Meet the Admissions & Aid Team

Melissa Rosenberg

Biography

Melissa was a first-generation college student, graduating with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Agricultural Business and Economics from SUNY Cobleskill in 1992. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Science degree in Rural Economics from the University of Vermont in 1995. After spending several years in Maine, Melissa found her way back to Vermont and is thrilled to be part of the Champlain College community. As the Senior Director of Admissions, she finds it incredibly rewarding to work with students and their families throughout the admissions process, helping to make a difference in their lives.

Melissa is enjoying her return to the beautiful state of Vermont, discovering new hiking trails and spending quality time with her family.

Territory

California, Oregon, Washington

Hobbies

Hiking, Biking, Cooking

Favorite Local Eateries & Things to do in Vermont

Healthy Living Cafe, August First, and The Gryphon

Bike the Causeway, Peruse the local Farmers Markets, Explore the Intervale.

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Leah Miller

Biography

Leah Miller joined the Champlain family after serving as the Assistant Director of Admissions and Assistant Cross Country and Track Coach at Lesley University. She currently serves as the Assistant Director of Stowe Running Camp during the summer, and in the winter you can find her at Smuggler’s Notch Resort.

Territory

Transfer Students, US Territories

What are your hobbies?

Running, Crossfit, Hiking, Biking, Walking my Dog, Art

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont

Jericho Tavern

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Emily Rudolph

Biography

Emily Rudolph has been a member of the Champlain College community for eight years. In 2010, she arrived on campus as a first year student and completed her Bachelor’s Degree in 2014. After several years working in the hospitality industry, Emily returned to Champlain College in 2019 as a member of the admissions team. Emily has also been an active member for Staff Council and is the current Co-Chair of the Communications and Engagement Committee. When not on campus, Emily can be found at a local bookstore, hiking the Vermont trails, and skiing at as many mountains as she can.

Territory

Vermont (Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Washington), Massachusetts (Barnstable, Bristol, Duke, Essex, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, Worcester), Maine, New Hampshire, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, International Students

What are your hobbies?

Reading, hiking, skiing, and walking dogs.

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont

My favorite place to eat is either Bluebird BBQ or Folino’s Pizza

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Brittany Beck

Biography

Brittany graduated from a small liberal arts college in upstate New York, St. Lawrence University, with a B.A. in Sociology and German Studies. While at St. Lawrence University, she played field hockey and studied abroad in Vienna, Austria. After graduating, she spent the next thirteen years working in the international education field sending students to study abroad at various universities overseas and working in the international travel field sending clients to travel around the world on customized luxury trips. Though travel is still a passion of hers, she’s excited to be back in the higher education field and sharing her love for 足彩胜负14场, Vermont with students! When she’s not speaking with students, she can often be found skiing at Bolton Valley, riding her bike around Lake Champlain, or catching the newest must-see film.

Territories

Maine, Massachusetts (Barnstable, Bristol, Duke, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth counties), New Hampshire, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, International Students

Hobbies

Skiing, travel, biking, hiking, film, dogs

Favorite Local Eateries and Things to do in Vermont

Some of my favorite places to eat in 足彩胜负14场 include Poco, a Single Pebble, and Myer’s Bagels. My favorite things to do in 足彩胜负14场 include biking along Lake Champlain on the 足彩胜负14场 bike path, enjoying an outdoor concert at Shelburne Museum, walking my dog at Red Rocks Park, and skiing at Bolton Valley.

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Adnane Adossama

Biography

Do what you love and what you need will follow!

Territory

Vermont (Addison, Bennington, Rutland, Windham, Windsor), New York (Albany, Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Niagra, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Rensselaer, St Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wyoming, Yates), Massachusetts (Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire), Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont

Manhattan Pizza and Pub
Hiking and Snowboarding

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Brendan Smith

Biography

Brendan began his career in Admissions at Champlain College in July 2023 after graduating from Champlain with a B.S. in Game Production Management only a few months prior. He still finds himself very active in the Game Studio community today, and loves to offer advice to any incoming or current students! He is excited to speak to prospective students and encourage them to follow their passions while in college and beyond.

Brendan can be found at any of the local bookstores, on the bike trail, or at Muddy Waters Cafe when not working in the Admissions office. If you see him out and about, be sure to say hello!

Territory

Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts (Hampden), Hawaii, Alaska

Favorite things to do in Vermont

Martone’s Market, Papa Frank’s, Pingala Cafe

Biking, skiing, and checking out local eateries

Hobbies

Biking, cooking, hiking, swimming, gaming

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Jorge Erazo

Biography

Jorge Erazo graduated from the State University of New York at New Paltz with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Mathematics. He began his career in Undergraduate Admissions that following year and remained there until moving into the hospitality industry in Northeast Pennsylvania. He then decided to pursue a move back into Higher Education and Admissions with Champlain College where he is excited to engage with new and inquisitive minds as they embark on their college journey.

Territories

Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey (Atlantic, 足彩胜负14场, Campden, Cape May, Cumberland, Glocester, Ocean, Salem), New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia

Hobbies

Gaming, Reading, Scale Model Building and Walking Dogs

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Morgan De Caro

Biography

Morgan De Caro graduated from the University of North Florida in August of 2023 with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Biology with a concentration in Ecology and Evolution. After working as an Admissions Counselor in Florida post-grad, Morgan decided to relocate to Vermont. Wanting to continue to pursue a career in higher education and admissions, she found Champlain College to be exactly what she was looking for.

New to the area, Morgan enjoys exploring 足彩胜负14场 and its surrounding areas with her fiancée, finding new hiking trails, restaurants, and shops.

Territory

New York (Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, Westchester), New Jersey, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Arkansas

What are your hobbies?

Hiking, Reading, Cooking

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont

Palmer Lane Maple, Farmers Markets, Bingham Falls Hike

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Jessa Karki

Biography

Jessa has a B.A. English Language and Literature and an MA in Teaching English As a Second Language (TESL) from Saint Michael’s College. Jessa Karki has been in the field of international education in the State of Vermont since 1992. She started as a Student Assistant at the School for International Studies in the second year of her undergraduate studies at Saint Michael’s College and fell in love with the field. She is the Director of the Office of International Student Services (OISS) at Champlain College.

In her current position, she is a one-person office for ISSS and an area expert in international admissions, recruitment, student services, and international alumni relations. She is responsible for the welfare, safety, and immigration advising of all international students, exchange students, and scholars at Champlain. She is the Principal Designated School Official and the Responsible Officer for the College. She also teaches a one-credit, 5-week course of her creation, specifically designed for new international and exchange students which delves into the complexities of U.S. academic writing and cultural norms/expectations.

She has presented at various NAFSA Regional and National conferences. She is a former NAFSA National and Region XI Co-Chair for the One Person Office Member Interest Group and NAFSA VT State Representative for NAFSA Region XI. She currently serves on the NAFSA Region XI GRAC (Government Regulations Advisory Committee) and is the National Co-Chair of the OPO Mentoring Committee.

Jessa lives with her 3 teenage children and her husband in Essex Junction, Vermont. In her free time, Jessa loves to walk, hike, and run. She especially loves hiking the U.S. National Parks and has visited 28 so far!

What are your hobbies?

Long-distance walking, hiking Vermont and the National Parks, and running

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont

Chef’s Corner Table, Williston – hiking all seasons and spending time near, on, or in Lake Champlain.

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Stephanie McConnell

Biography

Stephanie began her career with Champlain College in September 2022 as an Undergraduate Admissions Counselor. Through her work with prospective students, she saw firsthand just how beneficial campus visits can be to a student’s college search. With this passion reignited, Stephanie transitioned her role to the Assistant Director of Visit Experience in May 2024.

When she’s not coordinating Admissions events or working with our Student Ambassadors, Stephanie can be found kayaking, watching the sunset over Lake Champlain, or camping in one of Vermont’s 52 state parks.

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont

Favorite eateries: The Cafe Hot, The Daily Planet, A Single Pebble

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Laura Ennis

Biography

Laura Ennis joined the Financial Aid team at Champlain College in 2021. Laura is the Financial Aid Coordinator for the online and graduate students.

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Juliette Albert

How did you apply to Champlain?

Early Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

I chose Champlain for its upside down curriculum and its location in 足彩胜负14场. (I love being so close to the other places surrounding Champlain).

Ideal Weekend in 足彩胜负14场

My ideal weekend in 足彩胜负14场, would be going to the bagel bakery with my roommates, followed shopping on Church St, then going down to the waterfront, and later going to the mall.

Favorite Champlain Memory

My favorite champlain memories are when my friends and I are able to go out and go places together.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

Finding a college can be an important overwhelming process, it’s important to remember that finding a college where you believe you’ll fit in best is one of the most important things to consider.

