tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299 2008-05-17T06:24:38Z Movable Type 3.34 tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299.6396 2008-05-17T06:12:53Z 2008-05-17T06:24:38Z

I'm going back to VT today, I kinda got used to being home, I can't say I'm too excited about going back to VT, but that's were my jobs are, and my computer with about 4000 songs on it (I'm...

Mat Kittle I'm going back to VT today, I kinda got used to being home, I can't say I'm too excited about going back to VT, but that's were my jobs are, and my computer with about 4000 songs on it (I'm crazy when it comes to music). As much as I miss that stuff, I always have to keep in the back of my mind that it's always good to be home. I usually get a week home here or there so I cherish it as it comes. Not to mention I don't have to abide by a dry campus policy when I'm home (don't judge me!). Some things I did this week involved just hanging out with family, playing with the puppy, and helping to plan Summer Staff training for RAs. So what's Summer Training? Well RAs have to come back to campus about a week and a half before Freshman arrive and go through an intense training week. This week is packed full of useful information about how to run your hall, what to do in case of emergency, and so on. My role in planning currently is to plan the summer retreat which will take place on the first two days of the RA training week, and basically Res Life will bring all of the RAs out camping! We will be there for one night, doing some outdoor training exercises and getting to know each other, and basically relaxing before the start of the stressful part of that week. So far there is a lot of planning that has gone into this event. I had to plan a menu, a personal gear list for attendees, a group gear list. Then I had to come up with cost estimates. It's tedious, but I find it fun and it keeps me out of trouble. So Monday I'll be back in the Admission Office to take out tours and get some stuff done there. That's it for now! Cheers! Me tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299.6360 2008-05-11T22:06:07Z 2008-05-12T00:34:43Z

So yesterday I came home to CT, it was mostly because I had to have a dental appointment on Monday (filling :( not fun). So I was home for mothers day, which was a good unplanned extra. My parents showed...

Mat Kittle ]]> tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299.6286 2008-05-06T00:23:45Z 2008-05-06T00:35:45Z

Ok, so my title is that of a Mamas and the Papas song (anyone other than me know who this group is?). But the title is so appropriate. SUMMER'S HERE! I got done with exams about two weeks ago (which...

Mat Kittle ]]> tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299.6040 2008-04-17T17:00:52Z 2008-04-17T17:11:28Z

So right now I'm sitting right before my last class of the week...well, semester. I'm really happy that the semester is over, but I have to look at all the final projects that I need to complete and then comparing...

Mat Kittle So right now I'm sitting right before my last class of the week...well, semester. I'm really happy that the semester is over, but I have to look at all the final projects that I need to complete and then comparing that to available time...It's kind of stressful. That coupled with the fact that I have a BBQ that I planned with two of my friends for our Res Halls AND working Accepted Students Day. It's going to be a crazy weekend, but exams should go by easily for me, and then I start living in the summer hall before I know it. I can't believe that next semester I'm going to be a senior. Tomorrow (Friday) is going to be Spring Meltdown, that's basically a big party (alcohol free) on campus. Last year there was a mechanical bull, and other inflatable play things that allow you to relieve some stress before exams. This year I can't go because it will take place at 4:30 at which time I am going to be shopping with Dave for our BBQ, but I'll be there in spirit. This again is to illustrate how incredibly busy I am this week and next week. That's it for now, I'll have more as time goes! Cheers! MSK tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299.5947 2008-04-12T02:31:22Z 2008-04-12T02:46:07Z

So I can't go into detail about what exactly was covered at the conference because I basically promised that not to post specifics into a blog. At any rate, what I did learn was the amount of opportunities that will...

Mat Kittle So I can't go into detail about what exactly was covered at the conference because I basically promised that not to post specifics into a blog. At any rate, what I did learn was the amount of opportunities that will open up to me because I will have an official degree in the field. Many of the professionals in digital forensics have stumbled into the field from other professions and have many different degrees in different areas. I can't wait to see what will be offered. After the conference we went to eat at Legal Seafood, which in short was totally awesome! I really think that I want to live in Boston after I graduate. It's such a cool city, if not Boston, then San Francisco, Portland Oregon, or Seattle. But we'll see what the future holds. That's it for now! Cheers! MSK tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299.5875 2008-04-08T04:47:02Z 2008-04-08T05:08:39Z

So what's going on this week: This Thursday, I'll be attending the HTCIA Conference in Boston, MA here's the URL: http://www.htcia.org/ This conference is basically computer forensic heaven. From what I've read and heard, software vendors will be present, as...

