DO-IT Ambassadors are pursuing post-secondary studies and careers. They share their experiences with the younger DO-IT Scholars and Pals, encouraging them to pursue their goals in college and careers.
I'm Anthony from Grand Forks, ND. I have Cerebral Palsy. I use a wheelchair and a speech synthesizer. I have been helped by technology, and I want to help others like me use technology. I thank DO-IT for pointing me towards this career. I was a DO-IT Intern at Camp Courage in 1995. My long-term goal is to become a developer of special technology like speaking devices. I was an Ambassador for Prentke Romich and I work at the University of North Dakota.
I'm Ben. I have Spinal Muscular Dystrophy. I have worked at Battelle Labs for three summers. I am currently a senior at the University of Washington. DO-IT has enabled me to meet people and make contacts over the Internet. This program has opened doors for me that normally would have been impossible to open. Now, there are no boundaries as nothing can hold me back.
Hi! My name is Maria and I'm from Vancouver, WA. My disability of post-polio requires me to wear a leg brace to make walking easier. This June I graduated from the University of Washington with a BS in Speech and Hearing Sciences. Having a computer has helped me a lot, especially with arranging my classes, and rides with Dial-A-Ride, finding jobs, communicating with professors, doing my homework, and much more!
Hi, I'm Daniel. I have a learning disability. I have trouble with word comprehension and spelling. I am going to Pierce Community College in Washington, studying to become a marine biologist or an oceanographer. My hobbies include alpine skiing, rock climbing, scuba diving, and other sports. I was an Intern in DO-IT Summer Study.
Hi, my name is Travis. I originally joined the DO-IT program back in '94 as a Scholar. I just finished my second year of college in Logan, UT. I am studying computer science, and I'm very interested in software engineering, the Internet, operating systems and computer language compiling/interpreting. I am also working on campus as a Software Engineer in the Department of Soils, where I work on data acquisition and analysis software. The nature of my disability includes orthopedic problems with my ankles, possible dwarfism with shortness of my limbs, and kidney and related problems. In spite of all that, I tell myself that I'm no different from anyone else. I just live with it day by day.
My name is Takuya. I am a senior at the University of Washington. My disabilities are health impairment, nervous system dysmorphia, and congenital scoliosis. My interests are physics, biology, theory of math, trigonometry, calculus, and computers. My hobbies are collecting stamps and reading books. The Internet helps me find information and gives me the ability to talk to people.
My name is Sherri. I am visually impaired. This summer I graduated from Southern Oregon University in Ashland, OR. I graduated with a major in psychology and a minor in hotel, restaurant, and resort management. One of my favorite times in college was when four other people and myself talked about our disabilities to an audience of college students. I am a Front Desk Clerk at the hotel at Crater Lake. I am interested in psychology, math, genetics, Spanish, management, and the Internet. For fun I like to swim, play basketball, watch movies, listen to music and more. I was an Intern at Summer Study '98.
Hi all! My name is Shawnna. My disability is Muscular Dystrophy which attacks the muscles. But I get done what I need to. My hobbies include swimming, collecting baseball cards, watching TV, and working on my computer.
I am Nguyen and I work at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, WA. In 1992, I suffered a gunshot wound to the right hemisphere of my head which paralyzed the left side of my body. I use a one-handed keyboard. I have lived many places, but I like Washington the best. I also won the Seattle Youth Hall of Fame Award in 1996.
My name is Sarah. I will be a senior at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas this fall majoring in clinical lab science. My disability is a learning disability called Dyslexia which affects my reading, math, and spelling. The DO-IT program has helped me understand my disability and other types of disabilities. It has made me open more doors for myself in believing I can DO-IT for life!
My name is Jen and I live in California. My friends and I organized and developed a nonprofit support group for teens with disabilities that largely operates on-line. I plan to go back to college eventually, but for now I work as a Systems Administrator at an Internet Service Provider my friends own. I also do contract work as a Web Developer. My disability is an undiagnosed severe neuropathy.
Hi! My name is Carolyn. I graduated from high school in Washington State in 1997. I attend Shoreline Community College. In the future, I would like to teach science. I also enjoy writing. I was born with Cerebral Palsy and I have a neurological disorder that causes low vision.
Hi, my name is Kris. I am currently working on my advanced degree in Science Education as well as my BS in Psychology at Oregon State University. I also teach general chemistry there. I love teaching and hope to someday be a high school or middle school science teacher. I spend my summers working with the DO-IT program as an instructor and tech support assistant. In my free time I enjoy hiking, skiing, swimming, music, and most everything else (except mushrooms and tuna fish!). I worked for DO-IT at Camp Courage in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999; at Camp Easter Seal in Colorado in 1998; and at the 1996-98 Summer Studies.
My name is Megan and my disability is chronic Lyme Disease. I am attending Pacific Lutheran University in Washington. My major is biology (premed). I also like piano and swimming. I have enjoyed being part of the DO-IT program; the best part is the people involved in running it and those who participate. One thing that DO-IT has done for me is to spark an interest in sign language; I am now a certified sign language interpreter.