Happy Halloween Lunch

Early Arrivals to the Halloween Lunch

PHOTOS FROM LUNCH - HAPPY HALLOWEEN!


Yes, Halloween ishere!  We hope you’re excited to once again join us for our annual staff Halloween lunch at 12:30 in the IDX Student Center.  Prizes for best costumes and more. 

What are the prizes?

For the ‘Most Creative’ and ‘Most Sustainable’ costumes, the individual winner will receive a gift certificate to the bookstore and Jazzman’s respectively.  For the ‘Best Group’ costume, the group will receive a gift card to have their own pizza party.

I understand the ‘Most Creative’ and ‘Best Group’ costumes, but what is up with this new category, ‘Most Sustainable?’

This is a costume that is made only from leftover items around your home or office.  No fresh fabrics, poster board, or shopping for other supplies J.

Lunch at IDX and all this excitement sounds like it’s worth a lot more than $1.  Doesn’t it?

It sure does…and we’d love it if you choose to donate more than the minimum $1.  ‘Teach for Tomorrow’ is this year’s sponsored organization and we’ll be fundraising for this program (overseen through the Center for Service and Civic Engagement) at all of this year’s events.  It’s a fantastic cause and encourage you to donate more if you can.  Just hide your money for now…I hear Stephen Mease’s footsteps behind you with his United Way collection tin!

Tech Jam Begins Friday

Dozens of Vermont companies — many of which are looking for employees — will converge at the 5th Vermont Tech Jam, a two-day job fair and tech expo on Friday and Saturday in the newly vacant Borders building on Church Street in Burlington.

This year’s Tech Jam is the biggest yet, featuring dynamic and innovative companies from all over the state. The 80+ exhibitors include established tech and bioscience firms such as SymQuest Group and BioTek Instruments, as well as exciting new start-ups, including Agilion Apps, Pwnie Express and Reality Venture Capital LLC, the tech team behind the popular VT Response website that coordinated volunteers after Tropical Storm Irene.

Many of those exhibitors have jobs to fill: Dealer.com, the Jam’s presenting sponsor, has hired 200 people so far this year, and hopes to add 25 more in 2011. The company, which creates web-based solutions for car dealers, plans to add more than 100 jobs in 2012, as well. Other companies that are hiring include: MyWebGrocer, MicroStrain, PureWellness, Tag New Media, C2, Logic Supply, the State of Vermont, Dynapower, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Global-Z International and Draker Labs.

“The growing companies at this year’s Vermont Tech Jam demonstrate an economic vitality that is refreshing,” says Tom Torti, president of the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce, who helped organize the event. “They’re all doing business here, and they’re thriving. That’s good news for Vermont’s economy.”

Jobs aren’t the only focus of the event — many exhibitors are also bringing examples of cutting-edge technology to share with attendees, including students. Hundreds of middle and high school students from as far away as Hyde Park, Northfield, St. Johnsbury and Poultney will attend the Jam on Friday morning, to find out how they can prepare for careers in the tech sector. And several Vermont colleges will be there, detailing their creative and high-tech degree and certification programs.

Jam attendees will also hear from inspiring speakers, including IBM fellow John Cohn and Craig Nevill-Manning, Google’s N.Y. Engineering Director. On Friday, a “Women in Technology” panel discussion features four women who will explain how they got started in tech-related careers and suggest ways to encourage and support women in the field. And HR representatives from leading local companies participate in two panel discussions entitled, “How to Stand Out in the Hiring Process.”

The University of Vermont’s Alternative Energy Racing Organization, Middlebury College’s award-winning Solar Decathlon team and the Champlain College MFA program in Emergent Media will all display their latest innovations.

Find a complete schedule and a list of exhibitors on the Tech Jam website, techjamvt.com. Find the program guide in this week’s issue of Seven Days. Or download the Tech Jam’s mobile app, at http://guidebookapp.com/getit.

The Tech Jam is organized by Seven Days, the Vermont Software Developers’ Alliance, the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Vermont Department of Labor. This year’s sponsors include Dealer.com, BioTek, C2, Champlain College, Logic Supply, Google, MyWebGrocer, MicroStrain, Northfield Savings Bank, TelJet, Vermont Technology Council and the Vermont Software Developers’ Alliance.

