AAPD Announces Its 2007 Information Technology Interns
Students with Disabilities Serving Internships in Federal Agencies in Washington, DC
Washington, DC, June 5, 2007—The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) announces that ten students are participating in the 2007 Microsoft-AAPD Federal I.T. Internship Program. This program is made possible by a major grant from Microsoft Corporation, which is also the program’s founding sponsor.
The Microsoft-AAPD Federal I.T. Internship Program, which was launched in 2003, is designed for college and university students with disabilities from around the country who are interested in pursuing careers in information technology. Students participate in a paid summer internship at a federal agency in Washington, DC. The program aims to give college and university students with disabilities the opportunity to participate in and benefit from highly sought-after internships with the federal branch to which other students have long had access. The Microsoft-AAPD Federal I.T. Internship Program gives the interns real-world work experience, further enhances their employment opportunities, allows them to hone their information technology skills, and enables them to learn firsthand how political and regulatory processes work. By harnessing the talent that exists among college students with disabilities, it also strives to demonstrate to public and private employers that students with disabilities are solid prospects as members of the information technology workforce.
Internships were awarded to the following students who were selected on the basis of a written application and personal interviews. They started their internships on June 4.
Michael Boyce, originally from Shelton, Connecticut, is a senior at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology and Culture, with a concentration in Media. He has previous work experiences as an IT specialist, Application Developer, and Preproduction Tester, and is currently doing undergraduate research in procedurally generated virtual environments using object orientated programming. At Georgia Tech, Michael is the Vice President and Founder of La Unidad Latina @ Georgia Tech, the first Latino fraternity in Georgia. This summer, Michael is interning at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Jason Corning, an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology Infrastructure. He has previous work experience with software and hardware troubleshooting. Since 2003, Jason, who self-identifies as a deaf-blind individual, has served as the student representative on the board of the Wisconsin Deafblind Education Program. Jason is interning at the Transportation Security Administration at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
William Fisher just completed his sophomore year at Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, Kentucky, where he is pursuing a degree in Business. William views this internship as an opportunity to explore Business Informatics. He is interning at the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI), to assist the Information Management Division. Among his tasks, he will assess DIO websites for compliance and accessibility.
Jacob Garst, an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, is majoring in Information Technology Infrastructure. Most recently, he worked at the University’s RESNET office, which provides computer network maintenance and helpdesk assistance to the campus community. Jacob is interning with the Office of Networking and Telecommunication Operations of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Maninder Ghumman is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems at DeVry University in North Brunswick, New Jersey. She also has certifications in Computer Programming and Web Technology and Desktop Publishing. Maninder is interning at the Agricultural Marketing Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). While at USDA, she will have a range of responsibilities to include designing interactive web applications, developing an internet database, and research text mining software.
Shawn Golley attends St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, where he is studying Computer Science and Physics with a minor in Mathematics. At St. Lawrence University, he works as a helpdesk technician, providing support to the university’s students, faculty and staff. Shawn also has work experience with database development and web design. When Shawn is not working with computers, he also works as an editor for The Hill News, the student newspaper, or coordinating enrichment events for The Hub, a computer-themed on-campus community. Shawn is interning at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, where he will learn about section 508-compliance.
Laura Haiduck graduated from Bucks County Community College, Newtown, Pennsylvania, with an Associate Degree in Computer Science. She has been accepted and will attend University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland, where she will be pursuing a double major in Computer Science and Theater. Combining her interests in computers and the arts, Laura has been working part-time at the Academy of Music and Arts in Southampton, Pennsylvania, where she maintains the student database and the school website. She also enjoys being a trumpet teacher. Laura has a range of experiences working with youth, to include the Freedom Valley Girl Scout Council and the Bucks County Playhouse. Spending the summer of 2005 as a software quality assurance tester at Gigamoto Technology Partners influenced Laura's decision to declare Computer Science as her major. Laura is interning at the Corporation for National and Community Service, whose mission is to foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.
Samuel Irving III is a second-semester junior at Concordia University, Portland, Oregon, where he is pursuing a major in Interdisciplinary Studies/Psychology and a minor in Sociology. Samuel has been active with community-based non-profit organizations, where he offers his computer knowledge and skills to enable the organizations to better serve their constituents. This summer, he is interning in the Office of Disability at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services where, among his many tasks, he will assist in the expansion of a federal-state interactive website.
Stefanie Nelson from Duluth, Minnesota, attends Minnesota State University–Mankato, from which she will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems (MIS). She also serves as the Vice President of the MIS Club. Stephanie is a graduate of Hibbing Community College in Minnesota, where she received an Associates degree in Liberal Arts; she was also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. When Stefanie is not in class, she has been known to volunteer her time at the Project GEM After School Art Program and the Hibbing Animal Shelter. Stefanie is interning in the Office of Human Resource Information Systems at the Federal Aviation Administration.
Christopher Woodard is a junior at the University of Toledo, Ohio, majoring in Computer Science and Engineering Technology. Since 2002, he has been working as an I.T. Manager at a small software company, where he provided a range of support to include troubleshooting and LAN maintenance. In addition, for the last five years, he has served as a mentor to a high school robotics team. This summer, he is doing a rotational internship at the National Science Foundation.
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the country’s largest cross-disability membership organization, promotes the economic and political power for all children and adults living with disabilities in the U.S. AAPD was founded in 1995 to help unite the diverse community of people with disabilities, including their family, friends and supporters, and to be a national voice for change in implementing the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
For information regarding the Microsoft-AAPD Federal I.T. Internship Program and other internship opportunities available through AAPD or to sign up to receive internship announcements, visit the AAPD website at www.aapd.com, or call AAPD 800-840-8844 (V/TTY).
American Association of People with Disabilities
1629 K Street NW, Suite 503
Washington, DC 20006
