Fall 2012 Newsletter

The Vermont

Connection

2012-2013 Executive Board Editor: Julie ObertsManaging Editor: Dirk Jonathan RodricksCo-Content Editor: Sara BlairCo-Content Editor: Barbara PearlmanSocial/Professional Development Chair: Lindsay Hammond

Social/Professional Development Chair: Marco BlancoMembership Chair: Queena HoangAlumni/PR Chair: Ashley GunnAdvisor: Nick NegreteAdvisor: Kimberlee Monteaux

Greetings from the Alumni/PR Chair

“Welcome” to the Fall edition of the The Vermont Connection Alumni newsletter. This annual newsletter is meant to keep alumni, and friends of HESA connected to HESA’s student affairs journal, The Ver-mont Connection. In my role as Alumni/PR Chair I hope to create opportunities for alumni to engage with current stu-dents through conference receptions, local events, and communications like the journal and our facebook page. This newsletter is filled with information about our current students, some alumni up-dates and , to borrow a phrase from our beloved Professor Deb Hunter, “what has come up” in our program since the Fall semester has begun. Our journal will be

premiered in February but the Co-Con-tent Editors have been busy working with authors to create what we hope will be a powerful and inspiring journal. Addition-aly, our Managing editor just wrapped up the details of our annual phone-a-thon to ensure that the class of 2014 will be able to continue the legacy with the creation of the 35th volume of the journal. Enjoy the newsletter and stay in touch!

Ashley GunnHESA ‘13Alumni and Public Relations Chair

Table of

Contents

Meet the Class of

2013

Page. 3

Meet the Class of

2014

Page. 4

CurrentStudentProfiles

Page. 5/6

Alumni Updates

Page. 7

Program Updates

Page. 8

Class of 2013Laura Birdsall, Rochester Institute of TechnologySara Blair, University of California at Santa BarbaraDevan Carrington, Bridgewater State UniversityChristine Dolan, Lehigh UniversityAshley Gunn, University of FloridaQueena Hoang, University of California at Santa BarbaraBenjamin Huelskamp, The University of the South

Miracle Husband, University of California, BerkeleyAna Jaramillo, Seattle UniversityJulie Oberts, Eastern Michigan UniversityBarbara Perlman, Bucknell UniversityDirk Jonathan Rodricks, University of VermontMathew Shepard, University of KansasMacki Snyder, Iona CollegeSamantha Stocksdale, Gettysburg CollegeCornell Woodson, Ithaca College

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Class of 2014Danielle Aguilar, University of California at Santa BarbaraMarco Blanco, Florida State UniversityMarlenee Blass, University of California at Santa BarbaraDrake Douglas, University of MissouriErin-Kate Escobar, University of San FranciscoLindsay Hammond, University of Puget SoundLisa Keller, The University of Scranton

Emery Lohrasbi, University of WashingtonJing Luo, Fujian Normal UniversityMonisha Murjani, University of IllionisUrbana ChampaignChris Nial, Lafayette CollegeAudrey Redmond, Providence CollegeKeyiona Ritchey, California State, Dominguez HillsVictor Sanchez, Texas A&M UniversityKyrena Wright, University of Hartford

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Current StudentsMeet some of our current HESA students!

Why are you pursuing a degree in Student Affairs?I’m pursing a degree in Student Affairs in hopes of working to support students who have not traditionally been supported in Higher Ed. Love the ideas of working in equity and diversity units. I would also love to work on a farm (one with both animals and plants!)What are you looking forward to doing in the Vermont Area?Being out side, riding my bike, climbing the hills/mountains, seasons, swimming in lakes, working on farms, trying new things, eating delicious food!

