Sarah Jerger

Faculty Member	Applied Sustainability Degree Criminology & Criminal Justice Degree Education Degree Marketing Communication Degree Psychology Degree Social Work Degree
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Education	Champlain College, Bachelor of Science; Champlain College, Associate in Science; Champlain College, Master of Science
Areas of Expertise	Design Thinking and Human-Centered Design Public Relations and Communication Experiential Education and Industry & Community Partnerships
Connect 365体育官网	LinkedIn
Home State	Connecticut
Fun Fact About Me	I spent my youth doing 18th century living history reenacting.
Contact	Joyce Hall Email Me

Biography

Sarah Jerger is a Faculty Instructor of Human-Centered Design and Communication and has been at Champlain College since 2008. To her classroom teaching, she brings a career of hands-on experiential education forging over 100 project-based collaborations between students and industry partners in a studio environment. Jerger is passionate about empowering students to design solutions for positive social impact through “real-world” experiences.

Jerger holds a Master’s degree from Champlain College in Emergent Media. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and two Associate’s degrees in Multimedia & Graphic Design and Public Relations & Media Communications.

Jerger’s previous experience includes communications, operations, graphic design, and media-buying in the advertising, beverage, and real estate industries. She is a multi-disciplinary artist with a passion for analog making and craft which she explores intertwining with digital means of expression. Her work spans (for now) textile art, digital storytelling, mixed-media collage, video, and wearable electronics. She also operates and curates a Free Little Art Gallery, a community-driven project to make art more accessible and nurture creativity.

What are your hobbies?

Mixed media art, hiking, nature, cooking, taking classes & learning new things, procrastinating folding laundry

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont:

Devil Takes a Holiday, Kate’s Food Truck, Jericho Cafe & Tavern, Spot on the Dock // Palmer Lane Maple for creemees, hikes around Indian Brook Reservoir, South End Art Hop in September, shows at the Monkey House, Vermont Comedy Club, concerts at Snow Farm Vineyard in South Hero

More Faculty in Psychology Degree

Gary Baker

Co-Program Director

Psychology Degree

Toni Balboni

Adjunct Professor

Psychology Degree

Melissa McDuffie

Adjunct Instructor

Psychology Degree

Melyssa Sweet

Adjunct Instructor

Psychology Degree

View all Faculty in Psychology Degree

Gary Baker

Co-Program Director

Additional Roles	Professor
Faculty Member	Psychology Degree
Pronouns	He/Him/His
Education	University of Mississippi, Doctor of Philosophy; University of Toledo, Bachelor of Arts; Augusta State University, Master of Science
Areas of Expertise	Social Psychology Research Methods
Contact	Wick 208B

Biography

Dr. Gary A. Baker has a passion for teaching. For over 30 years, he’s been working to guide students toward successful career choices and successful lives. His own scholarly expertise lies in experimental social psychology. He enjoys interacting with students inside and outside the classroom. He likes introducing students to the study of psychology because students gain a practical knowledge of themselves and others that serve them well throughout their lives. He feels that the students who are most successful in college are those who seek an “education”, not just a degree. In addition to teaching psychology, Dr. Baker worked for nine years at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Medical College of Georgia conducting research on addictions and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Professional & Scholastic Affiliation

Toni Balboni

Adjunct Professor

Faculty Member	Psychology Degree
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Contact	Communication and Creative Media

Biography

Toni Balboni is a young professional who has a background in Forensic and Legal Psychology. She has interned with the Washington DC Public Defender’s Office as well as worked with the Innocence Project in Virginia, with a strong focus on investigation. Toni anticipates learning just as much from her students as they do from her.

CV

View my CV

Melissa McDuffie

Adjunct Instructor

Faculty Member	Psychology Degree
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Education	Augusta State University, Master of Science; Presbyterian College, Bachelor of Science
Areas of Expertise	Counseling Skills Clinical Skills

Biography

Melissa had a variety of experiences working in the field of psychology both before and after she started teaching including addictions counselor, working in therapeutic foster care, community mental health counselor, school intervention programs, crisis intervention work and running a campus counseling center. She has been teaching since 2001. Her areas of teaching interest include General Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Abnormal Psychology and Counseling Psychology.

Melyssa Sweet

Adjunct Instructor

Faculty Member	Psychology Degree
Pronouns	She/Her/Hers
Areas of Expertise	School Psychology Developmental Psychology
Contact	Remote

Biography

Dr. Melyssa Sweet is an adjunct professor at Champlain College, bringing extensive practical experience to her teaching. She holds a Master of Science in Educational Psychology & Methodology, a Certificate of Advanced Study in School Psychology, and a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in School Psychology from the University at Albany, SUNY.

Dr. Sweet currently works full-time as a school psychologist in the 365体育官网 School District. Her professional journey also includes roles in teaching, school psychology in various PreK-12 public schools, counseling and case management in a residential treatment center for at-risk youth, and autism evaluation. This diverse background enables Dr. Sweet to provide students with a unique perspective enriched with real-life examples. Her research interests encompass trauma, effective program implementation, and wellness practices. Passionate about teaching psychology at the college level, she emphasizes the subject’s relevance to everyday life and relationships, aiming to empower students with knowledge that enhances their personal and professional lives.

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