Tag Archives: 2020

A Postcard From: Mimi Benkoussa ’19, Madeline Perry ’19, Nathália Santos ’20, and Claudia Zavala ’20

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Name: Mimi Benkoussa
Class Year: 2019
Major: Computer Science w/ Statistics minor
Hometown: Glastonbury, CT

Name: Madeline Perry
Class Year: 2019
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Baltimore, MD

Name: Nathália Santos
Class Year: 2018
Major: Economics and Political Science
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Name: Claudia Zavala
Class Year: 2020
Major: Cities
Hometown: Houston, Texas

Internship Placement: Digital Scholarship Program
Job Title: Digital Scholarship Summer Fellows
Location: Bryn Mawr College

As part of our fellowship we have learned HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, used Python to create a web-scraper, applied management and cleaning techniques to “dirty” data-sets, and are currently creating our own website to house a data visualization project based on the collegewomen.org collection.

Just like our own cohort, our reasons for applying to this fellowship were varied. Mimi has always been interested in data and how it can be used, and was curious about the broader, “real world” applications of computer science and saw the fellowship as a way to apply her skills to a new and unique project. Madeline, on the other hand, has always been interested in computer science but has never pursued it. This fellowship has offered her the opportunity to develop her coding skills while working on a multifaceted digital project. For Nathália, the Digital Scholarship Summer Fellowship offered her the opportunity to continue to develop the skills she acquired as a Digital Scholarship Research Assistant during the spring semester, and to expand upon her knowledge of the Digital Scholarship field. As a Cities major, Claudia has an interest in how people interact with the spaces around them. This fellowship has allowed her to consider how a team of developers can bridge the gap between digital world and the people who engage with modern technology every day, and furthermore been a chance to explore how scholarly research can be displayed through data visualization, HTML, and CSS.

Being able to speak with Interactive Mechanics and Bryn Mawr Special Collections has been one of our favorite experiences, as we were able to see how collegewomen.org was built through collaboration. The Digital Scholarship Summer Meetup (which we hosted here at Bryn Mawr!) was also eye-opening, as we were able to talk to other students about their projects and see how digital tools allowed them to fulfill their research interests.​ Website creation has been another one of the most engaging and fun parts of this fellowship — it is so satisfying to see your hard work become a usable, tangible interface that people can interact with!

Let’s also not forget the fact that we have a lot of creative freedom regarding the direction of our data visualization project. We learned and applied various project management skills in order to take charge of the project and make it uniquely ours. It now reflects all of our talents and abilities, and displays our own visual interpretation of the contents of the collegewomen.org collection. One of the most rewarding things about this fellowship has been its collaborative aspect. Because we all come from diverse backgrounds and have different academic interests, we all bring unique strengths to the table and are constantly learning new things from one another.

We have spent significant time this summer learning and perfecting our CSS and HTML proficiency, which we believe will be immensely helpful in our future career paths. ​At the beginning of the fellowship, a few of us had doubts about the extent to which we would be able to contribute to this team project. Throughout the course of these eight weeks, however, we have acquired the skills to create a website from scratch and to clean large datasets. Moreover, we have learned about web scraping, web design, user experience, and video editing. This fellowship has allowed us to think critically about the digital tools available to us and programming languages needed to build a project. Prior to participating in this Fellowship the multi-layered process required front-end development was still a mystery, yet as the summer progressed, we were able to truly engage in this procedure by learning how to choose our audience, create design modules, web scrape, clean data, and write web functions.

A Postcard From: Sarah Golobish ’20

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Name: Sarah Golobish
Class Year: 2020
Major: Undeclared
Hometown: Princeton, N.J.

Internship Placement: The Franklin Institute
Job Title: Gender, Adult Learning and Community Engagement Intern
Location: Philadelphia

Museum Programs staff and volunteers after testing the new “Intergalactic Escape” room.

“Scribble Bots” I made to help train teachers to lead Maker lessons with their students.

What’s happening at your internship?

