Graduates at Work
Here's what some of our alumni have been up to lately:
Will Bohmann MSIT, MAT, ‘11
- Educational Technology Integration Specialist at the Center For Technology in Essex. VT.
"I was hired at the Center for Technology before I graduated. The Center is a career and technical school and it is really engaging. The school curriculum is primarily project based, so there is a lot of room to incorporate technology skills and standards into the classroom. Developing a benchmark of technology skills is so important as these teachers are guiding students into a technology filled marketplace. The staff provide another great opportunity for technology development. This year I have been focusing on professional development for the staff on topics from file management and media to digital research and Moodle. I am also active with Vita-Learn North West, run workshops in Moodle for the district and do some web consulting on the side.
I’m so grateful for the skills and education I received at Marlboro. Both the MAT and MSIT helped me learn how to properly evaluate a project and determine the requirements to reach its completion. I feel very fortunate to be in the field of EdTech. I miss the small classes and personal learning experiences I encountered while at the Grad School."
Heidi Stanclift '08
- Web Developer, 4 Web Incorporated
- Online biography
“I was being forced to update my technical skills due to a change at work. Although I had considered returning to grad school for several years, it stopped being a choice. From the first class, I knew it was the best thing I could have done for myself and my family. MCGS enabled me to change careers. Web site development had always intrigued me, but I had never pursued it and probably never would have if I had gone anywhere else. I've gone from a 40+, dinosaur, mainframe computer programmer to an open source web developer with a very bright future. I am also involved in local Adobe and Joomla! user groups which help me not only maintain ties to the Grad School but also help me stay current with technology changes.”
Barb Ackemann '06
- Owner, Iris Lines Designs
- Faculty, Marlboro College Graduate School
“After 28 years in public education as a teacher, librarian and computer coordinator, I used my year at Marlboro grad school to launch a new career. My business, Iris Lines Designs, is based in Brattleboro but serves clients from a much wider area, including some I’ve never actually met face to face. My capstone project, a website for a YMCA camp, was a great learning experience that prepared me for working with clients, content management systems and deadlines. My connections through the Graduate School have led to contracted work for and collaborations with alumni and many referrals. I continue to make connections through the Adobe Users’ Group and our New England Joomla! Users’ Group. Along with developing websites in html/css, Joomla! and Word Press, I’ve returned to teaching – I teach the Web Standards Class for students in the MSIT program and the new Certificate in Open Source Web Development.”
Kevin Burke, '06
- IT Deptartment, Leland & Gray Union Middle and High School
- Teacher at Community College of Vermont
"Well, it's been four years since I graduated and I've had a pretty good ride so far since then. Just after graduating I got a job at Okemo Mountain School as their IT Director and computer teacher. I was able to make some positive changes for the school in regards to their use of technology as well as being able to coach snowboarding. I have just recently started a new job at Leland and Gray High School in Townshend as the IT assistant. 30 times more computers, 30 times the staff, 30 times the students, 30 times the fun. The last five weeks have been like five days because we have had so much work to do. I'm able to work with some really amazing people there, one of whom was in my project management course, Matt Martyn. He is one of my bosses presently. There are a lot of things in the works at Leland and Gray, and I am excited to be a part of it. Plus the commute is one third of what it was before, which really excites me as well. Another positive note is that they have a snowboard team that I can coach. See you on the slopes! None of this would have even been conceivable had I not gained the knowledge you all provided. Thank you so much."
Mark Madison '06
“I provide help desk services, computer repair, networking, training and educational services, to a variety of clients in the Northshire. I provide these services on site at homes and businesses. I like to say "we make house calls". I really enjoy my clients and helping them navigate the sometimes frustrating world of personal computing. I have also taught computer classes in both public and private schools. I currently teach evening adult classes at the Career Development Center in Bennington. In 2006 I graduated with an MSIT degree and I have added website design and web hosting services to my repertoire. My experience at Marlboro allowed me to take my career to the next level. It gave me a professional credential. It taught me the business of web design as well as the nuts and bolts subjects. And there were the wonderful people that have given me a network of colleagues that I can communicate with that makes me more professional every day.”
Jeff Renard '00
- Program Coordinator for the Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative, Vermont’s statewide K-12 Online Learning Partnership.
"I'm the founder and Program Coordinator for the Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative. This newly founded organization provides management and support to Vermont’s K-12 online learning efforts. During my past work at the River Valley Technical Center this was a long-time vision for me. This statewide organization allows schools to offer online courses in exchange for seats in all other programs offered by other Vermont schools. Of course, none of this would be possible without the Marlboro College Graduate School. My Capstone for my MSIT a few years ago really started the process. Marlboro has been an integral part of the creation of VTVLC in that the Certificate for Online Teaching was created for the Lead Teachers of VTVLC. This program focuses on helping to prepare online teachers to meet the challenges of course creation, the learning management system and the pedagogy involved in deploying web-based learning tools. There has also been numerous MCGS graduates working on this project with Jeff and the response from Vermont schools has been terrific. With almost forty schools as partners, enrollments are expect to soon top over a thousand students. Throughout the MSIT program, we learned to find answers and press on. Learn by doing. That was one of the most valuable aspects of the MSIT program. Also, the flexibility of the program allowed practicing professionals the ability to find a particular area of interest and run with it. It was great to be able to delve into areas of interest that were applicable to the courses and focus your learning and projects toward those goals.”