Mat Kittle http://www.htcia.org/ This conference is basically computer forensic heaven. From what I've read and heard, software vendors will be present, as well as potential future employers. I'll be graduating next year so it's good that I'm looking at all these opportunities that come my way. I'd be willing to go anywhere in the country. I of course should show preferences to states that don't have snow, after going through this last Vermont winter, I'm kind of sick of New England for a little while. So I'll try to take some pictures at the conference, granted I'm allowed to take pictures without having to sign my life away. Other than that, there's nothing else to report other than the fact that there are about 12 class days before finals, so I'm kind of stressing over that. But those usually go over pretty well, and then it's summer on campus year two! Thats it for now I suppose! Cheers! Me]]> tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299.5737 2008-04-01T16:00:45Z 2008-04-01T16:09:56Z

So April is here, and apparently so has the weather. Currently it is about 60 degrees in Burlington, and rain showers are expected. I'm just happy it's rain, I'm starting to get sick of seeing white all over the place....

Mat Kittle So April is here, and apparently so has the weather. Currently it is about 60 degrees in Burlington, and rain showers are expected. I'm just happy it's rain, I'm starting to get sick of seeing white all over the place. So the semester is winding down, which means exams are going to happen within the next three weeks which means classes end after two weeks, which is insane! I can't believe I'm already almost done with my junior year of college. Senior year is going to fly by. I again will be living up here this summer, which is something I encourage every student to do, which is spend at least one summer here. As students, we are here during mostly the cold dead months, what about when it is bright and beautiful. Not to mention, there's so much more to do downtown during the summer, it's INSANE! Plus you also make more friends if you live on campus and are taking classes. Last year when I did this, I was a summer RA, and I'm really close friends with a group of my summer residents from last year. I hope to find the same thing this year. That's about it for now! Cheers! MSK tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299.5630 2008-03-26T16:11:37Z 2008-03-26T16:16:45Z

On Monday I registered for my classes for the fall. The process itself is pretty easy. You log onto your account, and then select classes that you want ahead of time. You save them as your preferred classes and then...

Mat Kittle On Monday I registered for my classes for the fall. The process itself is pretty easy. You log onto your account, and then select classes that you want ahead of time. You save them as your preferred classes and then when your registration window opens, you furiously click the submit button hopefully before the dozens, or hundreds, of people that have similar times to you are doing the exact same thing. It's almost a sport. I'm glad I don't gamble because instead of being a poor college student, I'd be a dirt poor college student. I'm just glad I only need to do this one more time for next spring and I don't have to worry about it again. That's it for now! Cheers! MSK tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299.5600 2008-03-25T05:19:42Z 2008-03-25T05:28:55Z

Hi All! So as some of you know, my job as an RA requires me to create programs. Most of these are partly from my interests that usually are in some degree obscure. Last night I had a program in...

Mat Kittle One of my residents and her mug! Some of the mugs made A Cooler shot of the same thing. The blue Chinese Characters stand for Tea and Cup so....Teacup (at least I hope) If anyone can read mandarin please confirm what I wrote down so I don't feel like a fool. Have a good week! Cheers! MSK ]]> tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299.5302 2008-03-09T06:07:12Z 2008-03-09T06:23:27Z

So when I look back at my college experience thus far, I really remember all the classes I currently despise, or the one's that I've despised in the past. When you're sitting in a class and thinking: Why am I...

Mat Kittle forum I felt like my experience as a student allowed me to approach this person and find a reason that he disliked our college as much as he did. This would be apparent through the exchange. Also: You might noticed that I used the user's last name in my post. That's because Dave and I did a little research on the user and found out where he worked, what position he was in, and his personal contact information, all from plain old internet hunting. Here's something fun: Try throwing your name into google and see if anything pops up related to you. I know I'm on google in an article for completing an orienteering course, there might be a couple other things, but it's a fun thing to do. It's amazing what you can find. Cheers! MSK]]> tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299.5301 2008-03-09T03:00:32Z 2008-03-09T06:07:03Z

So I just realized this and I never really talked about my major and what I can possibly do when I graduate. I was contacted by one of my readers Matthew Schanke. He had a couple of questions based on...