-Vermont Business Magazine

Ready, Set, Play | Seven Days

Ready, Set, Play | Seven Days

Champlain College Game Studio's Dev Jana and Sonic arts. #campchamp

Vigil for Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Domestic Violence Awareness Month Events Continue with Women Helping Battered Women’s 2011 Candlelit Vigil and Speakout

Women Helping Battered Women (WHBW) will  hold a Candlelit Vigil and Speakout to mark the  close of Domestic Violence Awareness Month on Thursday, Oct. 27, The event will begin on Church Street Marketplace in front of Burlington City Hall at 6:30 p.m. Following the vigil, participants will silently march down to Lake and College Building's second floor boardroom for a Speakout at 7 p.m. 

WHBW Executive Director Jane Van Buren will offer opening remarks preceding the Vigil ceremony. The Candlelit Vigil honors individuals who have been in abusive relationships and have been able to move forward in their lives free from abuse; individuals who are currently struggling in an abusive relationship; and also pays homage to those who have lost their lives due to abuse and violence in a relationship. Candles will be lit in honor of each. All are welcome and encouraged to attend this poignant ritual.

After a silent march to the Lake and College, the Speakout will be facilitated by Diana V. Perez,  a WHBW legal advocate. Perez hopes the Speakout will promote inspiration, empowerment and motivation. It will be a night to elevate the spirit, using sound and storytelling, she said. 

Victims/survivors, supporters and allies are welcome at this portion of the evening and may participate or choose to show their support by listening. However, confidentiality is assured in this setting, so media sources will be asked to remain outside following the silent march.

Founded in 1974 and serving Chittenden County, Women Helping Battered Women is the largest service provider for survivors of domestic violence in Vermont. It provides comprehensive services including: a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, children’s services, community education, legal advocacy, economic justice services and transitional housing.

Invisible Children in the News

Activists Support U.S. Move Against Uganda Rebels
by MICHELE KELEMEN

NPR NEWS - Human rights groups don't usually cheer military forays. But they have offered loud applause for the Obama administration's decision to send 100 military advisers to several countries in Africa to help those nations fight one of the continent's most notorious rebel groups, the Lord's Resistance Army.

The Lord's Resistance Army, or LRA, is led by Joseph Kony and has been terrorizing Uganda and surrounding nations for decades. Advocacy groups say this is a case where military intervention is needed, and it comes at a time when the LRA has been weakened and is estimated to have only a few hundred active fighters.

But there are concerns. Kony's army has specialized in kidnapping children and forcing them to fight. These children could be caught up in any operation to find Kony.

As President Obama put together his plan to help African countries track down Kony, activists have put together their own innovative ways to focus attention on the conflict. Read more

.... The LRA's widespread use of children is one reason this issue has drawn so much interest from young Americans, including Poffenberger, 28, who went to Uganda first when he was a student at Notre Dame University.

Ben Keesey, who runs Invisible Children, says he was inspired by three of his friends who went to Uganda to make a film and happened upon terrible scenes.

"On one night in March of 2003, our founders, when they were in northern Uganda saw the phenomenon called 'night commuting,' where children out of fear of abduction left their home and slept in the downtown city center," he said. "And they kind of changed all of our lives."

 Read more

NOTE: Invisible Children representatives have visited the Champlain College campus twice in the past year. 

Listen to the NPR Report from Oct. 25 

International Education Week Scheduled

International Education Week – November 14-18, 2011

The Office of International Education at Champlain College is pleased to announce its participation in International Education Week November 14-18.

International Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education & exchange worldwide.  Designated by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, this week is part of an effort to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad study and exchange experiences.

Please join us in Champlain College’s first annual International Education Week to celebrate our connection with the world around us.

Events: International & study abroad students will share their culture & experiences through displays to include, photos, music, posters, flags, stories and items from their home country or travel.  Look for these displays in IDX Fireside Lounge during lunchand  dinner hours throughout the week. Sodexho will prepare theme lunch meals throughout the week from different continents around the world. 

