Students Get FREE iPods

We're proud of our status as a leader when it comes to combining technology and education. Now, we're taking the lead again along with some other high-profile institutions such as Duke.

This fall we'll be giving Grad Center students free iPods.

Free iPods? Free iPods!

What's the catch? There isn't one.

Beginning in September, we will be Podcasting our weekend classes. To take advantage of this up-to-the-minute learning opportunity, all students who register for a minimum of 7 credits will be given a free iPod when they enroll.

What this means for GC students is unparalleled access to lectures and discussions. No more relying on notes that are incomplete because they were trying to write and listen at the same time. In addition, if someone misses a class, they can "sit in" on it later simply by going to the web. And what about the rest of the iPod features? They're to use and enjoy.

If you know someone who would like to learn more about this terrific step forward, please let them know about our "Prepare for Success" open house that's coming up Saturday, August 13th (info follows).

"Prepare for Success" Open House: Saturday, August 13th

We'll be hosting our annual late summer open house on Saturday, the 13th. This is a great time for students who are thinking of returning to the classroom this fall to get all the info first-hand.

We'll be covering our programs and what a GC education can mean. Participants can also get information about affording a GC education and financial assistance, and we'll have some faculty and alums on-hand to give them the personal touch that's at the heart of our community.

Information on our new Podcasting and getting a free iPod will be on the agenda too.

As usual, there will also be tours of the Grad Center and light refreshments.

We know we're going to have an outstanding program, and we can use your help. As an alum, you are the best advertising that we can get. If you know someone whom you believe would benefit from joining us at the open house, please encourage him or her to do so and to visit us at www.gradcenter.marlboro.edu. We'd love to have an overflow gathering, and you're key in helping us reach that goal.

Todd Thompson to Deliver Commencement Address

Thanks to the support of GC student Sharon Hester, Todd Thompson will join us on Sunday, August 21, for our eighth commencement.

Todd Thompson is Vice President and Chief Information Officer at JetBlue Airways. In this role, Todd is responsible for companywide information technology projects and operations, spanning all networks, servers, datacenters, desktops, and devices.

Todd has more than 20 years of IT experience with expertise in technology, business processes and project/program management. Prior to joining JetBlue, Todd led Intermountain West consulting practices for both SBI.Razorfish and Arthur Andersen Business Consulting. Earlier in his career Todd was an IT Director at Nu Skin and a Senior Consultant for Andersen Consulting.

Todd received a BS, Computer Science and an MBA from Brigham Young University. He lives in New Canaan, CT with his wife Julie and four children.

Class Notes

Bob Cartelli, ISM '01, wrote to us recently: Well, I finally have something to contribute to the alumni newsletter. In June 2005, I completed my course work for my Ph.D. in Information Systems degree at Nova Southeastern University. I formally begin my dissertation work in January 2006. The two years of Ph.D. course work were heavy-duty, but not quite as intense as my Grad Center adventure. Over the past two years, I spent many long weekends and nights with my research assignments and papers, thankful for my Grad Center experiences which gave me the tools and confidence to take on and deliver quality doctoral-level work.

Now, I am embarking on another new adventure, overseeing the global launch of an eBusiness development tool, ColligoNet, for Coretomic, http://cortomic.com. We are getting ready to launch the first publicly available version of ColligoNet and I would love to hear from any Grad Center students and alumni who are interested in exploring the platform to build their own sites, or to build sites for other businesses. Several Vermont design firms have been using ColligoNet for the past five years to build and manage web sites for well known Vermont-based businesses, including the Chittenden Bank, the Inn at Essex and Otter Creek Brewing. Obviously, my Grad Center experiences will come in handy as this project takes off.

One more thing….My wife Denise and I are moving back to Breckenridge, Colorado this fall and since there is a special place in my heart for the Grad Center, there will also be a special place in our living room for any couch-surfing ski-bumming ISM01 alumni who make it to Summit County.

That's all for now. Take care and take care of the Grad Center.

bob@coretomic.com
H - 802-863-4213
W - 802-383-1037

Kamini Fernandez, MSIE '04, sent us this news: Here it is monsoon season with heavy rain and since last week flooding has started in Mumbai. Going to work has been real pain, but we did get some days off for the inconvenience. There has been heavy damage as per property and lives are concerned. This is the hottest news all over the country at present. Furthermore it is expected to rain heavily this weekend.. I am still working at an e-security company, a firm for Information Security consulting. I am still on probation, that is not completed 6 months yet. My responsibility is Desktop Audit and in-house technical support. I would like to move to VA-PT but for that I need the CEH certification.