Mat Kittle www.computerforensicsworld.com and posed some questions regarding what the major is like. Here are Matt's questions: What kind of computer forensic / security jobs you feel you're capable of applying for after taking many of the classes? If you have done the job searches, did you think you matched any of the security jobs pretty well? Have you taken any certifications since taking any of the classes? Jobs that I would be able to take at this stage of the game would be more of an internship. Then after I graduate, I might end up in a position ranging from 30k to perhaps 50k per year. This definitely varies depending on where I go. This field relies heavily on experience, and how knowledgeable one is when it comes to this. At this point in time I feel like I will match a good deal of my searches since I am aiming at entry level positions. Some of the more advanced positions require knowledge of networking programs, which also really depends on what sector you decide to go in. In our major, it is recommended to have an internship, but it is not required because we are able to take various IT related jobs in the area. As for certifications: Certs cost a good amount of money when you take the classes. My friend Dave took the CCE which stands for "Certified Computer Examiner" Basically it's a boot camp where you attend a class for 6 hours every day during a week, then you take a written exam, then you have to complete 3 data acquisition projects which includes the recovery of data and then writing up a complete report. That boot camp cost $2800 and then to take the test that was about another $300. I would have taken this certification had it not been for the money, Dave put it on his student loans, but I wasn't too keen on that (I already owe enough). But I will keep my eyes open for more possibilities. The thing that I have to remind myself when it comes to my field is that, my education does not stop at Champlain.I'm going to constantly have to reapply for my licenses and certifications because as we all know, this field is rapidly expanding, and sometimes it is tough to keep up. There are new ways that criminals can hide information. The nice thing about being in a work field that allows me to make a great sum of money is that it would be easy to swallow to drop about 3 grand on a certification. Another great resource for folks if you're deciding on this major is http://digitalforensics.champlain.edu/gck/ It belongs to Gary Kessler, the program director for C&DF Majors. Please take a look at that for more information. Also take a look at the site for CCE: http://www.isfce.com/ I hope this answers some questions! Cheers! MSK]]> tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299.5117 2008-02-25T04:54:32Z 2008-03-25T05:19:35Z

Matt Cook also asks which of the two is better? In my Freshman year I started out in a double with one roommate (as the term double implies). Anyway, at the end of my first semester I moved into a...

Mat Kittle Matt Cook also asks which of the two is better? In my Freshman year I started out in a double with one roommate (as the term double implies). Anyway, at the end of my first semester I moved into a triple which ended up turning into a double because one of the roommates was asked to move out by the administration (long story). At the time I lived in the International House (215 South Prospect) which had a great deal of space and I would highly recommend to any incoming students. Which did I prefer though? I really liked the idea of sharing space with only one person, I felt that the room upkeep was easier, and actually having a roommate forced me to be neat because I didn't want to get my things..i.e dirty laundry getting mixed up with his. So the difference, had I been in a quad, would have been that I'd have to watch my stuff from getting mixed up with 3 other people. In a double you would have to worry about divvying up less of the room than you might in a quad. In Pearl, that one quad I was talking about that had a bathroom actually had 3 separate rooms because it used to be an apartment, so there's a good amount of space in there for the roommates to spread out. If you have applied for Early Decision and get first pick, applying for a double might not be a bad idea, but if you don't get what you want, don't be devastated. You never know who you're going to be with and what you will experience. But I'd apply for a double over a quad any day. One thing that I suggest to everyone on tour is that when you get the contact info for your roommate, contact them and coordinate what to bring up to school. Otherwise you might get crowded if you bring too much stuff up. Bring only what you can live with for your first semester, after that bring a little more up when you have an idea of what kind of space your dealing with since all the rooms are different and you only saw 1 or 2 rooms on tour....hardly a good sampling when it comes to our halls and rooms, but we don't have that kind of time when it comes to tours. Good luck with housing! Cheers! MSK tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299.5107 2008-02-24T15:52:48Z 2008-02-24T15:57:07Z

Hey all! Here's a comment from one of my readers, Matthew Cook, and perhaps you have similar questions that he does. Here's Matt's Comment, followed by my response. It's kind of lengthy, so make sure you have the time to...

