intern newsletter - hispanic association of colleges and ... 2012 - hnip intern newsletter.pdfgroup...

T his past June, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released its annual report on the employment status of minorities within the federal

government. The report found that, while minority employment has increased as a whole, a critical gap in Hispanic hiring remains. At present, Hispanics comprise 13.6% of the national workforce, yet constitute only 8.1% of the federal workforce. HACU’s National Internship Program (HNIP), now in our 20th year, has created pathways to federal government employment for countless students. Through substantive work experience, mentorship, and networking opportunities, HNIP prepares interns for the federal hiring process, and for lifelong public service. Early in June, we welcomed the latest cohort of HNIP interns. We convened more than 370 students in Washington, D.C. for an orientation that stressed the importance of diversity in public service leadership. As part of this orientation, HACU worked in partnership with the National Archives and Records Administration to host “An Evening at the

Archives: A Conversation with Top Hispanic Executives in the Federal Government.” Interns gained valuable advice and insights from senior-level staff working across various federal government agencies. We are excited to continue this work while we welcome the new Student Pathways Program. As directed by President Obama, the Pathways Programs streamline the Internship Program, the Recent Graduates Program and the Presidential Management Fellows to be excepted from competitive service and placed under the newly created Schedule D for hiring. HACU interns should be treated as participants in the Internship Program and receive credit for up to one half (320 hours) of the 640-hour service requirement. We look forward to the implementation of the new program and are hopeful that the number of Hispanics in the federal government becomes more proportionate to the national workforce. Until then, we want to highlight some of our current interns’ accomplishments in this newsletter. I am excited to share these stories, and I look forward to seeing all of our interns’ continued growth during the remaining weeks of the program.

Thank you all!

Maria Elena Vivas-House HNIP Senior Executive Director

HACU National Internship Program | Summer 2012

Intern NewsletterIntern NewsletterIntern Newsletter

Left: HACU staff, NARA staff, and NARA interns take a

group photo at the National Archives. Above: HACU Interns

gather at Smokey Glenn Farms for orientation activities.

20th Anniversary

From the Desk of the Director

One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 430, Washington, D.C. 20036 | Phone: (202) 467-0893 | Fax: (202) 496-9177 | [email protected] | www.hacu.net/hnip

Intern Newsletter

HNIP 2013 Program Dates

Spring 2013

Session Dates: 1/10/13 - 4/27/13

Application Opens: August 19, 2012

Deadline: November 16, 2012

Summer 2013

Regular Session Dates: 5/31/13 - 8/10/13

Quarter Session Dates: 6/17/13 - 8/24/13

Application Opens: August 19, 2012

Early Deadline: September 28, 2012

Regular Deadline: March 1, 2013

Fall 2013

Session Dates: 8/22/13 - 12/9/13

Application Opens: March 1, 2013

Deadline: June 14, 2013

Upcoming Intern Events

JULY

27 Tour of the DEA Museum

Location: 799 Army Davy Drive, Arlington, VA

Time 11 AM - 1 PM

31 Second Congressional Breakfast Featuring the Honorable Pedro Pierluisi (D-PR), U.S. Representa-

tive Henry Cuellar (D-TX), and Maria Meier, Director of the

Senate Diversity Initiative

Location: Rayburn Building, Gold Room

Time: 8 AM - 9 AM

AUGUST

1 U.S. Department of State Foreign Policy Briefing

Location: George C. Marshall Conference Center East Auditorium,

U.S. Department of State (21st Street & Virginia Ave, NW)

Time: 3 PM - 5 PM

2 Third Intern Meeting

Featuring panelists from City Year, IES Abroad, Peace Corps, and

Teach for America

Location: Peace Corps Headquarters, 1111 20th St NW,

Washington, DC 20526

Time: 4 PM - 5:30 PM

8 Summer 2012 Farewell Reception

Location: TBA

Time: 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Inside this issue:

Intern Profile…………………………….……...3

An Education in Electoral Politics………4

Considering a Graduate Degree………..4

HACU Interns Celebrate the USDA……5

Quick Takes: Interns On the Job……….6

Real-World Learning……………………….7

Enlightening Journey………………………7

HACU Interns in the Private Sector….8

Opportunities in STEM…………………...9

Creative Thinking…………………………..9

HACU Interns Across America………10

Letter from the HNIP Ambassador…12


Asian African American Caucasian Hispanic Declined to State

gen

der

race & ethnicity

33% Graduate Students 67%

Undergrads

Average Student Age: 24 Years Old Average Student GPA: 3.47

Who are the HNIP interns, anyway? With 340 federal agency interns and 31 corporate interns, our Summer 2012 cohort encompasses a diverse set of academic and demographic backgrounds. Below are just a few quick facts about our interns.

