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Mobile App Showcases Books Written by and Featuring People of Color

As a mother of a 4-year-old brown boy who loves to read, I try to make his library as fruitful as possible. His dad and I try to set the proper tone early. It’s important for him to recognize and relate to characters during story time. Literature gets the imagination flowing, it takes us to faraway lands and expands our minds in ways only a reader knows.

When Kaya Thomas informed me that she designed and developed a mobile app, called “We Read Too,” which includes over 300 books written by people of color, featuring characters of color, I had to help spread the word. The app allows one to browse different genres, search by author or title, view details of every book, suggest books to be added, and view books on the Web through Safari.

I had a brief chat with Kaya, and here is what she had to say:

Blerd Quiessence: What made you create ‘We Read Too’?

Kaya: I’ve always been an avid reader and came up with the idea back in high school. My parents went to great lengths to find me books that included people of different cultures. As a teenager, I loved young adult fiction but I found myself wondering why all the character were described with blond hair and blue eyes, and why there weren’t any characters of color? I would scour Barnes and Noble reading book after book, but to no avail. I continued to read these books because they were popular at that time, but asked myself why aren’t there any resources for finding books which included us? I also realized that books written by African Americans or people of other descents were always listed as sub-categories. That baffled me.

Blerd Quiessence: Why do you think it is important for people to relate to characters in books?

Kaya: Without it, it lacks representation. If all the books you read don’t include anyone like you, it makes you feel like an outcast. Especially for youth, it may have an impact on their self-esteem, and other areas of their development.

Books allow you to escape, it’s like traveling within. When one reads literature on people of other nationalities, cultures, and lifestyles, it allows them to empathize. Many people have no empathy because they don’t understand others.

Blerd Quiessence: Is this your first mobile app? What was your experience like designing and developing the app?

Kaya: Yes. Well, it is the first mobile app that I’ve officially launched. Once I started studying CS (Computer Science) and obtaining the skills required to create a resource that I thought was needed, I began to take it more seriously. I researched and compiled names of books written by and included people of color. But when I attended the Black Girls Code hackathon in New Orleans and saw how excited the girls were when they built their apps, I really got a boost of encouragement. I started with small tutorials to really understand how apps work then slowly started building my own. During my internship at Time, Inc., I served on the mobile application development team, which also gave me further insight into the development world. I immerse myself in understanding technical documentation, which I found is really important. Developing this app taught me to be disciplined and set strict deadlines for myself.

Blerd Quiessence: How was your experience with regards to scope?

Kaya: [laughing] I had to re-scope quite a bit. My initial idea was grand, and once I got into it, I knew I needed to scale back. This whole process taught me about scaling, which is super important in the development cycle. I already have ideas for new features and looking to iterate soon, but I’m glad I released the MVP (minimum viable product) because it gave me instant feedback. I now know what additional features users would like, what they don’t care about, etc.

[Note: Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is a strategy used for fast market testing of a product to gain quantitative or qualitative feedback. It is used in the “build-measure-learn” feedback loop]

Blerd Quiessence: How long did it take you to complete the app from ideation to completion?

[Note: Ideation is the creative process of brainstorming and communicating new ideas. It is an essential part of the design process.]

Kaya: The research took about three weeks, but I had done that beforehand. The application development took about 2.5 months. My app was originally rejected by the App Store due to in-app restrictions. That was a humbling experience. It helped me look at the app from a different perspective and actually led me to find other features that I thought should be fixed.

Blerd Quiessence: Can you describe the feedback thus far?

Kaya: The feedback thus far has been great. The app has over 550 downloads in under one week. The feedback from parents, educators, and avid readers has been highly supportive. I’ve connected with socialites and activists, and they’ve expressed interests in sharing the app with their networks, so I am excited about that.

Blerd Quiessence: Do you have plans to create anymore apps?

Kaya: I don’t have any strong ideas for another app at this time. But I want to continue building out “We Read Too.” I really want to use my technical skills to meet a need that I see in communities.

Blerd Quiessence: If you could offer one piece of advice to individuals looking to get into mobile app development or any other type of development, what would it be?

Kaya: “Just do it” — If you are interested in it, Google everything. Start really simple and just keep building.

I encourage youth and the parents to take advantage of an app like “We Read Too.” It provides a central source for readers who’d like to expand their libraries to include more works from various cultures. It also provides an outlet for authors to reach a wider audience.

