Front and Center, Andrew Jackson, ISM '99
This month, our spotlight falls on Andrew Jackson, Director of Operations at Vermont Life Magazine where he is responsible for circulation, fulfillment, advertising, marketing, ancillary products and Web publishing.

In 1994 he founded the first regional magazine Web site on the Internet, Vermont Life Online. But as he developed his online strategy, it became clear that he needed to know a lot more about the underlying technology and methods of the Web.

"The ISM program was a perfect mix of the technical, management and legal background I needed, and has helped me ever since."

Eventually, that brought Andrew to the GC, and he earned his MS in Internet Strategy Management in 1999. His capstone project was developing Vermont Life's highly successful e-commerce site, www.VermontLifeCatalog.com. "The ISM program was a perfect mix of the technical, management and legal background I needed, and has helped me ever since. The result is that Vermont Life is still a leader in magazine online publishing, with the e-commerce site, Vermont Life Online at www.VermontLife.com, and our new Green Mountain News e-newsletter (to view, click on "sample issue" at http://www.vtlife.com/gm-news/newsletter.htm)."

After earning his BA with a major in psychology of communication at Goddard College in 1966, Andrew has pursued a long career in communications, including stints in audio-visual management and public relations, and as a photographer, direct-response marketer, circulation manager and publisher.

He also offers strategic consulting services for special interest magazines in advertising, circulation, online publishing and ancillary products. If that weren't enough, Andrew serves on the board of directors of the International Regional Magazine Association (IRMA).

Andrew lives in Montpelier, VT, and when not running a mile-a-minute in his professional life, he enjoys Celtic music and antique cars.

Grad Center Partners with Vermont Tech Corps

Vermont TechCorps is part of the national Americorps Program, the highly-respected network of national service programs that engage more than 50,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment.

We're proud to let you know that Marlboro College Graduate Center has been selected to host a half-time Vermont TechCorps volunteer. The focus of the new program is bridging the digital divide in Vermont. We also want to stress that spaces are limited and interested candidates should pursue this opportunity immediately. For more contact Kevin Bell at: kbell@gradcenter.marlboro.edu.

Over the past decade, a gap has developed between those people and communities who can make effective use of information technology and those who cannot. Now more than ever, unequal adoption of technology excludes many from reaping its associated socioeconomic benefits. The term "digital divide" refers to this gap between those who can effectively use new information and communication tools such as the Internet and email, and those who cannot. This gap is even more prevalent for those individuals who are low-income, live in rural areas, have low education levels, or are elderly. This is the population targeted in this statewide program.

TechCorps Members receive a modest living allowance ($5098 half-time), an education award ($2362.50 half-time), student loan deferment, reimbursement for travel to special training activities, assessment training, TechCorps Competency Training, position specific training provided by the host site, and Citizenship Training. Membership provides a great experience and the opportunity to provide a community service in a field that interests you.

Annesa Hartman to Conduct Workshop February 19th

Well-known author and GC alumna Annesa Hartman will be with us on Saturday, February 19, presenting a HANDS-ON session on FLASH. Annesa has authored: Exploring PhotoshopCS and Exploring IllustratorCS (Delmar Learning), and Producing Interactive Television (Charles River Media).Annesa has been the director and Softimage instructor for Mesmer Animation Labs in Seattle, and was co-founder and consultant for Sway Design, Inc. Specializing in graphic art production, corporate training, online learning, and curriculum development, Annesa has developed and taught unique training programs for Accenture, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, AOL/Moviefone, St. John's University, and Macromedia. Also, she is a certified Photoshop instructor and was the subject matter expert and curriculum designer for Macromedia's Design Techniques with Flash course.

Class Notes

Ranjan Chari, MSIE '00 told us recently: "I got married in 2002. Wife's from San Francisco. I've been in New York since 2000 ever since my first job at Grey Worldwide. These days I am self-employed, I run a web development company called 'BigAppleDesigns.com,' which I started in September 2001. So far things have been good.
All the best.

Sire Diallo, MSIT '03 updated us: "Sorry I haven't checked-in in awhile. I have been busy at work with the tsunamis hitting the core of our sourcing in Bandah Aceh! We have turned into an NGO, quite frankly. We have raised about $300,000.00 for our own tsunamis relief funds. Our CEO/ owners are actually in Indonesia actively helping in the relief efforts and overseeing the flow of our funds to ensure it gets to the people in need. So this has been a tough year business-wise because Sri Lanka was also hit, and Grenada is severely damaged from the hurricanes of last summer. These are all countries we get our supplies from. We have raised over half a million for these three countries. ForesTrade is a great company. At this tough time, most of our customers have joined in and helped financially, or logistically. It's great to see a company that puts the stakeholders before profit and business. We received word that about 20 of our farmers and their family members are dead or missing, with about 13 of their children unaccounted for. That is the news for now! I'll be sure to check in more frequently"

Kilana Butler, MSIT '04 wrote to us: "Hello, all at the GC. Thanks for the news. Right now I have moved down to Tampa, Florida, and have set up my own business in web design. I have three clients so far. Miss the snow but not the cold, rain and shoveling of heavy snow. Thanks, Taylor M. '04, for all your support and advice with the start of my business.