Top 5 University Systems # of Interns

University of Puerto Rico 65

California State University 33

University of Texas 24

Inter American University of Puerto Rico 20

Texas A&M University 15

141 - number of different post-secondary institutions that HNIP interns attend

77% of all interns come from

1 of 5 regions: CA, FL, NY, TX, PR

Of the top 25 schools that interns attend, 22 are Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs)

By the Numbers: By the Numbers: By the Numbers:

A Look at Our Intern ProfileA Look at Our Intern ProfileA Look at Our Intern Profile

Intern Newsletter

A month into my internship, I have seen my progress validated in many work experiences. I recently got to train new volunteers and

interns on library reference procedures and archival practices.

I also helped deliver a week-long seminar for teachers at Boston Public Library last week. Called “America Votes,” this seminar taught me much about electoral politics. We learned about the electoral college, which is something that I have always been curious about but never quite understood. On another day we had a tour of the Massachusetts Statehouse, where we met with State Representative Moran to discuss congressional redistricting. I had no idea that this

process happened every 10 years in every state, so it was very interesting to learn about its complexities, such as how minorities are considered during the process.

Still, the highlight was meeting former Governor Michael Dukakis, who was a guest speaker at the seminar. To my surprise, he spoke fluent Spanish when I introduced myself!

After that, I went to my first baseball game at Fenway Park with the other local area HACU interns, Kyle Shannon (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Boston, MA) and Donna Tadle (USDA Forest Service, Amherst, MA). I definitely enjoyed watching the Red Sox play the Yankees after working so hard!

An Education in Electoral Politics Julio Diaz, Education Major University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras

National Archives and Records Administration Waltham, MA

With former Governor Dukakis

Catching a Red Sox game with fellow interns.

after completing my under-graduate degree. They ex-plained how a PhD could broaden my career pros-pects in this field. Since this conversation, I have be-come interested in attend-ing the Scripps Institute in the future.

In addition to the trip to UCSD, I have been visit-ing the ranger station at Long Valley, which is the entrance to the San Jacinto State Park in the San Bernar-dino National Forest area. Here, I help gather survey data for an en-vironmental economics thesis that is being conducted by an HNIP alumnus, Jose Sanchez.

I enjoy going into the field to observe how professionals use their skills to protect our forests and other natural resources. As a

I began this week with a trip to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University

of California of San Diego (UCSD) with my supervisors. Our mission: to gather computer hardware parts for our Forest Service cluster com-puter back in Riverside, CA. We col-lected five RAID disks, three UPS devices, twenty-five nodes, and a heavy rack for storage. After that, my supervisor and I had lunch with our San Diego colleagues. Like other staff at the Forest Service, they encouraged me to strive to go onto graduate school

volunteer research assistant on this project, my job is to inform forest visitors about the study, and recruit participants to take an online survey on burn scenarios. This information will be used to assess forests’ recreational value, and determine how this value is impacted after a wildfire.

Considering a Graduate Degree Jose Roman, Mathematics and Computer Science Major California State University, Fullerton

USDA Forest Service

Riverside, CA

Retrieving a node for

our supercomputer

Ready to greet visitors and recruit survey participants


Above: Walter G. Rivera Guzman strikes a

pose at the USDA offices in Washington, D.C.

I attended a luncheon held by HACE, an organization within the USDA that promotes personal and professional growth through diversity. This was a great networking event where I got a lot of infor-mation—I am glad I was invited to attend.

-Sara Villegas-Ospina, Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service

USDA senior staff address HACU interns at a luncheon hosted by

the Hispanic American Cultural Effort (HACE).

My co-workers and my supervisor are the coolest and brightest women scientists I have ever known. They make me feel comfortable and at home in our laboratory.

-Nathalie Gonzalez, Food Safety & Inspection Service

I recently participated in a webinar through the USDA. It covered topics such as cultural transformation, USDA careers, and the new federal Pathways Program. It was very ideal for senior undergradu-ate students as the speakers gave advice on how to turn your intern-ship into a permanent job, and how to get scholarships and fellow-ships for graduate school.