Download the app for free on iTunes! Like the Facebook page where she posts author spotlights, series to watch, and book of the day features, all from the 300+ books that are included in the app. Follow the Twitter page to be a part of the conversation regarding the importance of diverse books, give any questions/feedback about the app or any suggestions for books that should be added!

Quiessence is an Information Security Professional with over seven years of experience. She is also the Curriculum Development Lead for Black Girls CODE NY, creator of the Girltechie Campaign, and a workshop called “Securing Your Web”. Quiessence gravitated to technology at an early age and has been captivated ever since.

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5 Reasons Why Young Black Males Should Focus on Tech Fields Instead of Sports Dreams‏

Better Odds at Success

According to the NCAA, 11.6 percent of college baseball players make it to the pros, while 0.6 percent of high school players do. Young men who play baseball have much better odds at going professional than athletes who play basketball, football and soccer combined, which will send 1.2, 1.7 and 1.0 percent of college players to the pros respectively, and 0.03, 0.08 and 0.04 percent of high school players respectively.

When we look at the opportunity of running a successful business versus having a career in professional sports at all, the odds don’t even compare. The latest Census Bureau statistics show that 69 percent of new firms with employees survive at least two years. An independent analysis by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 49 percent of new businesses survive for five years or more.

The statistics show Black males should be more confident they will make it in business than in professional sports. This was consistent across all states and major industries, including tech.

Longer Career

Athletes can see their entire careers dashed by sustaining a single injury, getting burned out, or getting cut when better players takes their spots.

Recent studies have shown the average career length for the four major U.S. sports: National Football League — 3.5 years, National Basketball Association — 4.8 years, Major League Baseball — 5.6 years, and National Hockey League — 5.5 years.

On the other hand, government research into the success rate of startups showed that 34 percent of new businesses survive 10 years or more, and more than a quarter (26 percent) are still in business at least 15 years after being started.

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A Conversation with Danielle Hester, Digital Editor of ArtInFact Magazine

Q: Where are you from originally?
Chicago

Q: What is AIF? What does it represent?
AIF is a content and community platform for people doing creative things in New York City outside of the traditional 9-to-5 work structure. We cover a range of entrepreneurs and startups, independent artists like filmmakers, fashion designers and musicians, and local community projects.

But we also cover mainstream topics from an underground perspective. While the Internet is buzzing about the new Trey Songz album, we’re more interested in the person who shot the photography. What’s his story? And more than likely it’s a freelance photographer who would appreciate the press coverage.

Our goal is to bring the behind-the-scenes creative process to the forefront. We’re fascinated with telling the stories of people you wouldn’t necessarily hear about in mainstream media. AIF represents the millennial who has taken action to pursue their creative endeavors. The brand represents us, its creators, who started a brand because we wanted to produce quality content about topics we care about. This concept is how we came up with the name ArtInFact magazine. We believe there’s always an art element to the facts you know about, and some facts to the artistic work you see.

Q: What inspired this idea for AIF?
I run AIF with three amazing editors who I met during our time at Columbia J-School. The initial idea to start an independent magazine came from our managing editor Semmi W. She approached me, Ashley and Angel with the idea, and the overall concept of AIF was conceived collectively.

We were all recent graduates working as freelance writers, copy editors and fact checkers, but were somewhat unhappy with the kinds of stories we were asked to do over and over again. We were battling with having to produce overly saturated, SEO-driven content.

We would get together and find ourselves obsessively talking about the types of stories we wanted to write and the influencers we loved to follow on social media who we wanted to know more about. So, we decided to create our own magazine and tell the stories we wanted to tell and that we felt were interesting and important.

We wanted to give people the facts behind the art (creative person) they loved. At first, AIF was just a passion project. We had no business plan, no real direction for the site. We ran the site very independently. Each editor would publish whatever we wanted, whenever we felt like it, kind of like a blog. But it was very important to us early on not to look like a blog site. We wanted the site and our work to reflect the technical training we had received at Columbia.

But that required so much. We were putting in a lot of time interviewing and writing stories while working full-time jobs. After a while, the process started to feel pointless without any real editorial or business direction.

Around this time, Semmi W. and I got invited to attend a business development workshop in the Hamptons that was hosted by Dell. While there, we listened to entrepreneurs talk about their successes and failures. One of their biggest concerns was that there was a disconnect between entrepreneurs and their access to quality media coverage; that it was hard for them to get media coverage about their startups and creative projects.

That’s when we made the pivot to focus on the projects and creative processes of entrepreneurs, indie artists and influencers living in NYC. It became our goal to feature these unknown people and package the content in the same way you would see it in New York Magazine or Vanity Fair.