Most of my work this summer has had me on the fourth floor of the museum in the Museum Programs and Outreach Initiatives office. I help the museum staff with their everyday programming, which includes free monthly community nights and their Discovery Summer Camp. I’ve also done work to support the professional development program the museum runs for Philadelphia-area school districts. My internship also fell just as they finalized the institute’s strategic plan for the next 7 years. This plan comes with a large push to evaluate all programming the museum does so I have been helping facilitate these efforts (mostly for the summer Discovery Camp and the professional development sessions). A good chunk of my time, however has been dedicated to revamping and reorganizing the kits for LEAP into Science, a partnership effort with the Free Library of Philadelphia and other science centers across the nation that pairs science activities with children’s books. Working on all of these different projects has given me a great perspective into the work that goes into running the outreach initiatives and other programming that goes on at the museum. It has also been so much fun to experience a new side of the museum and to get the chance to learn from the other volunteers and staff!

Why did you apply for this internship?

I’ve been coming to the Franklin Institute my whole life and I remember how exciting it was to be able to walk through the giant heart whenever I got the chance to come. (I even made my roommates go with me earlier in the year; you’re never too old for the giant heart!) When starting to consider internships for the summer I saw the Franklin Institute position on the LILAC website and I knew that I’d have to apply. So, I was beyond thrilled to learn that I’d be able to intern here this summer. It has been amazing to be a part of something that brings science to life for so many young children and inspires them the way I was inspired!

While searching the LILAC website I also found the Summer of Service program, which has turned out to be an incredible experience that I encourage everyone to check out! As part of the program you live as a cohort of 10 in Batten House and you participate in group reflections and weekly activities. The program also provides you with a SEPTA pass that gives you amazing access to the city that is hard to get during the traditional school year. The support from LILAC and my fellow housemates is what drew me to this program and in the end, it is also what has made it so meaningful.

Can you talk about the skills you are learning and why they are important to you?

Because I worked on a few different long-term projects and would also help with smaller office tasks, I could really decide for myself what I wanted to do each day. In that environment, I really relied on my time management skills and ability to independently prioritize my different responsibilities. This ability to work on a number of tasks without letting some fall to the wayside is important in almost any work setting and I think that my work at TFI has prepared me to do just that.

What is most rewarding about your internship?

A lot of my work was based in the office this summer, but I was given the opportunity to shadow my supervisor when she visited sites and lead Maker workshops with a summer program. It was wonderful to see some of the kits that I had helped to assemble be used and get to see how much the kids learned and all the fun they had experimenting. When you spend your days in an office it can be easy to forget the real-world impact of what you’re doing. Visiting these sites really brought home to me what The Franklin Institute tries to do in its mission to “inspire a passion for learning about science and technology,” and I am so grateful that I could help foster that inspiration, even if only for a summer!

 

A Postcard From: Tiana Evelyn ’20

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Name: Tiana Evelyn
Class Year: 2020
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: Lynn, Mass.

Internship Placement: Girls Incorporated middle and high school programs
Job Title: Summer Intern
Location: Girls Inc. of Lynn

What’s happening at your internship?

This summer, I am interning at Girls Inc. of Lynn. Girls Inc. is an afterschool program for girls from elementary to high school, and every summer they run a program called Eureka! Eureka! is a program that introduces middle school girls to science, mathematics, engineering, and technology, with the long-term goal of inspiring girls to pursue post-secondary education and careers in STEM fields. My position in this program is a technology assistant. I work alongside the lead technology instructor and help them with the curriculum they are running with girls who are rising eighth graders. The curriculum covers learning about Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, how to make a résumé, how to set up their own email accounts, and completing activities from a website called WebQuest. Additionally, I am working in the high school program to help improve the curriculum for their Teen Leadership Academy program they run throughout the school year. The Teen Leadership Academy( TLA) is a nine-week program designed to empower young women with leadership and life skills. Throughout this program the girls work with a professional coach and learn about various topics, such as Public Speaker, Financial Literacy, Conflict Resolution, Confident vs. Conceited, Time Management, Goal Setting, Effective Communication, and how to Dress to Impress. This past spring TLA ran its first pilot launch, in which they ran activities and workshops about the previously mentioned topics. My role is to help improve and better the activities for the program. I am using the ideas they used in the spring and researching new activities the program can implement in the fall.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied for this internship because working with young teens is something that I have been passionate about for a long time and this is similar to what I want to do in the future. After college, I want to open my own afterschool program for girls that introduces them to the different STEM fields. I believe that this experience working with young teens and teach them about technology is helping me gain the experience to achieve my goal.

Was there anything special about how you found this internship?