Monday, Nov. 14

South America                       Improv Night – International Coffeehouse                                                                                                7-10 pm IDX Fireside Lounge

Enjoy Champlain College’s very own talented musicians, poets and international students as we celebrate culture and share our beautifully diverse perspectives. Live music, hot drinks and food.    Hosted by Champlain’s CCA – Cultural Community Alliance.

Tuesday, Nov. 15       

Europe                                    Zumbathon – World Music & Dance                                                                                              6-8 pm Argosy Gymnasium

Come dance and enjoy international music to raise awareness of hunger and homelessness throughout the world.  Bring a canned food item to be donated to the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf.

Co-sponsored by Student Life & Center for Service.

Film Series – “Still Life” China                                                                     7 pm Auditorium    

Characters return to their home in hopes of reuniting with the lovers they left behind only to find the place submerged below the waters of the Three Gorges Dam project and their lovers no longer there. Sponsored by the CORE Division.

Wednesday, Nov. 16 

Asia                                         China Town Hall – National Webcast & discussion                                                                         7-9:30 pm  Hauke Conf. Room

The Office of International Education in cooperation with the Vermont Council on World Affairs & the National Committee on U.S. China Relations hosts this 5^th annual event.  Live Webcast from Washington DC features Zbigniew Brzezinski, the former National Security Advisor will discuss Sino-American relations.  Champlain College’s Assistant Professor, Craig Pepin will continue the discussion to address China-related topics to the audience. Topics will include pollution, population dynamics, education and observations from his recent China experience.

Thursday, Nov. 17      Reality Bite – Hunger Banquet Experience                       

Africa                                      8:30-10 pm      Hauke Conf. Room

Participants in the annual Hunger Banquet will gain awareness of local and global hunger & poverty issues through this interactive & discussion based experience. Co-sponsored by the Center for Service and the Office of International Education.


For more information Kathleen A. Lynn, Assistant Director, International Student Services, Office of International Education

lynn@champlain.edu or call 802-865-6485

go.champlain.edu/international

Getting Ready for Tent City - Nov. 14-18

Annual Tent City Spreads Awareness of Hunger and Homelessness

Kayla Hedman ’14 / Champlain News

BURLINGTON, VT. – Tent City will be held Monday through Friday, Nov. 14-18. The annual event hopes to have about 100 Champlain College students give up their smart phones, laptops, and warm beds to highlight the struggles of homeless families and individuals to the greater Champlain community.

 It is all part of National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week. The event, organized by members of the College's Center for Service and Civic Engagement (CSCE), is a solidarity event for Champlain College students to learn about this ever-increasing local and national plight.

During the week, Champlain students, faculty and staff will sleep in tents, provided by Student Life and St. Michael’s College, in the center of campus on the Aiken Green. Participants are asked to give up all technology, shower in the gym locker rooms and use public resources such as internet in the library. Each evening in the dining hall, they are provided with a typical "soup kitchen" dinner menu, similar to those served in homeless shelters and food shelves.

The weeks of and prior Tent City, participants will be fundraising on campus to raise money for COTS (Committee on Temporary Shelter), an all-service shelter providing support services in Burlington. Following night classes, guest speakers from local-nonprofits, such as COTS and the Howard Center, will discuss the constant struggle for many people in Vermont. Participants will then partake in nightly reflections conducted by volunteer student leaders. Evening discussions and film screenings are open to the public.

CSCE Work Study, Hannah Andersen, and volunteer, Shelby Dickinson, hope that this year will be as successful as the last. “In the past we have raised over $2,000 for COTS (Committee on Temporary Shelter). It is not all about the money though. Tent City raises awareness on campus about homelessness," explained Andersen, "it is important to support individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless."

Tent City fulfills a portion of the College's community service requirements for first-year students who participate in one or multiple nights.

