VTSU and VSAC Host Annual Kingdom Career Connect and NEK STEM Fair

Lyndon, VT – Vermont State University Lyndon, in conjunction with Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC), hosted Kingdom Career Connect. This event welcomed seventh and eighth graders from around Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom to take part in a day of hands-on activities related to more than a dozen careers, including career exploration workshops and a hands-on STEM Fair.

Produced annually by Vermont State University (VTSU) and VSAC, this event is held in partnership with Careers CLiC, the Vermont Department of Labor, and the J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation.

Scott Giles, VSAC President & CEO, noted, “experiences like the VSAC’s Kingdom Career Connect help students discover for themselves some of the many exciting possibilities for life and learning.  Engaging with adults who are immersed in new and different careers expands student horizons and can help launch a student on the path to achieving previously unimagined possibilities.”

As part of the STEM Fair, a group of 20 students delved into music production with GRAMMY-winning engineer and associate professor Brian Warwick. Professor Warwick, who teaches in the Music Business and Industry program, discussed careers in the entertainment industry and led a hands-on demonstration of digital audio workstation software.

Professor Warwick shared, “this has been my eighth year presenting for the VSAC Kingdom Careers Connect event. The students that attend always bring a fresh new energy to campus and this year was no exception. The students were quickly engaged with the software, and I hope I kept up with their excitement. There were several future VTSU Music Business and Industry students in that class for sure!”

The hands-on music careers demonstration took place in VTSU Lyndon’s MBI Digital Audio Workstation Lab, which features 16 dual-monitor computer stations equipped with music software, MIDI controllers, and an audio interface. The lab also includes a mock-up of the VTSU Lyndon recording studio. Students composed their own songs and gained hands-on experience with basic editing and mixing functions.

Naoto, a seventh-grade student, stated “if I could write a letter to my future self, I would write about how it is good to experience being on a college campus and exploring all the possibilities for professions when I grow up.”

Professor Warwick led a hands-on demonstration of the Logic Pro digital audio workstation software. Students also  learned about the many different career paths in the entertainment industry such as performers, talent scouts, managers, songwriters, social media managers, music producers, and engineers for recording studios and live events.

Safi, another seventh-grade participant, added “I don’t really have a dream job yet, but I probably would want to be an engineer. I think it’s important to have a college experience because then you know what’s going to happen when you reach high school.”

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ABOUT VERMONT STUDENT ASSISTANCE CORPORATION
Vermont Student Assistance Corporation is a public, nonprofit agency established by the Vermont Legislature in 1965 to help Vermonters achieve their education and training goals after high school. VSAC serves students and their families in grades 7-12, as well as adults returning to school, by providing education and career planning services, need-based grants, scholarships, and education loans. VSAC awards millions of dollars in grants and scholarships for Vermont students and administers Vermont’s VT529 savings plan. Find us at www.vsac.org or check out Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
More information about VSAC’s Kingdom Career Connect program can be found here: https://www.vsac.org/vermont-career-connect

ABOUT VERMONT STATE UNIVERSITY
Vermont State University provides a high-quality, flexible, and affordable education for students seeking associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees, certificates, and in-demand professional credentials. The university builds upon a history of public higher education in Vermont dating back to 1787. More information about Vermont State University can be found here: https://vermontstate.edu/