Category Archives: Students

Support Addison County Families in Need of Housing

Join the Volunteer Staff of the Charter House Winter Shelter

The Charter House Winter Shelter opened on November 1 and is home to 4 adults and 6 children. There is a critical need for more volunteers to help staff the facility 24/7. Working in pairs, volunteers typically serve 3-4 hour shifts at times of their choosing.

To volunteer
1) Fill out and submit the volunteer form Charter House Volunteer Application
2) Attend a volunteer training. Dates and times for training sessions for new volunteers are listed below. Training takes about 90 minutes.

Saturday, November 10 9:00 am Location: Charter House (27 North Pleasant Street, Middlebury)
Monday, November 12 9:00 am Location: Charter House (27 North Pleasant Street, Middlebury)
Monday, November 12 4:30 p.m. Location: on-campus in Ross B11 (downstairs from Ross Dining Hall)

To learn more or to request alternative training times, please contact Adam Schiff ’15 (aschiff@middlebury.edu) or Anoushka Sinha ’13 (asinha@middlebury.edu).

Mentoring at Middlebury Union High School

Interested in education? Enjoy making a difference for others?

Consider being a mentor for a local high school teenager! Middlebury Union High School is ready to kick off its mentoring program, which will pair Middlebury College students with local high school students of Middlebury Union High School. College students will provide support in helping students graduate high school and assist them in building their own post-graduation plans.

Attend an interest meeting about the program on Thursday, November 5th at 5:30 pm in Hillcrest 103. Questions? Please contact Nestor Martinez at 802.443.3010 or at nmartinez@middlebury.edu.

MCSE Summer Grant Recipient Presentations and Friday Talk

Middlebury Center for Social Entrepreneurship

Learn more at go/mcse or http://mcse.middlebury.edu/.

Summer Grant Recipient Presentations

November 1, 2012 | 4:30 pm | Axinn 229

Join our summer grant recipients as they reflect on their work in the field of social entrepreneurship from Addison County, to Mexico, and Africa.

Leading for Shared Success

Chris Lloyd ’83 (Verizon Communications –  Executive Director – Public Policy & Corporate Responsibility)

The role of business in society is changing. Corporations are not focused on just making money.  The best corporate citizens view societal challenges as opportunities for business innovation and seek to create value for shareholders and for society.

Chris Lloyd ’83 will share insights regarding how Verizon is connecting its growth strategy to addressing some of society’s critical issues. You may not think of Verizon as a health care or energy company, but Chris will explain Verizon’s “Shared Success” strategy and how the company is using its broadband and wireless technology to enable solutions that improve the quality of health care and enable communities to improve their energy efficiency.

New iPad Mini

This new addition to the Apple family will be in the College Bookstore by next week.  This mini is now only 7.9 inches compared to its larger sibling which is 10 inches.  Apple wants the owner to experience the beautiful screen and enjoy all the capabilities of a regular iPad, so their screen is larger than a tablet for better viewing of movies, pictures and documents…and it is easier for reading and interacting with than on a tablet.  These new iPad mini’s also make the iPad more affordable now with the starting price of $329.00 for a 16GB WiFi only model versus the starting price of the regular iPad is $499.00 for the 16GB WiFi only model.  We can take pre-orders on them so you are guaranteed one as soon as they are in. The Holidays are Coming! Call us at 802/443-2038 for options.

Errors in applications for jobs and internships could cost you

Dear all students, especially job hunting seniors, but anyone looking for internships too:

At EIA we’ve noticed some common problems and recurring errors in applications in MOJO. We wanted to call your attention to these now, as early in the semester as possible, in order to prevent you from making these same mistakes in the future. You’re no doubt busy with your classes and extracurriculars, so it’s really important that the time that you invest in pursuing experiential opportunities is most effectively spent.

Please make an extra effort to pay special attention to the following:

1. Unofficial transcripts: They should really be one page only. We’ve seen several submitted that are well over 5 pages. That is not going to work for the employers. In MOJO, and also at the following link, are simple instructions for using your Degree Program Report to create an unofficial transcript. http://www.middlebury.edu/studentlife/eia/resources/transcript

2. Blank documents: Proof your materials before submitting on MOJO! Sadly we’ve seen a situation where a resume submitted was entirely blank and unreadable. To avoid this issue, after you upload any document, please preview it and ensure it is what you want.

3. Old documents: Similarly, we’ve seen another scenario where a student used the wrong, old resume to apply for a job. Suggestion here is to remove documents you’ve used in the past for applications, and only leave current resumes and cover letters saved in MOJO.

4. Withdrawing applications: Did you know if it’s before the deadline, and you want to change something in your application, you can do that? All instructions are here: http://www.middlebury.edu/studentlife/eia/resources/mojo

5. Thank you notes and business cards: To our surprise, employers have given us feedback that students are not sending thank you notes after interviews. Always ask for the business card of the person interviewing you so you have the name and contact information for the thank you note you will send. If you are interviewing by phone, ask for the person’s name and contact information and write it down. If you need assistance learning what to say in your thank you note, read http://www.middlebury.edu/studentlife/eia/resources/thankyounotes

6. Generic cover letters. Employers reading through stacks of applications can tell if you have just dropped their name into your standard cover letter template. Take the time to do the research necessary to tailor your cover for each employer. You can get started here and be sure to stop by Drop-Ins to assure your application materials are looking good!