Before going to college, I was a member of the Girls Inc. community for eight years. I have participated in numerous programs from elementary to high school, and those years made my experience at Girls Inc. welcoming and the environment made me feel like I was at home. While I was in college and looking for what internships to apply for, I instantly thought of Girls Inc. I knew beforehand that they had many summer programs because I participated in them when I was a member. I asked they Lead Director of the Middle and High programs if there were any internships I could apply for, and she told me about the program Eureka!. I participated in this program when I was in middle school, and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to give back, because this program introduced me to STEM and this is where I discovered my passion for learning about computers. This program was the foundation that helped my chose my career very early, and it means a lot that the Lead Director asked me to be part of the growing movement that is inspiring young teens about science.

Can you talk about the skills you are learning and why they are important to you?

During my experience interning at Girls Inc. I am progressing my communication, relationship building, and time management skills. Girls Inc. requires various skills that every staff should utilize while working at the program. I am progressing my skills in communication because I want to effectively explain my ideas to the middle school girls and the other staff, so they can clearly understand my ideas. Relationship building is a huge skill at Girls Inc. because we are constantly working with young teens, so it is important to have a strong relationship with them because we are role models to them. Throughout my first year at college, my time management skills were OK, I managed to get my stuff done on time, but I didn’t think it was the best. However, my internship is allowing me to perfect this skill by creating deadlines for me to have completed activities done. I also discovered that I need to learn to be patient. Working in a community that is very diverse has pros and cons. A pro is that I get to work with girls that are all unique and come from different backgrounds, however, along with the diversity aspect, there are language barriers; some of the girls can’t speak English. So, realizing that and being patient to take the time to understand their differences helps me become a better person not only in this internship, but overall. I take everything I do in life as a learning experience to help develop and grow into a well-rounded individual and this opportunity to work with young girls is helping me do so.

A Postcard From: Catherine Tsai ’20

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Name: Catherine Tsai
Class Year: 2020
Major: Biology
Hometown: Wayne, New Jersey

Internship Placement: Department of Biology
Job Title: Research Assistant
Location: Bryn Mawr College

What’s happening at your internship?

I am currently working in the lab of Dr. Gregory Davis to investigate the role of Juvenile Hormone in the reproductive polyphenism of the pea aphid, acyrthosiphon pisum. Aphid mothers are able to produce either sexual or asexual offspring in response to different environmental cues. We suspect that juvenile hormone (JH), a hormone found in several other insects, is involved in the switch from sexual to asexual fate. My goal is to block the synthesis of JH to observe the significance of its role in reproductive fate. Unfortunately, there are four versions of the enzyme that is responsible for JH synthesis. The functional version is still unknown, so I am hoping to find which version of the enzyme is the correct one before I can proceed with the knockdown of JH.

In regions where the photoperiod is relatively constant, one would expect that the aphids would not need to switch reproductive modes to accommodate a change in the environment. Previous work in the lab has shown that some aphid strains from the southern regions of the United States have evolved to only reproduce asexually instead of switching between sexual and asexual reproduction. My second goal is to compare levels of JH between different aphid strains as a step toward understanding the genetic differences that presumably underlie these evolved changes in plasticity.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied for this internship mainly for the experience of working in a lab. I am considering research as a career option after college, but I wasn’t exactly sure what a day in the life of a researcher entailed. I am hoping that this experience will help me decide what I’d like to do in the future. I believe this internship will allow me to gain useful technical and critical thinking skills as well.

Was there anything special about how you found this internship?

Participating in Bryn Mawr’s Summer Science Research Program has been my first research experience so far. I actually did not expect to get this position given that I’m only first year with no prior research experience. I am grateful that Bryn Mawr offers these types of opportunities with such great accessibility, and that the faculty are so willing to introduce lower classmen to higher forms of scientific research. I am not sure whether I would have been able to get an opportunity like this had I gone somewhere else.

What is most rewarding about your internship?

Working in the lab is an excellent opportunity to gain a broad range of skills. While conducting research, you definitely gain expertise within your particular part of the project, but research is also a collaborative effort. Everyone in the lab focuses on their own area of the project, but all of our areas relate to each other in many ways. Because our focus areas overlap, we tend to work together a lot. To help each other out, we often have to stay up to date on what each one of us is working on and learn how use a certain software program, or how to perform some type of procedure that is pertinent to someone else’s part of the project. As a result, you develop new skills that aren’t exactly particular to your area, but they are still useful. So far there hasn’t been a day where I haven’t learned something new whether it be related to my own topic or someone else’s. Developing such a broad range of skills over multiple areas of this project has been the most rewarding part of this experience.