 

Q: What do you believe makes AIF different from other online publications?
AIF has such a unique focus in which we serve to fill a need for a specific group of people who work hard to make their passion projects come to life, but feel ignored by mainstream media outlets. There’s a loyalty that comes with our content because we, too, are in the same boat as the people we cover.

So, when we write an in-depth profile about a startup and promote it on our social media pages, they appreciate it, and in return will help to promote AIF, too. We’re not a news-breaking website. That’s not our purpose. What makes AIF different, in a sense, is that we are building long-lasting relationships with our subjects. We want to help them build their press coverage. It’s all about using our skill sets to help a fellow creative reach their goal, and they’ll use their resources to help ours.

 

Q: Choose three words to describe your professional journey and why?
1. Progressive: I’m not the same writer or editor I was five years ago, or three years ago, or even a year ago. I am always trying to progress and build my skill sets. I am always looking for new things to learn about my craft. I’m so far away from my initial dream of being a magazine editor. Now, I’m on the digital production side, and I love it!

2. Goal-driven: I always set goals. I tend to focus more on short-term goals because I am the type of person who is always open to trying new things, and long-term goals feel like they box me into one idea. Nevertheless, I’ve always had some sort of goal, whether it was to grow a certain skill set or start a passion project with three friends. I think this has definitely helped me in my professional development because I am able to identify what I want to gain from a project or job position.

3. Patience: I came out of undergrad in 2008 when the economy was in really bad shape. The publishing industry still struggles with not having enough resources to hire full-time staffers with reasonable pay and health coverage. I’ve had to be very patient with my career. I’ve had to take many contract jobs and freelance positions, even after I got my master’s in journalism. But I’ve met and worked with some amazing writers and editors along the way who gave me opportunities I am so blessed to have had.

 

 

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DRIVEN Global Marks First Black-Owned Golf and Beverage Company

Two entrepreneurs will make history by launching the first Black-owned golf and fine beverage company.

Mark Thierry and Greshaun Fulgham, the founders of DRIVEN Global, have turned out to be a match made in heaven when it comes to business partnerships, but the two entrepreneurs didn’t find each other.

America’s first African-American billionaire and Black Entertainment Television (BET) founder Robert L. Johnson paired the self-made millionaires together.

What Johnson knew would be a great business partnership eventually developed into a close friendship as well.

Now, the business partners-turned-best friends are changing the face of golf.

There has been much discussion lately about how to get Black consumers interested in golf.

Introducing a Black-owned golf brand might be the first step to achieving that goal.

An official launch date has not been announced, but the Herald Online reports that DRIVEN Golf will launch sometime this fall – making it the first minority-owned golf brand dedicated to inspiring first-time golfers of color and urban socialites.

As for fine beverages, the pair will also be launching Destiny Moscato.

The American Sparkling Moscato will be a new product of Red Styxx Beverage, a subsidiary of DRIVEN Global.

The Destiny Moscato launch date is scheduled for Oct. 2  and will take place in Houston.

The two entrepreneurs are certainly on their way to breaking down boundaries and etching their names into business history books, and they may have their differences to thank for that.

While they are both driven businessmen, they tend to work and think differently, but even in the world of business, opposites attract.

“Thierry thrives off risk-taking, Fulgham masters structure,” the Herald Online reports. “When Thierry was thinking national, Fulgham was going global. What binds them together is the dream.”

That dream is much larger than profits and revenue.

“The Dream involves the awareness that everyone has more to this life that they can strive for,” Thierry told the Herald Online. “The Dream that a golf club, or anything for that matter, can be a metaphor for someone making the best of themselves.”

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12 Stunningly Beautiful Black Female Scientists

Christina Oney, Ph.D

Angelique Johnson

Angelique Johnson, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor – Business Owner

Institution: University of Louisville
Education: Ph.D.: Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan; B.S./B.A. in Computer Engineering/Mathematics from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Trivia Frazier-Wiltz

Trivia Frazier-Wiltz, Ph.D.

Chemistry Instructor

Institution: Delgado Community College
Education: Ph.D.: Biomedical Sciences from Tulane University School of Medicine; B.S.E: Biomedical Engineering from Tulane University; B.S.: Physics from Dillard University

Taeyjuana Curry

Taeyjuana Curry, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Research Assistant

Institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Education: Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Master’s degree in Physics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.

