Applying to the VYCC In early 2012, Tashni Chamberlain was living in New York City, working part time at a chiropractic office and teaching yoga to public school students. “I was yearning to be outside, to be more in touch with the outdoors. I started guiding trips for Brooklyn Outfitters, a small company that organizes trips for New Yorkers. I came upon VYCC during that time and it felt like a great fit. I applied, crossed my fingers and before I knew it, I was on 42nd street getting a job offer over the phone.” Like most applicants, Tashni used the online form to apply.  This form is currently available for anyone interested in working with the VYCC in 2015 as a Corps Member (ages 16-24, no experience required) or Crew Leader (see website for qualifications). Our 30th season will run between May and October, and we anticipate employing and training approximately 200 Corps Members and Crew Leaders. Opportunities range in length from three weeks to six months. After submitting her application, Tashni received a phone call to set up an interview. She completed two interviews over the phone and met three members of staff in the process.  “The interview process was nerve racking the way that all interviews can be; but everyone was relaxed and friendly.  I felt everyone was on my side. I felt supported, and that all I needed to do was be myself.” Tashni was hired as a Crew Leader. She arrived in April along with 39 peers to complete a three week residential training program at VYCC Headquarters. Before Crew Leaders pair up and spread across the state with their crews, they master all the technical and management skills required to offer a safe, supportive, and productive season. “When I did arrive I was blown away. I was excited and nervous and wanted to do a good job. It was no surprise that when I came to the barn, I was shown how to be my best self.” In October, Tashni and her fellow Crew Leaders returned to Headquarters to put all the equipment away for winter, and say goodbye. “The VYCC experience lit a fire under me. It’s been a whirlwind ever since – it’s helped change the way I look at things. I fell in love with Vermont – working on public lands does that.” Tashni recently took a job at the Vermont Agency of Transportation as their Civil Rights Program Specialist. She is responsible for recruiting underserved populations to the VTRANS workforce of roughly 1,400 employees. Are you thinking about applying to VYCC this year? Here is Tashni’s advice: “It’s totally worth it. It’s life changing. If you want to see the world in a different way, this is a way to do that. Give the application a shot. Sit down with it for 40 minutes and give it your full attention. That’s all you need to do.” Tashni, far right, with her crew on their first day. Venture Semester, an Alternative College Program (Scholarships Available!) Last Thursday, VYCC President & CEO Thomas Hark joined Vermont Tech President Dan Smith in announcing the new Venture Semester Program. Venture Semester, a VYCC and Vermont Tech partnership program, is designed to enhance high school graduates’ access to higher education by immersing students in agriculture, food, and leadership. By living, working and learning together, participants earn transferrable college credit and develop critical thinking, advanced writing, and technical skills. Students learn as much about themselves and their place in the world as they do about food systems and agriculture. Forestry, logging, dairy farming, milk processing, vegetable production, animal reproduction, plant science and nutrient management are just some of the concentrations that students are exposed to in this in-depth program. Students leave with hands-on experience, a heightened appreciation of the industry, and a foundation for their future. Vermont Tech is a leading public college with a mission of applied education. One of the five Vermont State Colleges, Vermont Tech serves students from throughout Vermont, New England, and beyond at its two residential campuses in Williston and Randolph Center, regional campuses in Brattleboro and Bennington, and at six nursing campuses located throughout the state. Vermont Tech takes an optimistic, rooted and personal approach to education to support students in gaining the confidence and practical skills necessary to not only see their potential, but to experience it. Academic programs encompass a wide range of engineering technology, agricultural, health, and business fields that are vital to producing the knowledgeable workers needed most by employers in the state and in the region. According to Thomas Hark, “Venture Semester represents an exciting and natural next step in VYCC’s evolution.  We are so excited to be partnering with Vermont Tech, one of Vermont’s premier institutions of higher education. Students will gain valuable skills in leadership and agriculture while working on one of the most vital issues facing our nation – food security. This is an opportunity for students to truly make a difference.” More information and applications for Venture Semester’s inaugural season (September-December 2015) are available at www.vtc.edu/venture. Generous scholarships are available thanks to a grant from the Canaday Family Foundation. Eligible applicants may also apply for Federal Financial Aid.