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Grace Berry

How did you apply to Champlain?

Early Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

I chose Champlain because of the unique business environment we study in and the major specific courses I take feel very valuable.

Clubs & Student Involvement

• President’s Council
• Students Demand Action
• Stiller Women in Business

Ideal Weekend in 足彩胜负14场

Walking down Church Street and stopping by all of the small businesses and walking down to the waterfront for lunch.

Favorite Champlain Memory

The night before classes begun, we watched Jurassic Park on Finney Quad under the stars.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process.

Trust your instincts and know what you value in a college experience and that your values may be different than other people’s.

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Brandon Cherry

How did you apply to Champlain?

Early Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

The upside down curriculum allowed me to jump right into making games, and that drew me in from the start. Also, having a game programming specific major was a big factor as I wanted a more specialized major.

Clubs & Student Involvement

Student Ambassador Operations Captain

Ideal Weekend in 足彩胜负14场

Playing games down at the Archives, dinner at RiRa, and heading up the hill to the Barnes and Noble!

Favorite Champlain Memory

Taking my girlfriend to Spring Meltdown! Between racing through bounce house obstacle course, sharing snacks and food, and getting printed pictures taken together, it was an amazing experience for both of us!

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process.

When you find the right college, it will stick out to you and you’ll feel right when you walk onto campus for the first time.

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Evan Gartner

Internship

Project Management for Champlain’s Marketing Department

Favorite Class

Introduction to Game Production Management

What have you gained from Core? Has it changed your perspective?

Core has helped me to improve my reading and writing skills. It’s really changed my perspective of the world. Many of my Core classes have covered world issues and cultures, helping me to better understand that subject matter. My favorite Core class has to be the Reading, Writing, and Pop Culture class from the fall of my first year. The class was fun and very engaging because of Division of Information Technology & Sciences focus on protest songs written throughout history, which had a great impact on pop culture, and that really interested me.

What do you think about InSight? Why is it valuable, practical, or relevant?

The InSight program is a very useful program for helping students find jobs or internships. It’s very valuable because in addition to being used by current students, alumni can use it as a resource as well if they need assistance finding a job after graduating. The milestone that’s been the most rewarding to me is my LinkedIn submission. Getting a perfect score and receiving positive feedback from a peer career coach significantly boosted my confidence in succeeding with my job hunt.

Looking back, what advice would you give a new or incoming Champlain student? What might the high school version of you think about the current you today?

An important piece of advice I would give to a new or incoming student would be to always ask for help when you need it. I had a particularly stressful Spring 2022 semester. However, because I asked for help from my professors, counselors, and doctors, I was able to get through it and get on a great path. I feel like my high school self would be proud of all that I have accomplished in my first year and a half of college. He would probably tell me to keep it up, just like my teachers, professors, co-workers, family, and friends have all told me to do.

How did you apply to Champlain?

Regular Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

I chose Champlain because it was the only college in the country that had a major that combined my interests of video game development with business and management. I also liked the convenience and feel of a small campus. It makes it really easy to navigate and hard to get lost.

Clubs & Student Involvement

• Events Captain on Student Ambassador Executive Board
• Project Management Intern in the Champlain Marketing Department
• Study Abroad Recruiter
• Discord Moderator for Class of 2028 server
• Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society in Business
• International Business Club Member
• Climb Champlain Member
• Move-In Crew for Fall 2024 Orientation

Ideal Weekend in 足彩胜负14场

Sleep in, have a big brunch, participate in any weekend events that may be happening on campus, hang out with friends off campus for cookouts and movie nights.

Favorite Champlain Memory

Studying Abroad for the summer and fall of 2023. Being immersed in two different cultures for extended periods of time gave me so much more experience in the real world in terms of networking, internships, and allowed me to meet so many amazing people. I will never forget these experiences!

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

Never be afraid to speak up and always ask for help when you need it. Your voice is the most important and powerful tool you have at your disposal. Use it, and you won’t regret it! Ask questions on a tour, connect with your admissions counselor, or reach out to alumni. No matter what you do, someone will always be there to help you if you speak up!

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Kyle Holland

How did you apply to Champlain?

Transfer Student

Why I Chose Champlain

I preferred the smaller class sizes and active community.

Clubs & Student Involvement

• Coffee and Tea club
• Include+

Ideal Weekend in 足彩胜负14场

Walking down Church Street to the waterfront with friends.