-Walter G. Rivera Guzman, Agricultural Research Service

On Professional Development

On Community

On Mentorship

My supervisor is very interested in making my experience the best that I could possibly hope for. The tasks that I am assigned tie back to my field of study, and allow me to put academic theories to practical use. I never lose interest in the work that I am doing, because I know it affects the bigger picture.

-Victor Lamas, Foreign Agricultural Service

Nathalie Gonzalez with a colleague at the National Center

for Agricultural Utilization Research.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the US Department of Agriculture. Throughout its long history, the USDA has worked to serve the Hispanic community, and has provided internship experiences to countless HACU interns over two decades. Here, some of our current interns share highlights from their summer internships thus far.

HACU Interns Celebrate theHACU Interns Celebrate theHACU Interns Celebrate the

US Department of AgricultureUS Department of AgricultureUS Department of Agriculture

Miosotis Soto observes

a surgery at the VA in

St. Louis, MO.

Quick Takes: Interns on the Job

Michelle Guzman (left) organized the annual “Bring Your Sons & Daughters To Work Day” at the

Veterans Medical Center in Richmond, VA. The event brought seventy-six children and youth to the

VA in order to learn about medical careers in the VA.

HACU Interns at the US Census. From left to right: Miguel Canelo, Kathryn Sotolongo,

Allison Whitcomb, Luis Diaz Laabes, Michael Smith, and Irma Vazquez.

Margaret Ramos-Miller examines greenhouse

samples at the USDA Forest Service in West

Lafayette, IN.

EPA intern Antonio Plancarte (right) meets Secretary of the

Interior Ken Salazar at a DOI 4th of July celebration. Photo

courtesy of Tami Heilemann, US Department of the Interior.

Sandra Cortez, USDA HSI National Student Program

Manager, and Maria Goldberg, USDA HSI National

Program Executive Director, present HACU intern

Karyssa Zavala with a Certificate of Appreciation for her

work with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Intern Newsletter

Real-World Learning Miguel Canelo, Graduate Student in Applied Mathematics University of Texas at San Antonio

US Census Bureau

Washington, D.C.

N ow that I have passed the mid-point of my internship at the US Census Bureau, I

can see myself launching my pro-fessional career here. I have learned a lot in the last six weeks and my supervisor has encouraged me to apply for job opportunities here, such as the statistician or mathematical statistician position. With his support, I have revised my resume in preparation for applying via the USAJOBS website. I feel that I would continue to grow profes-sionally and personally here, while being able to positively contribute to my department and to the agency as a whole. In my short time here, I have already been able to apply con-cepts from undergraduate course-work to real work projects. I have

started using a software program called the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). I first learned about SAS in school when I took two courses in statistical meth-ods. In these courses, I learned how to organize data in various ways, and how to then conduct statistical analyses of the data sets. So far I have applied these skills in my internship to verify that data meets specifications established by our working group. I feel that I am truly obtain-ing real-world experience, and I hope to continue to learn more skills during my internship that will enhance my knowledge and skill sets. Outside of work, I have enjoyed the many recreational activities available in Washington, D.C. I have

gone kayaking in the Potomac and paddle boating in the Tidal Basin. I have also enjoyed the Smithsonian Institute museums, and the restau-rants and music venues that I have visited. I have also enjoyed getting to know more of my fellow interns as time has progressed.

A s the weeks progress, I am excited to report that I have learned a lot about this agency and even more about myself. It has been an

enlightening journey working under the wings of so many successful aviation professionals. In my time at the FAA at Des Plaines, IL, I have shadowed safety inspectors as they investigate air carrier occurrence reports at O’Hare International Airport. I also attend many agency meetings where I have had the opportunity to meet key FAA officials, such as Margaret Gilligan, Associate Administrator of Aviation Safety, and Michael Huerta, Acting Administrator. I even met the CEO of Priester Aviation, Charlie Priester. Outside of work, I continue to take pleasure in the beauty of the greater Chicago area. I have enjoyed living near two other HACU interns, Josephine Liz (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Chicago, IL) and Jesus Arellano (Internal Revenue Service, Chicago, IL). In our HACU-arranged housing, we have met many other students and interns. Together we have enjoyed visiting the local tourist attractions and trying the amazing food. We plan to

continue exploring until we can say that we have truly lived the Chicago life (even if only for a short while). I want to thank the HACU and FAA staff for giving me this experience.