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A Conversation with Rakia Finley, CEO of Surge Assembly

Rakia Finley is the founder and CEO of Surge Assembly, a technology firm. Surge Assembly is not your average tech firm. It is a company that believes in more than just providing solutions. The goal is also to promote growth. When Finley is not spending her time running a business, she can be found working to support women in the community. She recently started an event called Pastries and Champagne, where professional women come and share the challenges and triumphs of being a woman in the male-dominated tech industry. Finley took some time out to share with Blerds what it’s like being a female CEO in the tech world.

Q: Where are you from originally?

I’m originally from Portland, Oregon. I moved to Silver Spring, Maryland, when I was 16.

Q: Where did you go for your undergraduate/graduate degrees?

I attended Hampton University, where I received my bachelor’s in sociology. I received an MBA from Howard University.

Q: How long have you been working in the technology field?

I started doing tech when I was still in undergrad. I built my first website near the end of my freshman year. My brother is a web designer, and I just thought anything my brother did I wanted to do. So I taught myself HTML, simply to just bug my brother. I learned that I really liked it a lot. I got really interested in technology, but I was very scared of changing majors. So during the summer, I took program classes at American University and received a web design certification.

Q: Essentially, you had a tech background before getting your MBA?

I did, but I didn’t know it at the time. I knew I wanted to help nonprofits use their resources to help their development. I didn’t know that tech would play a huge part in that.

Q: How did Surge Assembly start?

My business actually started in 2003, but it wasn’t until 2004 that my brother and I realized there was something here and we could make some money and pay for college. We worked with small nonprofit organizations in the Washington, D.C., metro area. I was working on a contract with a nonprofit called Break the Cycle, a domestic violence prevention organization for teens. I was implementing technology solutions into their development, such as website design and redeveloping email marketing structure. This was during a time where technology existed but everybody was scared of it, especially nonprofit organizations. It was cool to people, but when you’re trying to implement those strategies into actual organizations people are very scared.

Q: Where do you think the fear came from?

I think the fear comes from them not knowing. Whenever we went to nonprofits and told them we were going to build them a whole new website, they thought we were going to steal their intellectual property. The coolest thing at that time was downloading white papers. So the fear was their white papers could be stolen. The intellectual property then was just writing and thoughts.

Q: How did you know there was a need for the work you’re doing?

I attribute this to my mother. My brother and I were always two individuals who thought adults were doing it wrong. I carried that with me in work life. My thought was this could be done so much better. So in regard to the work I do, the need wasn’t there. I would suggest to clients the value of implementing tools, online donations portal, instant messenger, etc. It wasn’t because they needed it; they thought it was a waste of time. It was more about there being a more efficient way to do this. I love that technology allows you to do things in a more efficient manner.

Q: Choose three words to describe your professional journey and why?

Progression: We started with Microsoft Tools, Microsoft Access and Instant Messaging. We had to progress, so now we do Mobile Apps, CRM systems and more intricate technology solutions.

Education: I have never been allowed to base my experience off something I learned 10 years ago. I’m constantly learning and being open to what technology is.

Understanding: I keep saying we’re leaving people behind. Our client profile tends to be older organizations and businesses being run by older people who aren’t a part of the tech boom and don’t necessarily care about it.  We as boomers or millennials have a responsibility not to leave the rest of society behind in technology.

Q: What are your thoughts on women of color in STEM fields?

I think there are amazing women in STEM, but I would love for our voices to be a little stronger, a little bigger.

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10 Most Notable Black Superheroes in Comics, Film and TV

Static

Static aka Virgil Hawkins was created by writers Dwayne McDuffie and Robert L. Washington III, and artist John Paul Leon in June 1993 for Milestone/DC Comics. He is one of the few Black characters created by Black creators.

Static is a teenager who is essentially an analog of Spider-Man. Static has the power to control electricity, electromagnetism, and he has the ability of flight with a metal saucer. He had his own TV show called Static Shock produced by Warner Bros. from 2000-2004.

The character has also appeared in Cartoon Network’s series Justice League in 2003 and Young Justice: Invasion in 2012.

Storm

Storm aka Ororo Munroe was created by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum in 1975 for Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Giant Sized X-Men #1. Storm’s parents come from different societies. Her mother is a weather priestess from a Kenyan tribe and her father is a white American photojournalist.

Storm has the power to control all forms of weather. She can also fly and control electricity. She was married to Black Panther and was Queen Consort of the kingdom of Wakanda. She currently appears in her own ongoing series.

Most notably, actress Halle Berry has portrayed her in the X-Men film franchise.