A Postcard From: My Nguyen ’20

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Name: My Nguyen
Class Year: 2020
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: Ha Tinh, Vietnam

Internship Placement: Canaday Library
Job Title: Virtual and Augmented Reality Development Intern
Location: Bryn Mawr College

What’s happening at your internship?

I am working with the Microsoft HoloLens, a pair of mixed-reality glasses that allow users to interact with both physical and 3D objects at the same time. I specifically focus on the educational possibilities of this new technology and how it can assist the learning and teaching experience. First, I learned about the HoloLens, how it works and how to best navigate it, as well as its potential as an educational tool. Then I started to develop apps for it with Unity and Microsoft Visual Studio, with the documentations from online sources and previous winter interns. Alongside with my amazing teammate Nadine Adnane, we have developed two apps, HoloStrings and BioBuddy. As their names suggest, HoloStrings allows users to experience different musical instruments, while BioBuddy helps students study anatomy, both in an immersive augmented reality environment.

Our current projects are HoloMuseum, a mixed-reality museum app, and serialization for HoloChemistry, an app to learn molecules by Pearson Education. These are challenging, yet rewarding, because I have learned a lot along the way! Apart from these HoloLens exclusive projects, I am also involved in many more initiatives from Bryn Mawr Educational Technology. I’ve helped our fellow Digital Curriculum interns with Moodle Testing, and attended workshops on Digital Competencies and Project Management, to name but a few.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I first heard about Virtual/Augmented Reality about a year ago, and had since been fascinated with its powerful potential as the technology of the future. Having tried the HoloLens during the Winter STEM & Tech Intensive program, I was sure I wanted to learn more about this device and if possible, develop for it. That’s why when I knew of this internship opportunity, I had to apply!

What is something you have learned from your internship that you didn’t expect?

A LOT! It’s like there’s something new every day. With the Educational Technology team, I’ve had the chance to learn everything from Digital Competencies to Domains of One Own, from Project Management to Web Accessibility. I have always focused more on the technical, algorithmic side of things, but these have proved to me that there is a lot more to explore in the tech world. I have also built up on my professional and communications skills, learning about LinkedIn, attending professional events such as DSRA, Philly Microsoft HoloHack, etc.

With our teammates and supervisors, I have also experienced the joy of teamwork and friendship. Coming from different backgrounds, we have learned to collaborate with each other and shared our experiences in different fields.

Can you give us three adjectives and three nouns that describe your internship experience?

Enlightening — Everything from the technical knowledge to communications and teamwork experiences has been enlightening to me! And how can I forget the moments everyone’s eyes lighted up when we introduced the HoloLens to them? It felt magical.

Empowering — I have been equipped with a lot more after this internship – technical skills, working experiences, and a lot more confidence. As a woman – a minority in tech — this is extremely important.

Fun — Yes, I am actually having fun at work. Every day is a day I meet with friends and build something new.

Professionalism — I have never experienced a real working environment before, so this is the first professional job I’ve had. From setting up working hours to attending conferences – I feel like a real employee.

Teamwork — I work with my teammate Nadine, as well as three Digital Curriculum Interns and supervisors in the same room, so they have become an important part of my job!

Knowledge — I have gained knowledge in many different fields and aspects from this internship, and most importantly, a desire to learn more and improve myself.

A Postcard From: Mecca Naeem Harris ’20

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Name: Mecca Naeem Harris
Class Year: 2020
Major: Undeclared/Independent Major Candidate
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.

Internship Placement: The African American Museum in Philadelphia
Job Title: Intern for the Curator of Education
Location: Philadelphia

What’s happening at your internship?

The Curator of Education oversees the implementation of programming for younger ages. What the interns and I are doing at the moment is developing workshops, worksheets, and other programming for children of all ages. Specifically, right now we are working on workshops for our PhilAesthetic exhibit, which celebrates the Black Arts Movement. I am also working on developing other programming that the Museum can use in the future.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied for this internship because though my heart is in film and media, I grew up in New York City with a love and genuine appreciation for the museums there. I am aware of the kinds of impacts that art and museums can have on children.