If you are interested in participating in Tent City or other service events visit www.go.champlain.edu/service

To learn more about COTS (Committee on Temporary Shelter), please visit www.cotsonline.org

Everyone (faculty, staff, and students) is invited to attend nightly speakers, film screenings and events. You do not have to sleep out to be involved in the movement. The schedule is as follows (all events begin at 8:30p.m. in Hauke Conference Room):

·         MONDAY Nov. 14:  Focus on Veterans and Homelessness

o    Film Screening of “When I Came Home”

·         TUESDAY Nov. 15: Focus on Youth and Homelessness

o    Speaker Justin Verette – Youth Outreach worker and Community Interventionist (collaboration between Burlington Police Department and Howard Center)

o    Zumbathon 6-8 p.m., Argosy Gymnasium. Canned good entry fee

·         WEDNESDAY Nov. 16: Focus on Families and Homelessness

o    Panel/spoken word from COTS

·         THURSDAY Nov. 17: Focus on Hunger and Homelessness

o    Rite Bite Hunger Banquet with International Education Week (closed to the public)

·         FRIDAY Nov. 18:

o    10 a.m. Tent clean up

o    12:30 p.m. Celebration lunch for participants

Vermont Clean-Up Day a Success

Hundreds of volunteers turned out for Irene cleanup

Gov. Shumlin calls first-ever Vermont Clean Up Day a success
Thanks hundreds of volunteers who turned out to help with Tropical Storm Irene cleanup

ROCHESTER (Oct. 22, 2011) — After spending most of the day traveling the state to help with Tropical Storm Irene clean up projects, Gov. Peter Shumlin called this first-ever Vermont Clean Up Day a success and thanked the numerous volunteers who turned out to assist their communities and neighbors in the wake of the historic storm.

“Everywhere I worked today, volunteers were out in force to clear debris, help with property repairs, muck out silt and mud from yards and homes, and much more,” said the Governor, who participated in clean-up projects in Rochester, Stockbridge, Bethel and Sharon. “I want to thank everyone who, in the Vermont tradition of helping those in need, devoted their Saturday to making sure all Vermonters are ready for the winter season, especially those who lost so much in the recent storm.”

Groups of volunteers participated from the University of Vermont, Norwich University, Champlain College, Vermont Technical College, the Vermont State Colleges, and other organizations. In addition, individuals donated money and goods — everything from furniture to appliances to clothing, and much more — through the Clean Up Day website at www.vtcleanup.org. Gov. Shumlin said evidence of volunteers was everywhere today, from cars lining roadways as people were off working on projects to bags of trash and piles of debris stacked for pickup.

In Bethel, Gov. Shumlin helped chainsaw debris and broken branches. In Rochester, he helped muck out a shed in a mobile home park. In Sharon, he did riverside cleanup of metal and household belongings that had been sucked away in the flood. In Stockbridge, the Governor helped clear out a home that was shifting on its foundation. In each case he worked with teams of volunteers who turned out to assist.

“Today’s efforts went a long way in meeting the need left by Irene,” Gov. Shumlin said. “But there is still a lot more to be done. I hope Vermonters will continue to reach out and offer their services to people who have lost their homes and belongings, or suffered damage from the storm.”

The Vermont Department of Labor will be following up on some of the projects that were not completed today. Vermont Clean Up Day staff will also be reaching out to heavy equipment owners in hopes of securing more assistance in the coming weeks.

“I expect this to become a fall tradition, much like Green Up Day in the spring, where we all turn out to help neighbors in need prepare for the winter season,” Gov. Shumlin said. “Tropical Storm Irene hit this state hard, but the destruction brought us all together as a community, and Clean Up Day proved that the spirit of Vermont is strong.”

Press Release: Contact: Susan Allen /802-279-8493

Champlain Speak Easy

SPEAK EASY

• WHEN? Thursday, Oct. 27
• WHERE? IDX Fireside Lounge
• WHEN?  Drop in anytime between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m.
• WHY SHOULD I COME? Great food, great conversation, meet students and staff and faculty from across all divisions, residence halls, offices. Fresh coffee, and some of the finest cheeses, fruits and vegetables that Vermont has to offer. 

It’s the organization dedicated to getting staff, faculty and students to talk to each other – about anything at all. Not a public speaking forum! Speak Easy is more like an interesting cocktail party (but without cocktails).  Talk or listen to whatever or whomever you want.