Cyborg

Cyborg aka Victor Stone was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez in October 1980. The superhero first appears in DC Comics Presents #26. During a freak accident in a lab, Vic Stone is critically injured. His parents, who happen to be scientists, used cybernetics to keep him alive. Cyborg has super strength, high IQ, cybernetic weapons, and tech know-how. From that moment on, he has been a member of Teen Titans.

Cyborg has been depicted on Cartoon Network’s Teen Titans (2003-2006) and current Teen Titans Go! 

 He has been portrayed by actor Shemar Moore in the animated movie, Justice League: War. Actor Lee Thompson Young played Cyborg in the television series, Smallville. Now Ray Fisher  will play him in the 2016-2017 upcoming films, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League.

Luke Cage

Luke Cage aka Power Man was created by Archie Goodwin and John Romita Sr. in June 1972 for Marvel Comics. He first appears in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1.  Luke Cage was wrongly convicted and imprisoned because of his involvement with gangs. He was altered in a failed prison experiment that gave him bulletproof skin and super strength. Cage is a self-taught hand-to-hand combatant. He is self-educated in the law and speaks several languages.

Spawn

Spawn was created by Todd McFarlane in May 1992 for Image Comics. He first appeared in Spawn # 1. Spawn’s real name is Al Simmons. He sold his soul to the demon Melebolgia and became one of hell’s soldiers.

Now he rebels against hell and fights heaven to rejoin his wife and seek vengeance for his death. Most notably, Spawn has had a feature film, Spawn, in 1997 where he was portrayed by Michael Jai White.

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A Look Back in History: Joycelyn Elders –The First African-American Surgeon General

Joycelyn Elders was born Aug. 13, 1933, in Schaal, Arkansas. She was raised in a poor farming community where she would miss school from September to December to help with the harvest.

After high school, she earned a scholarship to the all-black Philander Smith College in Little Rock. She enjoyed biology and chemistry. Her love for the subjects and achievements of Edith Irby Jones, the first African-American to attend the University of Arkansas Medical School, influenced Elders to become a physician.

In 1952, she received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Philander Smith College. She moved to Milwaukee to work as a nurse’s aide in a Veterans Administration hospital. Then she joined the Army in May of 1953 for three years. After that, she attended the University of Arkansas Medical School and earned a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1960.

After a residency in pediatrics at the University of Arkansas Medical Center, Elders also earned a master’s degree in biochemistry in 1967. Elders went on to become an assistant professor of pediatrics at the university’s medical school in 1971 and a full-time professor in 1976.

In 1987, Gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas called on her to become the state’s director of public health. Elders worked to reduce teen pregnancy by making birth control and sex education available to teenagers. She also made HIV testing and counseling more available.

Elders became the U.S. surgeon general on Sept. 8, 1993. She was chosen by then-President Clinton and was the first African-American to hold that position.

As surgeon general, Elders argued the case for universal health coverage. She was a strong advocate for comprehensive health education and sex education in schools. She was forced to resign after only 15 months as a result of what many considered a controversial remark about sex education. Her last day in office was Dec. 31, 1994. She returned to the University of Arkansas Medical Center as a professor of pediatrics.

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TV Producers of ‘The Flash’ Consider Possibility of African-American Flash

Executive producers of the CW’s The Flash hinted that the show could introduce an African-American Flash some time in the future.

The show is only a few weeks away from its Oct. 7 series premiere, and while promotional trailers have already exposed the main character’s identity as a white male, producers say there may still be room for a Black Flash later down the line.

During CW’s panel Saturday at the PaleyFest, an annual celebration of diversity in programming and the creative processes behind television, one fan asked if the show would ever see a Black Flash.

According to executive producers Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg, it’s a strong possibility.

“We made the Wests African-American so that we could ultimately head in that direction, absolutely,” Berlanti said. “That’s our hope.”

The “Wests” Berlanti referred to are the family of Wally West.

In the DC Comics, Wally West is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash.

While he was originally depicted as a red-headed Caucasian male, the producers made a conscious effort to switch things up a bit by casting an African-American family instead.

In the past, some comic book fans have been critical of characters’ races being changed without explanation.

Despite the controversy that usually arises over the topic, the producers are standing by their decision.

In fact, Kreisberg explained that in the New 52, Wally’s identity had not been revealed yet anyway so it was the perfect opportunity to reimagine the character.

“What’s very cool is in the New 52 they hadn’t reintroduced Wally [yet],” Kreisberg explained. “When they reintroduced Wally, they made him African-American. So now and forever, Kid Flash will be African-American.”

