Congressional internships for disabled students open

The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF) and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) will offer, for the seventh consecutive summer, a congressional internship program for undergraduate students with disabilities.

Applications for the 2010 MEAF-AAPD Congressional Internship Program process will be open until January, 2010.

The internship program will:

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

As congressional interns, participants gain insight into congressional office operations, public policy development, and constituents' roles in the legislative and political processes. The internship program, administered by AAPD, was created in 2002 through a major grant from Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation.

Here's how it works:

Eligibility:
Current college students with any type of disability are invited to apply. At the time of application, applicants must be enrolled as sophomores or juniors. They must have at least one more academic semester to complete, at the end of the summer internship. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.

How to Apply:
Please contact AAPD at (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY), to get information on how to obtain an application form. Applicants will need to email their resumes, references, and reference letters, in Microsoft Word format, to AAPD at internship@aapd.com.

Applications for AAPD’s summer internship programs open the fall prior to the program year and are accepted November through early January. Those selected for telephone interviews are notified in January and selected by March of the program year.

What Happens Next
• After reviewing all eligible applications, a group of finalists will be asked to participate in phone interviews.
• Eight (8) students will be selected for the congressional internship.
• The interns will begin their eight(8)-week internships with an orientation in Washington, D.C. to be held in late May 2010.
• Interns will receive a $1,500 stipend to be disbursed in three installments throughout the internship period.
• AAPD will arrange roundtrip transportation for each intern to arrive in Washington, D.C. in May and return home at the end of the summer.
• Accessible housing will also be provided, free-of-charge, to each intern.
• Students will work with congressional staff members to select a significant policy issue.
• Academic credit may be arranged; students must initiate this process.