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Welcome to Community College of Vermont's Student Services Scene. Be sure to check out the Scene regularly to learn about student success; career exploration and development; employment and internship opportunities; and CCV student opportunities, events, trips and tips.


Wednesday, April 24, 2013

The One-Question Will You Be Successful Quiz


Below is a guest post from the author of Community College Success, Isa Adney. You can connect with her on Twitter @IsaAdney or Facebook.com/CCSuccess

I developed a quick  1-question quiz to predict whether or not you will be successful at whatever it is you are doing right now.

Are you ready?

Okay, let's go.

Agree or Disagree: "How good you are in the beginning is not indicator of how good you can become."  -Astronaut Mark Kelly

Got your answer?

Answer key:

If you said Agree: You are going to be successful!!  Woo hoo.  Do a little dance.

If you said Disagree:...well...uh...gosh...this is awkward...;)

I have to give all the credit to Mark Kelly who I heard say this yesterday at the American Association of Community College's annual conference.

When he shared this statement I immediately thought of students.  I thought of the students who struggled in high school; I thought of the students in remedial math and reading; I thought of those who e-mail me feeling defeated after failing a test; I thought of those who get a bad SAT score or a bad grade and think they just aren't smart, that they should give up now to protect their ego.

But the truth is, most great people were not naturally amazing at what they are doing now.  They worked hard and strategically at it.  And most importantly - they overcame obstacles because they believed they could get better.

Astronaut Mark Kelly said this when talking about landing his first airplane on a boat; he didn't do a great job and afterwards the commander said to him, "are you sure this is the right career for you?"  Mark didn't let that deter him, and he became one of the few who fly into space.

Do you really believe you have the power and potential to get really good at what you are doing right now?  Do you believe you can do this, get better, and reach greatness?

I'm not into cheesy pop psychology stuff; this stuff is for real.  I was just reading a great book from Harvard Educational Press called

Click here to read the rest of the article.


Friday, April 19, 2013

Vermont State Judiciary Seeks Summer Court Interns: Great for you CCV CRJ Students!


Pictured above: Montpelier, VT Courthouse

  
We just received this posting from the folks at the Vermont State Judiciary office.  This internship is a great fit for CCV Criminal Justice students - and a great opportunity for criminal justice students enrolled in  a summer Community Work Experience (CWE) course.
  

Court Intern
  • 30-40 hours per week, flexible schedule
  • From mid-May to mid-August, 2013
  • This is an unpaid opportunity
Looking for
  • Students with an interest in working behind the scenes in a courthouse to experience court operations first-hand.
  • Looking for stronger computer and interpersonal skills, a professional attitude, and attention to detail.
  • Associate or Bachelor programs
  • Students in Criminal Justice or Paralegal studies are preferred, but other majors will be considered as well.
Locations may include : Montpelier, Bennington, Burlington, Rutland, and St. Albans

Work setting: Administrative offices of state county courthouses

Duties may include
  • Customer Service - both in person and on the phone
  • Data-entry
  • Filing
  • Research
  • Computer Duties
To apply please send cover letter and resume to:
victoria.cutone@state.vt.us

Questions?  Call Victoria Cutone at (802) 828-4290

The Vermont State Judiciary is a branch of state government charged with overseeing the delivery of justice throughout the state.  We have a dedicated workforce of court managers, customer service, operations and judges.

The Vermont State Judiciary is an equal opportunity employer.  Successful candidates will be required to pass a criminal background check.
 

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

VSECU to Award Three Student Loan Repayment Awards



To assist Vermonters burdened by education loan debt, VSECU presents the Student Loan Independence for Today (LIFT) program. VSECU will award three $5,000 student loan repayment awards in 2013. A qualified recipient will be chosen from each of three different categories: First Generation, service to Vermonters, and Financial Literacy. Visit VSECU's Student Lift to learn more information about this great opportunity.  Applications are due to VSECU by June 14th.  Good luck!

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Get the Internship Advantage




Do internships really offer job seekers a competitive advantage?  According to career counselor Peter Vogt, the answer is  -  absolutely.   In his book Career Wisdom for College Students, Peter provides reasons employers tend to make positive assumptions about students who have completed internships:
1.   Students who have completed an internship are more committed to their chosen field.  A 2005 survey of employers  found that 88% who hired college graduates who completed internships report that those hires who have internship experience stayed in their jobs longer.

2.   Students who have completed internships have developed the essential skills and traits they will need to succeed.  In addition to providing students opportunity to hone the hard skills associated with a profession, internships provide students an opportunity to cultivate soft skills that are so incredibly important to employers, skills such as communication, collaboration, research, critical thinking and problem solving.

3.   Students who have completed an internship will have references that can be specific versus general.  An instructor can tell a prospective employer how you perform academically and how you collaborate with other students in your classes; however, an instructor cannot speak to how you perform in the workplace.  Intern supervisors and colleagues can serve as strong references by providing relevant workplace examples to address specific questions posed by prospective employers.

4.   Students who have completed an internship understand the demands, stresses, rewards and ambiguities within in a profession.  Internships provide students an opportunity to observe and navigate office politics, to understand  the hours required to do a job successfully, and to experience, first hand, the fun and the challenges that can come with a career.

Now that you’re sold on the value of an internship, you might be wondering what kinds of opportunities are available in Vermont.  I recommend you start by searching:

If you’d like some great resources to help you update your resume, explore Community College of Vermont’s Career Services

The time to secure a summer internship is now, so don't delay your search. When you find an internship, we'd love to hear about it.  And for those of you who have had internships - do you have any advice to offer for a successful internship experience?