Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation–AAPD Congressional Internship Program
2008 Summer Congressional Internships
for College Students with Disabilities

• Read the 2008 Summer Congressional Intern Biographies

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ABOUT THE 2008 INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) are proud to offer, for the seventh consecutive summer, a congressional internship program for undergraduate students with disabilities.

The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation–AAPD Congressional Internship Program was created in 2002 to provide an opportunity for students with disabilities to work on Capitol Hill for eight (8) weeks and acquire valuable work experience that will enrich their academic studies. As congressional interns, participants gain insight into congressional office operations, public policy development, and constituents’ roles in the legislative and political processes. The internship program, administered by AAPD, was created in 2002 through a major grant from Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation.

The summer 2007 congressional interns worked in the offices of the following Members of Congress:

• Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS)
• Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA)
• Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD)
• Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA)
• Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY)
• House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
• Representative Peter T. King (R-NY)
• House Committee on Science and Technology, Chaired by Representative Bart Gordon (D-TN)

The 2008 Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation-AAPD Congressional Internship Program is designed to:

• Allow students with disabilities to obtain first-hand knowledge of the legislative and political processes by working in congressional offices.
  
  
• Enable students with disabilities to acquire valuable work experience that will enhance their academic studies and career prospects.
  
  
• Demonstrate to Members of Congress, their staff, and fellow interns the talents that students with disabilities can bring to a professional work environment.
  
  
• Introduce students to members of the Washington disability policy community and to national disability leaders through a series of seminars and special events such as the anniversary observance of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Here's how it works:

Eligibility:
Current college students with any type of disability are invited to apply.

At the time of application, applicants must be enrolled as Sophomores or Juniors. (They must have at least one more academic semester to complete, at the end of the summer internship.)

Applicants must be U.S. citizens.

How to Apply:
Applications can be obtained by visiting the AAPD website at www.aapd.com or calling AAPD at (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY).

Applications may be submitted electronically or via U.S. Postal Service, and must be received by 5:00pm (Eastern Time) on Friday, December 14, 2007.

What Happens Next:

• After reviewing all eligible applications, a group of finalists will be asked to participate in phone interviews.
• Eight (8) students will be selected for the congressional internship.
• The interns will begin their 8-week internships with an orientation in Washington, D.C. to be held in late May 2008.
• Interns will receive a $1,500 stipend to be disbursed in three installments throughout the internship period.
• AAPD will arrange roundtrip transportation for each intern to arrive in Washington, D.C. in May and return home at the end of the summer.
• Accessible housing will also be provided, free-of-charge, to each intern.
• Students will work with congressional staff members to select a significant policy issue.
• Academic credit may be arranged; students must initiate this process.

For additional information on the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation-AAPD Congressional Internship Program, please contact AAPD at (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY) or by email to aapdcongintern@aol.com.

PROGRAM SPONSORS

American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is a national membership organization dedicated to promoting the economic and political empowerment of all people with disabilities; educating businesses and the general public about disability issues; and providing membership benefits, such as financial services and product discounts. AAPD was founded in 1995 by a group of cross-disability leaders to help unite the diverse community of people with disabilities, including their families, friends, and supporters. AAPD was founded to be a national voice for change in implementing the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency. For more information on AAPD, visit the AAPD website.

Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF)
The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF) is the founding sponsor of the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation-AAPD Congressional Internship Program. Based in the Washington, D.C. area, the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation was established in February 1991 by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation of Japan and the Mitsubishi Electric U.S. companies which produce, sell, and distribute a wide range of consumer, industrial, commercial and professional electronics products. With a current endowment of $19 million, the Foundation has contributed nearly $5 million to organizations assisting young Americans with disabilities to lead fuller and more productive lives. For more information about Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, visit www.meaf.org.

AAPD offers year-round internship programs for college students with disabilities in Washington, DC. The interns work in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the federal government to gain real world work experience as well as valuable employment contacts in the federal sector and disability community. Your contribution will allow AAPD to continue offering programs that enhance employment opportunities for students with disabilities.