Need more info? Just want to talk to one person? Craig Pepin, Assistant Dean for Assessment

Assistant Professor, Core Division, 651- 5923 or cpepin@champlain.edu

A Scary Week Ahead at Champlain

Champlain College Offers Frankenstein Film Fest and Haunted House

By Kayla Hedman ’14 / Champlain News

As the season of fall foliage, apple picking and cider doughnuts comes to a close, and families return home after parent’s weekend, it is time to celebrate late October with friends, ghosts and goblins.

If you happen to be on Champlain College campus this weekend of Halloween, there are nearly endless opportunities for you to engage in spooky events.

Thursday, Oct. 27

·         Halloween Dance(Argosy Gymnasium) 9 p.m. – midnight. Sponsored by CHAMP. Dress in your best costume for a frightful night of dancing and fun. Free with Champlain ID.

Friday, Oct. 28

·         Halloween Movie Night (Fireside Lounge) 8-10 p.m. Come watch Disney’s Halloweentown, munch on candy and snacks, and hang out with friends.

·         DREAM Halloween Party (Hauke Conf. Room) 2:30-7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 29

·         Frankenstein Film Fest (Alumni Auditorium) Noon-11 p.m. Frankenstein (1931) at noon, Bride of Frankenstein (1935) at 1:45p.m., Gothic(1986) at 3:30p.m.Young Frankenstein(1974) at 5:15p.m., and Splice (2009) at 9:30p.m.Join us for any or all of these electrifying films that explore enduring themes of technology, terror, humor and horror! Q&A Sessions between films with Champlain Core Faculty and special “friends.” Come in costume or as you are…Bring a date… or let us stitch one together for you!

·         Pumpkin Carving (Fireside Lounge) 3-5 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 30

·         Bankus Haunted House (Bankus Hall, 285 S. Willard St) Open to the public, $10 suggested donation with benefits going to COTS. Faint of heart walk-through 5-7 p.m., and the real deal begins at 8:30 p.m. This haunted attraction utilizes 25+ dead or alive actors, strobe lights, extremely loud noises, realistic props, cinematic gore, power tools, tight spaces, and in some cases no lights at all. It is intended to be frightening. Performers ARE going to scare you. Please be wary of possible health risks.

Monday, Oct. 31

·         Trick-or-Treating (Miller Information Commons) 1:00-5:00 p.m.

If you want to engage in the rest of what greater-Burlington has to offer, your local options include:

·         The Queen City Ghost Walk- $13/person to learn of Burlington’s haunted history by guide Thea Lewis.

·         Nightmare Vermont – An interactive haunted house that is open to the public Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in South Burlington. Tickets are $10.

·         The Haunted Forrest, Williston – A classic Halloween event, celebrating its 31^th year. It is more family friendly than Nightmare Vermont, welcoming 6,000 people annually. For $8.50-12.50, you will be led through a wooded trail of 1,000 lit jack-o-lanterns as you listen to scary stories. Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. 

Vermont Clean Up Day Draws Champlain College Volunteers

By Kayla Hedman ’14 / Champlain News

BURLINGTON, VT – Nearly two months after Tropical Storm Irene hit Vermont, there is still an estimated 700 homes that need to be rebuilt and a great amount of damage repair and clean up to be done before the winter arrives (Vermont Habitat for Humanity).

This weekend, dozens of Champlain College students will be fanning out to various projects to help clean-up and repair flood damage in Burlington, Moretown and Gaysville, Vt.

Vermont Flood damage - Mansfield Heliflight photo

“Irene” was the first recorded tropical storm to make a direct hit on Vermont since the 1938 New England hurricane. Almost every river and stream in Vermont flooded, sweeping away homes, numerous historical covered bridges, and roads. Statewide, the cost of repairs for road and bridge damage alone exceeded $700 million.

Sarah Waterman, Matt Sisto, and Katy Kent, a 2009 Champlain College alumni, founded an organization called VTResponse the day after the storm. They used social media like Facebook and blogs to bridge the communication gap between volunteers and those in need. This immediately impacted volunteerism throughout New England, but in the weeks since, there remains much clean-up and work to be done across the state.

With tropical storm victims in mind, Vt. Gov. Peter Shumlin announced a statewide clean-up day (similar to the annual spring Green-Up Day) on Saturday, Oct. 22. The hope is that many groups, including college students, would step up to volunteer to help clean up around the state.

