Student SpotlightJae Allain, internship leads to full-time job
Being an IT student led to Jae Allain’s internship at Fairchild Semiconductor. The internship has now led to a full-time job and a promising future that has her excited.
Jae already had a bachelor’s degree in communication and film production and several years’ experience as an education technician at Portland schools when she decided to come to SMCC two years ago. It was her father who persuaded her that studying Information Technology would lead to good things.
After her first semester she landed an internship at Fairchild Semiconductor, where she creates training videos and e-learning and instructional design modules; she also does some web design.
When the internship ended last month, Fairchild offered her a full-time job (and tuition costs so she could complete her degree at SMCC). The job allows her to use both her tech skills and her creative side.
“In addition to making great connections and being able to really boost my tech skills, SMCC gave me the opportunity to refocus. It’s really allowed me to do the stuff I wanted to do from the get-go.”
Seth Mullendore, new path began at SMCC
Seth Mullendore was searching for a new direction in life when he decided to go back to college. Coming to SMCC made all the difference in the world.
By the time Seth moved to Portland and enrolled at SMCC, he had already been to college in Missouri and Colorado, but hadn’t earned a degree, and had spent years playing in a band in California and Texas.
Even though he spent just a semester here, he continues to donate to the SMCC Foundation and praise SMCC any chance he gets.
SMCC, he says, served as a catalyst toward a meaningful career in a field he’s passionate about. After SMCC, he went on to earn a bachelor’s degree at USM and a master’s degree in at Stanford University.
Now, at age 39, he works in Vermont for the Clean Energy Group, a national nonprofit organization that promotes and advocates for clean energy projects.
“I’m very much a believer in the importance of community colleges. As much as these other places played a role, SMCC stands out as the place that got me on the right path.”