When Passy Matendo signs on to a Zoom meeting, her name appears on the screen as “Maombi.” “It’s what I’m called at home,” she explains. In Swahili, the word literally means “prayers” or “supplications,” and as a name, it is often loosely translated as “gift from God.” Since coming to the U.S. from…
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Blog Archive: Exploring Career Options
When Kirsty Greeno was growing up, she moved around a lot, mostly through Vermont and a bit of Maine. Before completing high school, Kirsty, her sister and their single father relocated multiple times, moving from Rutland to Salisbury, then to Middlebury, followed by Whiting, and finally settling in…
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Earning your driver’s license is an American rite of passage. For American-born teens, it's a milestone, but for new arrivals driving is critical to adjusting to their new life. Aden Haji is helping new arrivals in Vermont adjust to their new home by empowering them behind the wheel of a car.…
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As a competitive runner, Amiya Sharp knows how to push herself to the finish line. Now a freshman pre-med student at UMass Boston, she’s majoring in biochemistry—a tough major, but one Amiya intentionally chose to make sure shes's prepared for medical school. Amiya hopes to become a pediatric…
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On February 12, 2018, when Mersadies Shantie was 12 years old, her mom suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. That night, still stunned from the loss, Mersadies left her home in Mooers Forks, New York, and moved to Sheldon, Vermont, to live with her dad, stepmom and three adopted sisters. “It was…
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I’ve always loved to learn, but I never thought I would go to college. As a teen, I was more interested in getting out into the working world, and once I’d established a successful career, I thought, why would I need to go to college now? But as I got deeper into my chosen field of birth and…
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Ian Taylor of Shaftsbury decided it was time for a career change in his mid-30s. But when he learned the cost of earning his Commercial Drivers License (CDL), he hesitated. Suddenly, the investment seemed more like a gamble. Then, he found out that VSAC could support his CDL career training. Working…
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The Thanksgiving season is for giving thanks and giving back. In that spirit, we wanted to highlight three Vermont students we’ve profiled in 2023, who, thanks to the support of their families, their employers, and the VSAC counselors who guided them on their college and career paths, are on their…
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For First Generation Day, meet first-gen students who now work for VSAC: Jessi Krause Herron (bottom left), Monda Kelley (bottom right), Dylan Bertolini (upper right), Beth Clay (upper middle), Sarah Friend (upper left). If your parents didn't graduate from college, you're less likely to pursue…
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Middle school students engaged with hands-on exhibits at STEM fairs in Castleton and the Northeast Kingdom. At two bustling events earlier this month at both ends of Vermont, hundreds of 7th and 8th graders came together for hands-on career exploration. Kingdom Career Connect and the Northeast…
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