What has been your favorite part of this internship?

My favorite part about this internship is that we have space to move creatively. The workshops that we are developing and coming up with are our own, truly. Some internships are very “go-fer” oriented, where as this one allows us to suggest programming, write up proposals, and figure out how our talents can best serve the institution. The Museum wants you to show off your best self.

Living in a new city? What has that experience been like for you?

Unlike during the school year, I spend every day in Philadelphia. The museum is in Center City, and gives me access to all of Philadelphia. All of the interns go out for food sometimes, and I have discovered a whole lot of restaurants that I will be sure to visit in the future.

A Postcard From: Andrea Moreno ’20

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Name: Andrea Moreno
Class Year: 2020
Major: Undecided
Hometown: Saugus, Massachusetts

Internship Placement: Tufts Medical Center
Job Title: Intern
Location: Boston, Mass.

What’s happening at your internship?

In my internship, I am shadowing a child and adolescent psychiatrist name Dr. Neha Sharma. My schedule is different each week because it depends when the doctor has patients coming in: on Mondays and Tuesdays I usually go in at 11 a.m. and on Wednesdays I go in at 9 a.m. and stay there until 5 p.m. Then on Thursdays it varies because there are some patients who come in early and others who come in late. With each patient that is seen, I am able to be part of the session, if they are comfortable with having me, and I take notes on what the patient can have and how we can proceed to help the patient. I have been able to see many different patients and a few multiple times already. It has been amazing to hear all various kinds of stories because everyone has their own story and have many things going in their lives. I sometimes am able to interact in the sessions if the patient asks me something, and I think that is truly rewarding for me because I feel like the patient is comfortable talking to me. I do not feel like I am only shadowing but that I can ask questions and say my opinions when I can.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied for this internship because I thought it was the perfect opportunity to figure out if this could be a possibility of it being my future career. And with confidence, I can say this has been such a wonderful experience so far because the doctor is an amazing person who I can see loves her job. It makes me feel like this could be it for me. This could be what I would like to continue to study for and what my major could be. I am not only learning information from books but I also am seeing real-life experience and I am able to get a sneak peak of what it would be like to be psychiatrist.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced at your internship?

The biggest challenge I have faced at my internship has been hearing the experiences of other people. It is quite overwhelming to hear what people actually go through and that sometimes we are too scared to accept ourselves. I have heard stories that makes me think about not being scared about feeling all kinds of emotions. I have had some moments where I wanted to show my emotions but I knew I had to be strong for the patients. I may not be able to fully understand what all patients are going through and there are definitely some patients who point that out, but I know that they need someone to let all of their feelings out on.

What is most rewarding about your internship?

The most rewarding about my internship is that I am able to be part of the therapy sessions and even though I cannot say much about the actual sessions because of doctor and patient confidentiality, it is a unique experience. Not many people at my age could say that they have been able to shadow a doctor if they are not in graduate school or medical school. I feel honored to have been able to see patients and get the experience of helping them to take steps to making them feel better. These eight weeks of my internship has taught me that everyone goes through life but sometimes some people need someone to help them along the way, and I want to be that person in the future.

A Postcard From: Nadine Adnane ’20

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Name: Nadine Adnane
Class Year: 2020
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: Doylestown, Pa.

Internship Placement: Canaday Library
Job Title: Virtual and Augmented Reality Development Intern
Location: Bryn Mawr College

What’s happening at your internship?

So far, this internship has been a blast! I am currently working with the Microsoft HoloLens, a pair of mixed-reality smart glasses that allow physical and digital objects to coexist and interact in real-time. As a HoloLens Intern, I will be developing educational apps for Pearson as part of their Education Initiative. During the first week of my internship, I spent some time learning about the HoloLens, its capabilities, and how to navigate it properly. I also learned about the work previous Bryn Mawr students have conducted using the device, which was both interesting and helpful. In the past few weeks, I’ve been developing two educational apps for the HoloLens alongside my fellow HoloLens Intern, My Nguyen. We are currently working on “HoloStrings,” a musical instrument educational app intended to help students choose an instrument that interests them, as well as to provide an immersive learning opportunity without the need for a physical instrument.