Favorite Champlain Memory

Winning best outfit at Taylor Swift night.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

Keep an open mind!

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Sarah Kelly

How did you apply to Champlain?

Regular Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

When I was first looking into colleges I knew that I wanted a small school, it was also in a beautiful location and when I was first visiting I got to meet so many wonderful professors that made me feel heard before I was even their student and many other schools did not make me feel as seen as Champlain had done.

Ideal Weekend in 足彩胜负14场

Starting the day off with a maple latte from 足彩胜负14场 Bagel Bakery, then going paddle-boarding on Lake Champlain with my friends followed by a picnic at Oakledge Park. Lastly ending my day with either a cup of ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s or a scoop of gelato from Shy Guy Gelato.

Clubs & Student Involvement

• Event Coordinator for Stiller Women in Business
• Vice-President for Student Government Association
• Rugby Club

Favorite Champlain Memory

I have many different small ones, but some are having a cookout at Oakledge Park in the rain, getting way to many scoops of ice cream during Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry’s or playing boardgames with my roommates and friends.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

I would just say to follow your gut and don’t listen to closely to what others are telling you to do.

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Lisa Lafayette

How did you apply to Champlain?

Regular Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

I chose Champlain for the endless opportunities for my major and the amazing autumn season.

Clubs & Student Involvement

• Office Assistant Housing and Res Life
• School of Social Innovation Representative SGA
• Discord Moderator
• Champ 101 Peer Facilitator?

Ideal Weekend in 足彩胜负14场

My ideal weekend is hanging out with friends around and off campus.

Favorite Champlain Memory

My favorite memory was when I went to Canada with my division and we were able to see the Montreal campus and explore.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

It is something that is hard however with persistence and patience, it becomes worth it in the end.

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Aidan Pearl

How did you apply to Champlain?

Regular Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

The housing was the most unique out of all the school I applied to!

Ideal Weekend in 足彩胜负14场

Sitting by the water eating chocolate

Clubs & Student Involvement

• Lead Resident Advisor
• Student Government President

Favorite Champlain Memory

Axe throwing freshman year

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

Meet the faculty for your program and pick the ones that match the best with you!

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Nate Rogers

How did you apply to Champlain?

Regular Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

I found my people here, and I felt like I belonged more than I did in high school.

Ideal Weekend in 足彩胜负14场

Sitting in bed and cuddling my cat while I order local food.

Clubs & Student Involvement

Champlain Supernatural Investigators

Favorite Champlain Memory

Playing jackbox games as a dorm event and doing a rap battle and winning.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process.

Believe in yourself, trust that you will make the right decision for yourself.

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Kira Schafer

How did you apply to Champlain?

Early Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

Champlain is close to home and 足彩胜负14场 is a beautiful city. Champlain also has smaller class sizes which I learn better in.

Clubs & Student Involvement

Stiller Women in Business

Ideal Weekend in 足彩胜负14场

If i’m feeling energetic, shopping and to dinner somewhere on Church Street, getting ice cream and watching the sunset over Lake Champlain. Otherwise just relaxing with my friends outside before it snows!

Favorite Champlain Memory

In my first accounting class I didn’t know anybody so I usually sat alone. One day a girl brought in her service dog and I sat next to her and her friends to talk about her dog. They’re still my friends and have really helped me get adjusted to Champlain.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

Choose a college based on what is right for you. It doesn’t matter what other people are doing, focus on what is best for you and your future!

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Maia Tebbets

How did you apply to Champlain?

Regular Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

I chose Champlain because of the cozy tight knit campus and the small size of the school! I went to a small high school so it was important to me that I would be able to connect with my professors and peers, and I have definitely found that here!

Ideal Weekend in 足彩胜负14场

My ideal weekend in 足彩胜负14场 would be grabbing coffee at Cosmic Grind down on Church Street, exploring the lakefront with friends, having a slice at Pizza 44, and playing board games with my friends!

Clubs & Student Involvement

• Resident Advisor
• President’s Council
• Captain of Champlain College Dance Team
• CHAMP

Favorite Champlain Memory

One of my favorite Champlain memories was Spirit Week my freshman year! It was themed after space camp and there were lots of cool crafts and activities. It felt like the first time I really connected with my people!

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

One piece of advice for students starting to look at schools is to go with your gut. It can be easy to make a decision based on what other’s expect from you or what you think you are “supposed to do”, but go with what feels right! For me, I felt a connection when I visited campus. I hope you find what you’re looking for!

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