Amy Crawford, ISM 2000, shared the following: I just started a new job as the Webmaster/Marketing Coordinator at the Green Mountain Inn in Stowe, VT (If you follow the link you'll see I have my work cut out for me - we are planning a redesign in the near future). I'm living in Johnson, VT and enjoying it immensely. My dog Larry, mascot for Wolfhound Web Design and an attendee of the ISM 2000 graduation, died this winter; he is greatly missed. A new Irish Wolfhound puppy will be coming to us in September! ("us" = myself and my boyfriend of 4 years, Puck)

Joshua Farber, MAT '99, gave us this good news: Happy to report that after months of uncertainty and virtualhomelessness, I have accepted a job as Instructional Technology Coordinator for a middle school in Wilbraham, MA for the Fall. We've been nomadic (i.e. homeless) for far too long -- am on the Cape as I write this, in a library with baby Cassia, kid Willow, and their mom -- but we'll be looking for housing ASAP upon our return. If anyone knows any secrets about housing in that area, please pass 'em along...

Eager to get to work -- the 450-student, 7 & 8 grade school has no computers in classrooms, and is looking to have me transform the current discrete tech skill teaching program (one lab, elective "special" in MSOffice) into a schoolwide infrastructure complete with Info Commons, full integration through classes and teaching, all with the goal of sending kids to the high school with a consistent platform of tech, information, research and media literacies. Happily, they are ready to bring in the hardware and software I need upon demand. Sounds like great fun.

Much thanks to Neil Manders (MAT '99, dad-in-law) and others who offered support during this odd transition.

Bob McDowell, MSIE '01, ("Messy ones") notes that his son Luc is attending "Boot Camp" at the G-Cee this summer.

Sandeep Mahale, MSIE '04, wrote to us: I would like to share with my fellow alumni, that I have got a great job - I am working on J2EE development, with Hertz Corporation. This is my dream job, where I am learning not just programming, but also OOAD.

I must thank The Graduate Center & all of you folks for putting together a wonderful MSIE program. I will be more than happy to share my gratitude in the next news letter.

I hope The Graduate Center keeps growing & achieving new heights.

Career Opportunities

Web Developer, Marlboro College
A key member of our small IT department, this position will primarily be responsible for the systems design, construction, and maintenance of web-based applications, including supporting our public web site, intranet, and internal/administrative applications. The ideal candidate will have a solid understanding of information architecture and sound user interface design, as well as the technical skills to implement robust systems in a mostly open-source environment. Experience with the following preferred:

• writing standards-compliant HTML/XHTML and Javascript
• configuring and maintaining Apache, MySQL, PostgreSQL servers
• coding "production" applications with PHP/Perl/JSP or equivalent
• basic relational database design
• working in a linux/unix environment

Though inherently a technical position, this person must be able to productively work directly with a diverse range of end-users (as well as copy editors, graphic designers, and systems administrators) to devise clean, usable systems.

Full-time (37.5hrs/week) with benefits. Send cover letter and resume to:

IT Director
Marlboro College
PO Box A
Marlboro, VT 05344
or email webdev@marlboro.edu

Hallmark School of Photography
Hallmark is growing and is looking for good instructors. Great Photoshop chops are a must, photography experience is nice, design skills are a plus, and a desire to teach has to be there too. Hallmark is 100% in the Adobe Creative Suite world so skills with the other apps (InDesign, Illustrator, ImageReady, GoLive in that order) is a good sign too. The 10-second test is, if asked for flattened 360ppi 8x10 TIFF in the Adobe RGB 1998 color space, will you know what's being talked about.

If you are interested, contact Paul Bissex at: paulb@hallmark.edu

Salesperson
Faculty member Jason Mark has let us know that his company, Gravity Switch, is looking for a new salesperson. They are looking for someone who's not afraid to hit the road, although they will need to be in the office at least one day a week.

If you are interested, please go to: http://www.gravityswitch.com/contact/senior-salesperson.html

Webmaster, Information Technology
World Learning of Brattleboro is seeking a webmaster. This position reports to theVice President, Institutional Support Systems/Chief Information Officer

General Description: The Webmaster is ultimately responsible for the technology that supports the web presence for World Learning. The webmaster is responsible for all implementations of web technologies that further the business, educational, communications and marketing goals of the organization. Desired Qualifications: