stepping stone to a Bachelor’s Degree, smart thinking! Whatever has brought you to our doors, it’s great to have you here. It is the fervent hope and goal of all of us who work at the College—faculty, administration, and staff—that CCV will provide an important firewall against poverty for all of our students, regardless of the circumstances that brought you here to begin with. Take full advantage of the academic opportunities that await you!

Dee Steffan
Northwest Regional Director for Academics