Thank you for paying attention to these important issues. We’re here to help and happy to talk with you more about any job or internship application you’re writing. Please come see us any day during Drop in Hours from 2-5.

-Tim

Associate Director, Career Services
Center for Education in Action
Adirondack House

MiddCORE Workshops

MiddCORE Workshops

Upcoming workshops include Negotiation on October 26 from 3 to 7pm (with a pizza break) by Paul Cramer, an experienced negotiator and Middlebury alum.  If you want to learn (and practice) strategies that will help you negotiate your first job offer, buy that car, or mediate a disagreement among friends or family members, this is the place to start.  The other workshop is Activating Empathy by Professor Jon Isham on November 2. There are still a few spots left in both workshops. For more information and to sign up, email middcore@middlebury.edu.

Applications due Oct. 10th: Middlebury Alternative Break Trips February 2013

Announcing the Middlebury Alternative Break (MAlt) Service Trips for February Break 2013!

This year’s trips will focus on border and immigration issues (El Paso, TX), cultural and environmental awareness (Cherokee Nation), conservation in El Yunque National Forest (Puerto Rico), women’s empowerment (Dominican Republic), and the US prison system (New York).

The application—please read directions carefully!—is due by Wednesday, October 10th at 5:00 pm to Ashley Calkins in Room 210 of the Center for Education in Action (EIA) on the second floor of Adirondack House.

MAlt participant application: Participant application 2013

Fundraisers from now through J-term ensure that those who need financial assistance to fund their trips will be able to participate (you don’t need to be on financial aid from the College to receive MAlt financial assistance). Each participant must pay at least 25% of the cost—but you have until mid-January to do it! All costs below are estimates and will be finalized soon—cost includes transportation, lodging, and food. MAlt is a perfect opportunity to get involved with rewarding and meaningful service work during break as well as a great way to connect to a new community!

Questions? Check out this “Intro to MAlt 2012-2013”, or e-mail MAlt co-chairs Charlotte Zelle (czelle@middlebury.edu) or Maya Neria (mneria@middlebury.edu).

Trip Descriptions:
Conserving a Tropical Ecosystem Treasure (Puerto Rico): We will focus on environmental conservation efforts in Puerto Rico’s El Yunque Rainforest, a tropical rainforest with a wide diversity of flora and fauna including many species that occur nowhere else in the world. Activities include forest maintenance projects and environmental education projects to support the El Yunque National Forest Service’s efforts to educate the thousands of tourists who visit El Yunque every year. The trip also involves engaging with researchers in the rainforest to learn the effects of climate change and land use in El Yunque.
Trip Leaders: Justin Koatz ‘13 and Maggie Khuu ‘13
Approximate Cost: $500

Examining a Broken Justice System (New York City): To better understand the complexities of the current U.S. retributive justice system, we will visit organizations in New York City related to the pre- and post-incarceration process. Topics will include juvenile sentencing, education, and alternative methods to incarceration. By working with representatives from non-profits, legislatures and juvenile halls, we will examine all steps of the incarceration and re-entry process through a variety of lenses. We hope that through this trip, participants will challenge their preconceived notions about today’s prison system and continue related service work in the future.
Trip Leaders: Lydia Gordon ’15 and Maya Neria ’15
Approximate Cost:$250

Breaking Through Preconceptions (Cherokee Nation): Rediscover history when you visit the land of the Cherokee near the Smokey Blue Mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina. Immerse yourself in their culture and traditions while passing on your own by interacting with the elderly at the Senior Center and tutoring and playing games with youth at the Recreation Center. Learn from members of the community about the issues they face as a nation within a nation and take part in an ongoing effort to maintain the cultural land of the Cherokee “where eagles nest and bears still roam.”
Trip leaders:Mika Tan ’15 and Emily Hoang ’15
Approximate cost: $700

Different Voices, New Perspectives Along Mexico/US Border (El Paso): Students will travel to El Paso, Texas, a city that shares a border with Mexico, living and working at a shelter for undocumented migrants. We will assist in the daily running of the shelter, attend border education workshops, and meet the many faces of migration, from activists and migrants to government and law enforcement officials.
Trip Leaders: Amanda Pertierra ‘13 and Hannah Postel ’13
Approximate cost: $775

Empowering Local Communities (Dominican Republic): We will work with the Mariposa DR Foundation, a non-profit organization that aims to empower women through various educational and health programs. The Mariposa DR Foundation is committed to helping children, especially girls, gain access to quality education and to provide to provide girls with a comfortable environment where they can develop a strong sense of self. During this trip, we will help to develop English programs and work on sustainability initiatives in the community.
Trip Leaders: Rana Abdelhamid ‘15 and Lily Ghebrai ‘15
Approximate cost: $875

Welcome Language School Students!

We would like to welcome the Language School Students.  We also wanted to let you know about our Apple Campus Store, where you can find all you Mac needs as well as bring your Mac in for repair.  We have our Apple Authorized Tech here Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the afternoon.

You will find the latest Mac’s here next week including the featured 15″ Mac with Retina Display.