That New 52 is the massive relaunch by DC Comics that started roughly three years ago. Back in September of 2011, DC canceled many of its popular existing titles and released new first issues of the classic comics. In other words, it’s a sort of retelling of the classic comic book stories that allows creators to reimagine some of America’s favorite heroes.

With the answers about a Black Flash still being relatively vague, the possibilities of seeing the African-American superhero come to small screens all across the country are quite limitless.

Some fans speculate that Wally will make an appearance on the show without ever becoming a main character.

Others suspect that if the show manages to survive for several seasons, Wally would eventually take over as a main character.

 

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5 STEM Internships Blerds Should Know About

Internships have always been a great way for individuals to advance in the professional world. Internships provide skill-building workshops, networking opportunities, monetary benefits and sometimes potential for a full-time position with a company.

For you Blerds out there looking for internships in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields to help advance your career, here are five STEM internships you should consider.

1. Minority Educational Institution Student Partnership Program

What: MEISPP is a program that is open to high school students and undergraduate/graduate students with a desire to work in the STEM fields. They provide students with an opportunity to work with experts in science and engineering so they can enhance their career and leadership skills. The program targets underrepresented students, like women and minorities, in STEM fields. The research focuses on policy, business and government relations.

Benefits: Students receive paid lodging, round-trip airfare and monetary compensation.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • 18 and over
  • U.S. citizen
  • Earned no less than 24 semester credits hours
  • Must be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate or graduate/professional student in an accredited institution of higher education in the fall of 2012
  • Maintain an overall grade point average of 2.8 or above on a 4.0 scale
  • Applicants must demonstrate the following:
    • ​Leadership potential
    • Commitment to public service
    • Interest in energy-related issues
    • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Must fill out an application
  • Must provide a transcript
  • Must have two letters of recommendation

 

2. Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship Internship Program

What: The Mickey Leland Energy Internship Program was created in honor of the late Texas Congressman Mickey Leland who was a huge proponent of social, cultural and environmental issues. It is a 10-week program that supports underrepresented students in STEM majors by allowing them to work in a mentorship program where they can work with officials whose research falls in line with the Office of Fossil Energy. At the end of the 10 weeks, the students will present their research at a technical forum.

Benefits: Students receive a stipend, housing and transportation

Eligibility requirements:

  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Be a U.S. Citizen
  • Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
  • Be currently enrolled full time in an accredited college or university (sophomore year or higher)
  • Participate in the full 10-week program

 

3. Clean Cities Internships

What: The Clean Cities Internships are unique in that they focus on students who are interested in changing the future of onroad transportation. Students work with Clean Cities Coalition coordinators and stakeholders to plan events, analyze data, research markets and design websites. The program encourages peer exchange, networking, engaging with case studies and doing research. They do hands-on work that involves implementing the use of clean vehicle technologies. Students work toward increasing awareness for things like alternative fuels and the reduction of petroleum. This is all in an effort to improve the overall environment. The internships are available throughout the year.

Eligibility:

  • Students who are studying communication, public relations, business marketing, engineering or environmental sciences
  • Fill out an online application

 

4. The Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships Program

What: The Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships Program encourages undergraduates interested in STEM careers to apply. The students conduct research at the Department of Energy laboratories (16 locations). The program has three cycles. The summer cycle is a 10-week cycle that starts in May and ends in August. The fall cycle is 16 weeks and starts in August and ends in December. Lastly, the spring cycle, also 16 weeks, begins in January and ends in May.

Benefits: The program provides enrichment activities, professional development and laboratory tours. Students receive a $500 stipend per week. There is opportunity for transportation reimbursement and housing.

Eligibility:

  • Must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident
  • Must have completed at least one year of school as a matriculating student
  • Must be enrolled in an undergraduate program full time
  • Must have a 3.0 GPA at the time of applying

 

5. Minority Serving Institutions Internship Program

What: The Minority Serving Institutions Internship Program is a 10-week summer program that  supports undergraduate and graduate students who are high-performing students in the STEM fields. The program provides on-the-job training, opportunities to work on projects in laboratories, federal field offices, etc. Students will be working with some of the nation’s top scientists and engineers. Ultimately, this program allows students to gain experience in their fields of interest so they can make more informed decisions about their futures in STEM.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • A United States citizen at least 18 years of age
  • Attending a participating MSI
  • Enrolled as a degree-seeking student maintaining a minimum of a half-time academic course load (as defined by the educational institution at which the student is enrolled)
  • Maintaining a minimum grade point average of 2.5 and be in good academic standing.
  • Apply to the program