We are also working on “Bio Buddy,” an app that allows students to view several labeled biological models and to learn about their functions. Throughout the internship, I’ve also been learning about Digital Competency and developing my knowledge of 3D modeling, Unity 3D game engine, and Microsoft Visual Studio. Plus, because I get to work in the same room as the Digital Curriculum Interns, I get to help with troubleshooting, Adobe Premier audio visual editing, and Moodle testing! Currently, We are working on a virtual museum for the HoloLens that may be focused on artifacts at Bryn Mawr. We are also researching other augmented and virtual reality tools, and how they may be used for education in the future both in general, and at Bryn Mawr.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I’ve had a love for technology ever since I was a child. Whether it’s making a PowerPoint, an RPG game, or a robot, I like to spend most of my free-time creating anything involving technology. When I read the description for this internship, I had to apply. I’ve always been very interested in augmented and virtual reality, but have never had the opportunity to work with an actual device created for that purpose. I couldn’t pass up the chance to learn about and gain experience with such an amazing device. Additionally, I applied to this internship because I was intrigued by the idea of enriching the classroom and educational experience in general through the HoloLens — imagine if students could manipulate accurate 3D molecules in real time or watch proteins fold right before their eyes! Overall, I just really wanted to spend my summer doing what I love while contributing to a meaningful project.

What has been your favorite part of this internship?

My favorite part of the internship so far has been working with others who share my love of technology. Working as a team with My on the HoloLens projects has been both enriching and a lot of fun — as they say, two is better than one! I’ve also really enjoyed being able to ask the Digital Curriculum interns for their feedback on our projects, as well as helping them with theirs.

What is something you have learned from your internship that you didn’t expect?

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this internship would provide me with several opportunities to enrich my communication and public speaking skills. Presenting at Philly HoloHack 2017 and at the Digital Scholarship and Research conference were both fun and meaningful experiences which helped me figure out how to best bring my passion, energy, and knowledge into my presentations. Additionally, learning about the Digital Competencies has greatly improved my ability to communicate my skills and ideas to others in a precise and professional manner. I am very grateful for this wonderful opportunity and look forward to the rest of this internship!

A Postcard From: Chris Pathmanabhan ’20

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Name: Chris Pathmanabhan
Class Year: 2020
Major: Undeclared
Hometown: Fremont, Calif.

Internship Placement: Bryn Mawr College Biology Department
Job Title: Research Student
Location: Bryn Mawr College

What’s happening at your internship?

I am working in Professor Tamara Davis’s lab on an individual project looking at epigenetic factors and their effects on imprinted genes.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I am interested in possibly pursuing a career in research after graduating.

What has been your favorite part of this internship?

Working with Professor Davis is great because although she is there to help in any way possible, she leaves us to work on our independent projects. This really allows us to think for ourselves as scientists and learn to problem solve.

Was this internship what you expected it to be?

Coming in to this internship, I had already been working with Professor Davis in her lab for a semester, so I had a general idea of what was expected of me. However, due to other commitments during the school year, progress was much slower then. I never expected to be progressing as fast as I am.

A Postcard From: Aisha Soumaoro ’20

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Name: Aisha Soumaoro
Class Year: 2020
Hometown: New York
Internship Placement: Dalun ICT Centre
Location: Dalun, Ghana

My name is Aisha Soumaoro. I am a rising sophomore at Bryn Mawr College, pursuing my computer science degree. I was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and for the first seven years of my life, I lived in Guinea, Conakry. Currently, my family and I live in New York.

In high school, I loved spending my free time volunteering and giving back to my community. In my high school career, I volunteered at Harlem Grown, where I dedicated my summer to clearing up vacated lots in order to plant healthy fruits and vegetables for Harlem residents. I also volunteered for Meals on Wheels, where every Sunday I would go door to door delivering meals to elderly people. In addition, I was a tutor at Democracy Prep Middle School, a translator at Sanctuary for Families, an office assistant, a babysitter, and a captain for my high school girls’ soccer team.

While these may sound as a recitation of my resume, I view these organizations or activities that I have partaken in as stepping stones needed for me to reach my optimal life. They have helped me build my character.

I believe that being involved with the Dalun ICT Centre will allow me to continue exercising my values for authenticity, empathy, and kindness. With these values and the mixture of my love for computer science, I will be able to share my knowledge of art, Java, Python, and other basic computer skills with my peers on this fellowship. Furthermore, I am looking forward to being immersed in a community where its member shares all of these values.

Ghana, here we come!