Adam Wenger, MAT '00 reported: I am working on a variety of different projects right now. As usual, I am over here in Northampton building and rebuilding computer with my students. I have gotten two terrific grants this year, to continue to get computers where they are not. One grant comes from the Mass Mechanics Trade association. This grant was particularly sweet because they have never funded a technology program before. They usually fund the classic trades like carpentry, masonry etc.. Also I got a grant that will allow us $30,000 to upgrade ALL of the agencies computers and buy site licenses for assistive tech software like Kurziweil that helps student with language based learning disabilities. The truly great part is that my students will do all the upgrades and installations. It is real hands on work that will do wonders for their self esteem.

As far as everything else, life is good,I have been doing lots of digital photography with my Nixon D70 and trying to avoid winter and the cold. I can't wait to have some spring.

Love to all, Adam

Anna E. Story, RN, ISM' '99 checked in: "I remain an Assistant Professor at Mercy College and teach in the MS in InternetBusiness Program teaching a variety of courses including 'web design for usability,' 'ecommmerce' and 'legal and ethical issues on the Internet.'

Additionally, I have accepted a position as Director of Continuing Education at Continuum Health Partners in NYC overseeing continuing education for 5 New York City hospitals. I am developing online continuing education courses to be housed on the new website I am in the process of designing. An article I wrote entitled 'Do you want to be CyberSavvy?' was published in the NYC edition of Nursing Spectrum.

I was excited to present at the Ed-Media International Conference in Lugano, Switzerland on the topic of 'Using Desk Top Capture Software to Teach Online Students.' My paper on 'Guidelines for Teaching Online and On Campus Students in the Same Class' was accepted for publication and presentation this summer at the 12th Annual International Teaching and Learning conference in Granada, Spain.

I will complete my Masters in Nursing Education and combined with my ISM Masters and my graduate certificate in Online Instructional Design will continue to develop online interactive continuing education programs.

Career Opportunities

Web Developer
NewsBank is a major Web publishing and media services company serving schools, libraries, businesses, publishers and consumers. We build our products around a vast and diverse collection of content, ranging from newspaper articles from the 1970's to today (one of the largest archives in the world) to digital images of documents dating back to the 1690's. We are a 30-year old company looking for people with a desire to learn and grow who are always seeking new challenges. We are continuing to grow and need to add several more developers to our staff.

Our new web developer will design, implement, and maintain the Web interfaces for our products. We are looking for someone to create great user interfaces, who loves to see their solutions in use, and thrives in a fast-paced team-oriented environment. If you have 2 years of experience designing and building Web sites using tools such as XML/XSLT, DHTML, CGI, CSS or other technologies, we want to talk to you.

Experience with Java/JSP, Perl, Flash or other Web technologies is a plus. With many new products in development, this is a great opportunity to apply your creativity and design skills to an exciting new opportunity. Send your resume and cover letter to:

Human Resources, NewsBank, inc., P.O. Box 219, Chester, VT 05143 or email hr@newsbank.com Visit us at www.newsbank.com

Echoing Green Fellowship
Echoing Green, 60 East 42nd Street, Suite 520, New York, NY, 10165, Phone: 212-689-1165, Fax: 212-689-9010, info@echoinggreen.org
Echoing Green awards two-year fellowships to emerging social innovators. Annually, we award Fellowships to individuals with innovative ideas for creating new models for tackling seemingly unsolvable social challenges. These Fellowships offer them the opportunity to develop and test their ideas. This is not a scholarship program. Our Fellows do not develop their ideas in an academic setting. Our Fellows work in the community. They launch, manage and grow organizations that implement and continually expand their ideas for creating lasting social change. Individual Fellowships: $30,000 per year for two years for a total of $60,000 paid in four equal installments of $15,000. Partnership Fellowships: $45,000 per year (per project, not per individual) for two years for a total of $90,000 paid in four equal installments of $22,500. Fellowship stipends are paid twice a year. In addition to the two-year stipend, Echoing Green also offers a monthly stipend for health insurance. Echoing Green provides our fellows a range of support through a variety of media including the Internet, conferences, site visits and phone contact. Echoing Green also offers guidance in strategic and financial planning, staff and board development, fundraising, legal and accounting practices and many other aspects of starting and building a non-profit organization. During the two year Fellowship period, Echoing Green will host three Fellowship conferences. At the conference we also offer educational workshops and access to Echoing Green Fellows, program alumni and other experts in the field. The fellows develop ambitious and measurable first year objectives. Throughout their fellowship, they provide regular reports to the foundation and track their progress against their objectives, refining their objectives as appropriate.