St. Albans Storytelling Class

Submissions from COM-1180 Storytelling through Media

Samantha Barrette.Storytelling
Susan Pregent.Storytelling
Sabrina Brault.Storytelling
Nicole Canto.Storytelling
Patrick Clark.Storytelling
Jennifer Keserel.Storytelling
Jeremy Chevalier.Storytelling
Jenna Savard.Storytelling
Heather Pruss.Storytelling
Cody Schmoll.Storytelling
Alecia Ricardo.Storytelling
Brandon Coburn.Storytelling
Airk Doehlman.Storytelling

Karen McGovern

Class of 1989
Outreach Counselor, VSAC

My relationship with the Community College of Vermont (CCV) has been a valuable and meaningful one.  As a student, I credit CCV and its many wonderful instructors, staff and students with teaching me how to learn.  As an instructor myself, I credit CCV and its amazing instructors, staff, and students with teaching me how to teach!!

I began my experience with CCV in 1986 when I enrolled as a part-time student trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life.  I had attempted college before but I didn’t like the large classroom sizes and the lack of personal attention I had encountered in other schools.  CCV was a welcoming, safe and encouraging environment that engaged a wandering young adult looking to find her way.  The class that made the most impact on me early on was then called Dimensions of Learning, taught by the ever-so-incredible Joan Kaye.  It really was a time of awakening for me. Also, thanks to Joan and CCV I was able to start my career with an internship in Senator Patrick Leahy’s Burlington office.  After proudly receiving my AS degree in 1989 from CCV, I was ready for more.

Equipped with genuine encouragement, some newfound confidence, and a foundation in liberal studies and human services I embarked on a long journey.  It took another 8+ years to get my BA degree from Trinity College of Vermont while working full-time for VSAC and raising a family.  I don’t fit into the charts or categories that attempt to measure postsecondary completion rates within 4 years or even 6 years.  I was, however, fortunate to find colleges that offered adult-friendly programs of study where I found the flexibility to learn in a way that worked best for me.

With the support of my family and my employer, I returned to learning again to pursue an MA degree in the hopes that I might counsel adults at VSAC and possibly teach one day.  You can imagine my delight when I was offered a teaching position at the CCV academic center in St. Albans.  I have had the great pleasure and honor of teaching Dimensions of Work since 2010.  How great it has been to find myself back in Dimensions class, after all these years.