A group of students from Champlain College created a forum using Facebook to rally the Champlain Community to help by donating their time to those in need. Through VTResponse, they have organized a trip to the White River Valley Campground in Gaysville, Vt. The flood damage at the campground is not covered by the owner’s insurance and they did not receive any FEMA assistance. They had 100 campsites and many of them were washed away, damaged or covered with mud.

Champlain College’s Residential Life Office is getting involved in the Clean Up Day. A group of 20 Resident Assistants are calling it “RA Madness in Mad River Valley,” and will be working in Moretown, Vt. to help repair a damaged basement. Another group of RAs, led by Skylar Ridabock and Kayla Hedman are taking a dozen students down to St. Paul’s Cathedral on Cherry Street in Burlington.

“No matter where you’re volunteering, whether it is an individual’s home, a family business, or a community building, you are impacting so many lives and contributing to a statewide service day. It is exciting to know that there are others all across the state working hard too,” said Ridabock.

Other Champlain groups volunteering on Saturday include the Environmental Club and the Center for Service and Civic Engagement. All groups are leaving campus at 8 a.m. on Saturday to arrive at their work sites. They are relying on cooperative weather, lots of hot coffee, and warm work clothes to get them through the day of community service.

About Champlain College

Since 1878, Champlain College has provided career-focused education to students from its hilltop campus in Burlington, Vt. Champlain's distinctive educational approach embodies the notion that true learning only occurs when information and experience come together to create knowledge. Champlain offers traditional undergraduate and online undergraduate courses, along with online certificate and degree programs and eight master's degree programs. Champlain offers study abroad programs at its campuses in Montreal, Quebec and Dublin, Ireland. Champlain College will be included in the Princeton Review's "best colleges" guidebook, The Best 376 Colleges: 2012 Edition. Champlain was named a "Top-Up-and-Coming School" by U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Colleges and was ranked in the top tier of 2012 Regional Colleges in the North. For more information, visit www.champlain.edu.

Students to Party for Make a Wish

BURLINGTON, VT - Four local college students; Kayla Couturier ‘13, a Champlain College Hospitality and Tourism/Events Management major, Sarah Becque, a senior at UVM majoring in

Public Communications; Adrianna Bilancieri, a junior at St. Michaels College majoring in business, and Darko Jeftic, a senior at UVM majoring in Business have joined together to create a multi-campus fundraising event. They have volunteered their time and skills over several months to develop a Halloween costume dance at Higher Ground to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Vermont (MAWVTt. Their goal is to sell out the space in order to fund the wish of a Vermont child.

The event titled One Wicked Night will be held at the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge on Saturday, Oct. 29 from 8 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $20, or two for $25 and all proceeds benefit the MAWVT. This is an 18+ event.

Three of the four students (Couturier, Becque & Bilancieri) interned with Make A Wish over the last year. Notably, each continued their involvement with Make a Wish after their internships were completed, in order to create a fundraising event that would appeal to their fellow students and aim for a goal of raising funds to adopt a wish. They worked on this event in addition to their busy academic, athletic and work schedules.

With support from the MAWVT office, the students took on this ‘out of classroom’ project as a real world test of their ideas, putting classroom learning to practice. None of these students will receive school credit for their efforts. “We hope this event will inspire other students to be as generous and community-minded.” Couturier stated.

John Thomas of Make-A-Wish Foundation of Vermont noted that the students have put together this event on virtually no budget. Music will be provided by UVM Senior and WRUV DJ, Darko Jeftic and guest. Switchback Brewery signed on to cover the cost of the venue. The students secured donated prizes and have been sponsored by Small Dog Electronics. They have marketed their event largely through word of mouth, social media and flyers. “It would be great if they could sell out the show and raise enough funds to adopt a wish,” said Thomas, “This means a lot to them.”

Andrea Asacker ’13, a Champlain student eager for the event, declared, “I cannot wait to get together with friends and peers from other local schools off-campus and have fun, all while helping a great cause.”

Tickets can be purchased on Champlain, UVM, and St. Michael’s campuses from MAWVT representatives or at Higher Ground box office. Group discounts available by contacting Kayla Couturier at kayla.couturier@mymail.champlain.edu.
For more information please visit https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=252244738147010 or http://www.highergroundmusic.com/2011/09/one-wicked-night/

Reported by Kayla Hedman ‘14/ Champlain News

Social Media is a Science on VPT

Vermonters might be surprised to learn that Vermont has an aerospace community working to launch a satellite into lunar orbit. That mathematicians are using Twitter to gauge the mood of societies. That local scientists are sequencing the genome of a creature that is so like humans it may have a role in regenerative medicine.

Scientists based in Vermont are working to expand human knowledge and solve problems everywhere from down the road to outer space. Vermont Public Television introduces viewers to their remarkable neighbors in its “Emerging Science” project. The project features broadcast and online programs, community events and educational resources to help teachers spark students’ interest in scientific careers.

A new season of three TV shows will premiere Wednesday, Oct. 26, on VPT and on demand at vpt.org. Focusing on science Wednesday evenings, VPT will air a new episode of “Emerging Science” at 8 p.m. and repeat the previous week’s episode in the 8:30 p.m. slot. “Nova” and other science programs follow at 9 and 10 p.m. in the broadcast schedule.

Vermont EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) is the project’s funder. Located at the University of Vermont, Vermont EPSCoR supports Vermont scientists and business leaders through funding, outreach and technology development.

On the Oct. 26, 8 p.m. premiere, “Emerging Science” tells the remarkable story of researchers at four Vermont schools collaborating to send a tiny, 10-centimeter satellite called a CubeSat into orbit around the moon. In this post-shuttle era, NASA’s EPSCoR program helps fund work on dramatically cheaper ways of exploring space, including CubeSat research at institutions around the country. At Vermont Technical College, Carl Brandon leads the effort to design and build Vermont’s satellite. He predicts Vermont will be first to launch a CubeSat into lunar orbit. Colleagues Danner Friend at Norwich University; Jeff Frolik and Jun Yu at UVM; their students and students from St. Michael’s College are working on the propulsion, navigation and communications that will enable the CubeSat to gather information. The program will re-air Nov. 2, 8:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m., “Emerging Science” meets scientists at work to make sense of the cyber world people now inhabit. Mathematicians Chris Danforth and Peter Dodds at the University of Vermont and their students use masses of Twitter data to measure the happiness of society. At Champlain College, Elaine Young explains the social media explosion and the basic human need to connect. Marketing professional Nicole Ravlin guides her clients in using social media in business. Jonathan Rajewski of the Champlain College Center for Digital Investigation and Renee Hall of the Vermont State Police explain the importance of following digital fingerprints in solving crimes. The program will re-air Nov. 9, 8:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, Nov. 9, at 8 p.m., a sea creature called the little skate is the star of the show. A consortium of scientists in the Northeast, including James Vincent and Kelvin Chu at the University of Vermont, find that its genome is strikingly similar to humans’. They are trying to understand how it regenerates body parts and why humans lost most of that ability as they evolved. Rachel Phillips, who has a serious genetic disorder, watches the research on regenerative medicine in the hope that it can save her life. The program will re-air Nov. 16, 8:30 p.m.

Producer Anya Huneke said, “Working on ‘Emerging Science’ showed me how science in Vermont has changed from the days when individuals here could contribute only a piece of a puzzle. With the communications technology available now, Vermonters are doing big-picture research.”

Executive producer of “Emerging Science” is Kathryn A. Scott.

Champlain Theatre - 'Playing Hard to Get'

Champlain Theatre’s Playing Hard to Get:
Short Works 2011 Opens Nov. 2

Champlain Theatre’s second show of the fall season, Playing Hard to Get: Short Works 2011, directed by Joanne Farrell and Kim Jordan, will highlight the talents of Champlain College students, presenting six short contemporary plays about identity, attraction, romance, misunderstanding, and balancing on the precipice of possibility.

Each play flirts with the themes of desire, misunderstandings, and relationships. Strung together, Playing Hard To Get portrays a series of characters' bizarre and daring strategies to win a tug-of-war of the will and the heart. The six plays featured are:

• Precipice by William Mastrosimone,
• Daniel on a Thursday by Garth Wingfield,
• The Problem by A.R. Gurney,
• Anything for You by Cathy Celesia,
• Rosie in the Shadow of the Melrose by Craig Fols,
• Acorn by Daniel Graziana .
• There will also be an original devised theatre piece created and performed by the cast.