Enlightening Journey Sherrica Carter, Professional Aeronautics Major Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Federal Aviation Administration

Des Plaines, IL

Left: With CEO Charlie Priester Below: Enjoying the Great Lakes and sunny

weather with fellow HACU Interns Jesus

Arellano and Josephine Liz


HACU has built substantial relationships with some of the most respected companies in the nation. These efforts help students like me who will soon be transitioning from college to the job market. As a tax intern with Deloitte Tax LLP in Boston, I have been exposed to a variety of areas within tax preparation, including non-compliance and federal compliance preparation. I have gained real world experience alongside the most respected professionals in the field, while strengthening my professional communication skills. I have built substantial professional relationships with many people within the firm and have been given many opportunities to network with staff, managers, and partners through intern events.

-Jordan Urdiales, Accounting Major at the University of Texas, Pan American

HACU has built substantial relationships with some of the most respected companies in the nation.

HACU Interns in the Private SectorHACU Interns in the Private SectorHACU Interns in the Private Sector

Every morning that I am in Texas, I wake up thankful for the oppor-tunity that was granted to me. As a Southern Californian, coming to Texas was a huge change that pushed me outside of my comfort zone. As an intern at Sodexo, I have learned about my industry as well as the world around me. My managers and team leaders have pushed me to see the person who I could be. Since I am only a sopho-more, this opportunity has helped me develop my career goals and gain professional references.

- Taylor Herron, Management Science Major at Rio Honda College

In my HACU internship with MasterCard, I have received cross-training in sup-plier management, hardware management, software management, and inven-tory management. Additionally, my colleagues have coordinated activities like brown bag luncheons, an ITIL methodology lecture, and tours of command cen-ters in order to give me further insight into MasterCard operations. Aside from the excellent training, I have been working on several projects that include con-ducting ad hoc audits, coordinating repairs of PCs and laptops, and working as part of a team of interns to develop an audit database that tracks a large num-ber of regulatory and compliance initiatives. I am looking forward to the rest of my internship here at MasterCard, as I know this organization is here to sup-port me personally and professionally. MasterCard has added value to my work experiences and shaped my career aspirations. Armed with the support of my managers, I look forward to applying to a permanent position here in O’Fallon, Missouri. Wish me luck!

-Cesar Torres, Computer and Information Systems Security Major at California State University, San Bernardino

This summer HACU partnered with 5 corporations, 1 foundation, and 3 non-profit organizations to offer summer internships in the private sector. Thirty-one students representing 28 different educational insti-tutions completed hands-on internships in technology, finance, management, and other focus areas.

Intern Newsletter

I am currently working at the Na-tional Science Foundation (NSF) in the Chemical, Bioengineering, Envi-

ronmental, and Transport Systems unit. Through this internship, I have had the opportunity to attend many events re-lated to my areas of interest. I had the opportunity to attend the 2012 Summer Bioengineering Confer-ence in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, along with another HACU intern, Jamie Nagode. At the conference, I connected with peers, exchanged research updates and ideas, and expanded my network. Although I was primarily representing NSF, I also had the chance to share findings from my own doctoral work and ask for sug-gestions. The experience was so inspir-ing that I decided to submit my doc-toral work for consideration next year. In addition, I have had the opportu-nity to become involved with a project called STEMability. This project con-

ducts workshops at Virginia Tech to highlight opportunities in sci-ence, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields for high school students with disabilities. At the event, I participated in a panel dis-cussion that provided information to students and their parents about special accommodations so that students can achieve success at the university. Needless to say, this was an amazing experience that shed light on the challenges that many students face. Lastly, I attended the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2012 Diversity Symposium. During this event, re-searchers, educators and represen-tatives from federal programs shared strategies for engaging un-derrepresented students in STEM education and careers.

Opportunities in STEM Paola Jaramillo, PhD Candidate in Engineering Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

National Science Foundation

Washington, D.C.


Paola Jaramillo and Jamie Nagode attend a

national conference in Puerto Rico with their

National Science Foundation colleagues.

