STORY BY BENJAMIN LERNER
A Pathway to Success
University of Vermont ’ s Dean of Continuing and Distance Education Cynthia Belliveau speaks about the origins and impact of the Upskill Vermont Scholarship Program
COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT
When Governor Phil Scott publicly declared that he had partnered with the University of Vermont ( UVM ) and the Community College of Vermont ( CCV ) to launch the Upskill Vermont Scholarship Program on July 13 , 2021 , his announcement served as a catalytic spark that reignited a hopeful flame of educational passion in the hearts of students and professors throughout the Green Mountain State . Drawing on federal funds appropriated from the American Rescue Plan Act Of 2021 , the Upskill Vermont Scholarship Program was created to provide crucial opportunities for 500 Vermonters who were seeking to learn valuable new professional skills . By offering a wide range of specialized classes and certificate programs free of charge to qualifying participants , UVM and CCV are enabling hundreds of Vermonters to take the first steps towards accomplishing their career goals . The classes are focused in the areas of healthcare , leadership , management , and the digital economy . Program highlights include Computer Software Certification , Culinary Nutrition , Digital Marketing Certificates , Artisan Cheese , and Integrative Health and Wellness Coaching .
“ The response was incredible ,” says UVM ’ s Dean of Continuing and Distance Education Dr . Cynthia Belliveau . “ The program completely filled up within two days . It ’ s been amazing to see how many Vermonters are interested in learning new skills and advancing in their careers .”
Belliveau played a pivotal role in the creation and implementation of the Upskill Vermont Scholarship Program , as did UVM President Suresh Garimella and CCV President Joyce Judy . “ After receiving the million-dollar federal grant , Governor Scott reached out to the state college system and the President of UVM ,” says Belliveau . “ President Garimella is a visionary who wholeheartedly believes in workforce development in our post-COVID world .” The grant creates educational scholarships for hundreds of programs in the UVM portfolio , which Belliveau and her team narrowed to fulfill workforce development needs in Vermont ’ s communities . “ We narrowed our offerings down to three areas - healthcare , leadership , management and the digital economy ,” says Belliveau . “ UVM is offering courses that help Vermonters learn skills in fields that are currently in high demand . In collaboration with CCV , we built a portfolio that complemented CCV ’ s offerings in order for Vermonters to take full advantage of the educational resources offered by both institutions .”
According to Belliveau , Upskill Program participants are eligible to take a total of four courses of their choice – two at CCV and two at UVM . “ Over the course of reviewing sign-ups for the Upskill program , we were able to observe what Vermonters wanted to accelerate their careers ,” notes Belliveau . In reviewing the offerings , UVM and CCV were mindful of their course connections to each other . The transition pathways from one institution to the other create clear avenues for continued academic success for all of the students who are enrolled in the program .
Belliveau adds that while several of the courses offered in the Upskill Program are “ non-credit ” courses that cannot be applied towards the completion of a degree , they are nevertheless valuable in terms of the skills that they offer their participants . “ Education is a progressive process of continually acquiring new skills and knowledge ,” notes Belliveau . “ It ’ s important to emphasize that many of the non-degree certificates are helpful tools for Vermonters who want to learn specialized skills . These certificates are also shorter and less expensive . Non-credit courses are wonderful educational springboards for people who want to ‘ test the waters ’ before enrolling to start or complete a college degree .”
Classes taken by students who qualify for the Upskill Scholarship Program are taught in an online class format . Skilled instructional designers have built these offerings for optimal learning and ease of use . Belliveau says that for busy Vermonters , “ online instruction with evidence-based pedagogical structures allows a learner to study any time in any place as they advance in their careers .”
Coupled with excellent pedagogical design , UVM has well-trained online teachers to ensure classroom success . Students can easily access important resources through class portals where all course materials , videos , assignments , and live sessions with classmates and teachers are handily available . “ Pacing is critically important in online classes ,” says Belliveau . “ Students who take our online courses receive continued feedback from our faculty as well as daily interaction with
14 VERMONT MAGAZINE