The Champlain College student actors in Playing Hard to Get: Short Works 2011 are: Sam Notelovitz, Molly O'Brien, Julia Kehr, Brian Arsenault, Will Saxe, Kayleigh Blanchette, Ashley Cook, Mike LeTourneau, Matt Hollar, Kristen Orlando, and David Bender.

Playing Hard to Get: Short Works 2011, runs Nov. 2-5 at 8 p.m., at the Flynn Space, 147 Main St., Burlington. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $5 for Champlain faculty and staff, and free for Champlain students with an ID. Some mature content. To purchase tickets, call the Flynn Regional Box office 863-5966 or visit www.flynntix.org

Dispatches from Montreal

https://champlainmontrealfall2011.wordpress.com/

Here's a little sample of the Champlain Montreal Study Abroad blog for this fall.

Entries have included reflections on trips to Quebec City, electronic music, game design company visits and more.

"When I told my friends from back home that I’d be spending a semester abroad in Montreal, they were skeptical. “Montreal? Isn’t that like two hours away from Vermont? That’s not studying abroad; that’s studying next door!” Things like that. I guess I can understand where they’re coming from, but then again, the ones who say that have never been here before.

While Montreal may not be impressively far away when measured by miles (or kilometers!), it is truly a completely different world, offering endless new experiences. Why, as I sit in this café downtown, sipping on my moka glace (iced mocha) and write this blog post, a small contingency of birds are hanging out with me, like it’s no big deal. Alarmed, I look around at others to share my amazement at these unusual customers. Nobody else seems to care. Apparently, sharing the newspaper and coffee with feathered friends is just part of daily life here." Read more...

Rusty DeWees Leads Salon Series

Champlain Alumni Rusty DeWees will lead off the new Salon Series, a chance to meet and hear local favorites in an intimate interview setting at August First Bakery on Oct. 27, at 7 p.m..

TICKETS: Limited Seating!

$20 advance – $22 at the door
(includes a $5 coupon towards food, beverages and wine)
Special price for all 4 nights: $70.
For more details or tickets, www.kingdomcounty.org or call 802-357-4616.

Thursday, October 27 at 7 PM

Performer Rusty DeWees
Interviewed by Bess O’Brien
Rusty DeWees is Vermont’s gem of an entertainer, comedian, actor and performer, Rusty has been performing his One Man Comedy Show “The Logger” for 15 years to
sold out houses throughout New England and has appeared in more than 25 films. Join us for a rollicking and intimate look at how Rusty crafts VT stories and film characters.
BUY TICKETS

Thursday, November 3 at 7 PM
Writer Katherine Paterson
Interviewed by Bess O’Brien
Katherine Paterson is the author of more than 30 books including16 novels for children and young people. She has twice won the Newbery Medal, for Bridge to Terabithia in 1978 and Jacob Have I Loved in 1981. She is the winner of two National Book Awards. Her novel, The Day of the Pelican was the Vermont Reads selection for 2010. Learn about how Katherine develops character and story and what it was like to have one of her books adapted into a Hollywood movie.
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Thursday, November 10 at 7 PM
Writer Howard Frank Mosher
Interviewed by Jay Craven
Using ironic humor, complex characterization, and surprising dramatic twists, Howard Mosher has written 10 novels that invite readers into his magical world of Kingdom County, Vermont. (Sneak Preview! Howard will read from his new story, Nights of Temperance.) Filmmaker Jay Craven has adapted four Mosher stories and is about to take on another–Northern Borders. Tune in to go behind the scenes.
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Thursday, November 17 at 7 PM
Journalist Jane Lindholm
Interviewed by Jay Craven
Vermont native Jane Lindholm returned home after stints at public radio’s Talk of the
Nation, Weekend Edition, and Marketplace. At VPR, she has developed Vermont Edition into a probing and revealing radio journal that connects and informs listeners throughout the region. Join us as we interview the interviewer.
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