Erin-Kate Escobar ‘14Living/Learning Leadership Coordinator

Ben Huelskamp‘13Assistant Residence Director

What activities were you involved in an undergrad?Undergrad: Student government; academic organizations; Univer-sity Choir; Chapel Docents; UVM: Phi Mu Delta; GuyTalk; LGBTQA activitiesWhat is your favorite Burlington or Vermont activity?Dobra Tea, hands down!Why are you pursuing a degree in Student Affairs and what are your post-grad plans?I love working with students and I’m not really sure what I want to do after UVM...I’m torn between education policy and ResLife/housing

Audrey Redmond ‘14Graduate Assistant for OrientationWhy are you pursuing a degree in student affairs?As a teacher of eleventh and twelfth graders, I loved prepar-ing them for college and then watching them move on... I knew that I wanted to be on the receiving end, welcoming students and helping them find their place on a college cam-pus. I’m hoping to work with first-year students, either in orientation or transitional services.What did you do after graduation?NYC Teaching Fellows, taught high school special ed for four years.

Why did you choose UVM?Ready for a cliche statement? I didn’t choose UVM.. it chose me... But really, it’s a nerdy rea-son why I pursued this program: I loved the conversations with the faculty and I LOVED THE CURRICULUM! I love being in school, so the academic side of things is really important to me. Additionally, I knew I’d get the experience necessary to graduate from UVM and get a great job opportunity. So, y’know. The whole package. That and, well, it’s beautiful here. Why wouldn’t I choose it?

Lindsay Hammond‘14Graduate Assistant for Marketing Publications and Assessment

Alumni UpdatesNews from The Vermont Connection!

Linda Kasper ‘03 is currently the Director of Residential Life and Ed-ucation at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. Her ad-vice for incoming students is to “Be patient with yourself. You won’t fully realize the depths of your learning until you graduate from HESA. Remember to learn equally from your peers, students, assis-tantship supervisors, practicum supervisors and the faculty. And stay in Burlington in the summer if you are able” Jean Pak ‘07 is now the Academic Programs Coordinator at SUNY Col-lege of Optometry. Adam Ortiz ‘10 is currently a House Director at Hampshire College and when asked what he values most from his HESA experience noted “Meeting an amazing network of friends and colleagues, growing in the areas of personal identity and social justice education, and hav-ing lots of memorable laughs.”He would also like to put out a shame-less plug for the Multiracial Net-work Blog. Grant Hoover ‘07 is currently the Associate Director for USC Lambda LGBT Alumni Association. Paula Cogan Myers ‘00 is currently the Director of Higher Education

Counseling at Discovery College in Hong Kong when asked what she valued from the HESA experience she noted “The faculty and my cohort--what amazing people!” Alina Torres-Zickler ‘04 is the As-sistant Director of Social Equity at West Chester University and her advice for HESA students is to “make time for yourself” Hannah “Roberts” Lozon ‘08 is the Coordinator of Social Justice Education at the University of Arizon and misses “EVERYTHING. The mentorship I received from Res Life staff. My cohort. The ups and downs of doing my own work around social justice. The incred-ible faculty, who gave so much of themselves. Burlington’s beauty” she recommends “Learning as a Way of Leading: Lessons from the Struggle for Social Justice.” Joe Speidel ‘01 is the Director of Local Government and Community Relations at the University of Ver-mont and his advice for incoming students is “Learn as much as you can about the entire higher educa-tion system.”

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Program UpdatesNews from The Vermont Connection!

Kathy Manning is currently traveling on the Fall 2012 voy-age of Semester at Sea.

This Fall, HESA welcomed its newest faculty member, Dr. Shametrice Davis.

TVC’s annual phone-a-thon raised over $12,000 this year. Thank you to all who donated and participated this year.

HESA’S 2012 Kenneth P. Sau-rmann award was awarded to Jilliene Johnson. Jilliene is cur-rently an Education Fellow with the Congressional Black Cau-cus Foundation and resides in Washington, D.C..

Stay in Touch!Information about NASPA/ACPA conference receptions will be out soon.

Questions about the newsletter can be sent to angunn@uvm.edu.

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