Mat Kittle I was wondering, which of the residence halls was the most convenient, from your experience? Convenient in terms of being close to the café (food in general), and being close to my classes would be nice too =D. I will be majoring in Software Engineering so my classes will be mainly computer classes; Is there a specific location for these types of classes that are close to any one of the resident halls? I am not too fond of walking in the cold, and would like everything to be fairly close, at my fingertips. I just got my housing plan in the mail, and wanted some incite on this decision. P.S.: How does one become an R.A? And what are the perks? My Response: I share your sentiments in regards of walking in the cold. So: you are looking for the most convenient residence hall, closest to the dining hall and campus. My best suggestion would be to try for Pearl Hall. It is right next to the dining hall and is in fact approx 50 steps to get there. Pearl Hall has a decent sized lounge and 3 washers and dryers in the basement. The rooms are pretty decently sized and range from doubles to quads. There's a quad that has its own bathroom, located on the first floor. After Pearl, then perhaps Cushing Hall, or Bader Hall (Both are nice, but I Pearl would be my first choice). My knowledge about software engineering classes and where they are located is limited, but my general understanding is that those classes take place mostly in Skiff annex, which is right next to the admission office if you've ever taken a tour, which is something that I highly recommend ;-) The hall that is closest to Skiff Annex is Whiting Hall, although you probably wouldn't be taking too many software engineering related classes in your first year, but it's something to keep in mind. Now, Whiting is about 3 minutes from the dining hall as opposed to Pearl's 30 seconds (even less if you walk fast). As for meal plans: you can change your meal plan at ANY point in the year. That being said, I would suggest purchasing the 19 meal a week plan until you get acclimated to college life. 19 will give you your 3 meals a day for Mon-Fri, plus brunch and dinner for Sat and Sun. So all your bases are covered. Some people get the Carte Blanche plan which is unlimited meals. I personally use a 15 meal a week plan. It's a little cheaper, and I don't usually get up in the morning for breakfast, I usually go for lunch and then, of course, dinner. For RA: Requirements are a GPA of 3.0, and have lived at least one semester in Champlain Housing, I think that's it for requirements... As for the perks: you get your own single for free, and you receive a $2000 stipend throughout the year as compensation. The duties of being an RA are being "on duty" meaning being in your building at 8pm and being awake to 12am and being around for residents. RAs also have to plan programs, 1 educational, 1 social, and 1 bulletin board each month. It's a lot of work, but it's a lot of fun if you like to try new and interesting things. It's kind of like being Senior Patrol Leader, but easier than organizing an Eagle project.]]> tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299.5100 2008-02-24T05:34:00Z 2008-02-24T05:40:26Z

So it's Spring Break time, and I'm typing this from bed at home in Good Ole' Bristol Connecticut. I don't plan on doing much during break aside from relaxing and catching up on work, good stuff. My family and I...

Mat Kittle So it's Spring Break time, and I'm typing this from bed at home in Good Ole' Bristol Connecticut. I don't plan on doing much during break aside from relaxing and catching up on work, good stuff. My family and I are going to be getting a new dog tomorrow, since Sparky, our dog of 16 years died over winter break. So now it's been about a month and a half and we're ready to get a new one. This one we're going to name Sam. My mother's justification for the name was because she always liked the name Sam from the movie "Ghost" with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore (who was smokin' back then) she's still hot now, but not as much as she was in the 80's. AT ANY RATE: we're picking little Sam up tomorrow. I might post some images on the Blog (which interestingly enough I haven't done in a while) of little Sam as the week progresses for those that are interested to peruse through. Have a good weekend! Cheers! MSK tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/champlain/MatKittle//299.5028 2008-02-18T20:19:36Z 2008-02-18T20:27:13Z

So far I haven't really had any questions, or comments regarding housing or just what it's like to live on campus at Champlain in general. Does anyone have any of those questions? Just a reminder to my audience, I am...

Mat Kittle So far I haven't really had any questions, or comments regarding housing or just what it's like to live on campus at Champlain in general. Does anyone have any of those questions? Just a reminder to my audience, I am an RA, so that in itself tends to suggest that I have a wealth of knowledge on this topic. So questions like..... What is living in the houses like? What things can I bring to the house? Who will my roommate be? Can I have a car on campus? What kind of computer do I need? What's church street like? What sort of activities are there on campus? All of those are acceptable. To make this deal sweeter I'll also let you send emails to my campus email which is mathew.kittle@mymail.champlain.edu. Just to make sure to note that Mathew only has on 'T' in it. I know kind of weird. It could be the topic of another post perhaps if enough people are interested. So send some questions...!!!!! Cheers! MSK