T hroughout this internship, I have learned to use creative thinking to open my horizons in the professional field. I am working on the His-

panic Heritage Subcommittee of the Diversity Advi-sory Committee here in the VHA of North Little Rock, AR. In this role, I am tasked with researching the di-verse needs of the Hispanic community so that we can improve our outreach efforts. Since this is a new un-dertaking for Arkansas, my supervisor and I decided that it would be beneficial for me to visit other Vet-eran Affairs (VA) offices across the country to learn how they went about engaging their local Hispanic communities. Knowing what a unique opportunity this was, I was excited to embark in this new journey. I first found myself on a train to Saint Louis and then on a bus to Chicago. During my tours of these two VA facilities, I got a holistic perspective on VA outreach processes, met staff across the agency, and learned about local organizations that serve the needs of Hispanics. In addition to gaining much professional insight, I was able to reside with HACU interns, explore the new cities, and gain many friends and stories in the proc-

ess. Most importantly, I brought back new knowledge and creativity to my work place when I returned to North Little Rock. Venturing to the other facilities gave me a stronger appreciation of my environment and a passion to leave a legacy at this field site through my work. Of course, I am extremely thankful for this unique opportunity.

Creative Thinking Emanuel Diaz Miranda, Public Relations Major University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras

Veterans Health Administration

North Little Rock, AR

Left: Volunteering with my supervisor at

a homeless shelter in Little Rock, AR.

Above: Visiting the big city of Chicago,

IL to learn about VA practices around

Hispanic outreach.

Erik Martinez dons chaps while on

assignment in Raleigh, NC

Nathalie Gonzalez, Nour Haykal, and Glendaly Ruiz

reunite for Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI.

Monique Diaz takes in the city view from the landmark

Space Needle building in Seattle, WA Ana Murillo explores the natural beauty of Honolulu, HI.

Dat Bui goes rock climbing for the first time in Logan, UT.

HACU Interns take a break at the Washington Monument. From

left to right: Nidia Yañez, Pedro Lluch, Isa Santori, Daniel Maíz,

Eduardo Castillo, Brenda Castro, Wildelys Colón, Carlos Martínez

III (back row), and Larry Fermin.

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Intern Newsletter

Barry Barrios, Stephen Norris, and Filemon Rael catch a weekend baseball

game in Detroit, MI.

Baldemar Hernandez goes sight-seeing with

friends in Philadelphia, PA.

Esmeralda Yniguez enjoys the desert landscape and sunny

weather of Albuquerque, NM.

Ivan Davila-Gonzalez visits Times

Square in New York City.

Ricardo Garcia-Figueroa visits the George Washing-

ton Masonic Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Stephanie Melendez tours the Library of Congress in D.C.

Jose de Jesus Cabral, Irene Castro, Antonio Plancarte, and HACU staff

member Cesar Oyervides-Cisneros attend a US Department of the Interior

4th of July celebration near the National Mall.


Greetings Fellow Interns,

Thank you for selecting me as your Summer 2012 HNIP Ambassa-dor. In a time where Hispanics are the fastest-growing segment of our nation’s population, we need greater Hispanic leadership in our government and in our community. As HACU interns, we are part of the nation’s largest Hispanic-serving internship program. We can use this network to serve and advocate on behalf of our community.

As HACU has “opened the doors of opportunity” for thousands, it has now opened those doors for you. I urge you to walk through those doors with confidence, determination and the will to achieve personal and professional enrichment. Make your summer unfor-gettable and life-changing by stepping out of your comfort zone, taking on new challenges at work, developing your professional networks, and forming lifelong friendships with your intern peers. Remember that anything worth having is never easily obtained, and that the satisfaction felt once a goal is achieved is worth all of the effort.

Throughout this process, remember where you come from and who helped you get to where you are today. Just as someone opened a door for you, you can guide someone new towards it. As your HNIP Ambassador, I am excited to work with the HAA this summer to plan activities that will enrich your internship experience.

You can also pay it forward. Share your HNIP experience with your networks so that oth-ers can benefit from participating in the program. Become involved in the HACU Alumni Association (HAA) to stay connected and to give back to the next class of interns.

Sincerely,

Erick Espinoza

Connect with us

Meet Your Summer 2012 HNIP Ambassador, Erick Espinoza

Broadcasting Board of Governors Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency Deloitte Federal Reserve Bank Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Ford Motor Company Fund Library of Congress MasterCard National Archives and Records Administration National Credit Union Administration National Science Foundation Office of Personnel Management Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Public Broadcasting Service

Sodexo U.S. Agency for International Development U.S. Census Bureau U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission U.S. Department of Agriculture U.S. Department of Defense U.S. Department of Health and Human Services U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Department of Labor U.S. Department of the Treasury U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

The HNIP Summer 2012 session was made possible through the generous support of our program partners:

Thank you for your continued support.

The Cham pions of His pan ic S ucces s in

Higher Ed uca tion


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