Intern of the Week: Darcie Adams

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 09:50:20 -0400
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Name: DarcieAdams

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site: Maryland Department of Disabilities

Position Title: Youth Employment Policy Intern

Major or Program: Gender, Women's + Sexuality Studies and Political Science

Current Class Level: Senior

Work Term: Spring 2023

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.

Much of my day-to-day work involves doing preliminary research to inform the larger project my supervisor and I are working on together. We are seeking to create a network of disabled students in higher education in order to connect students to the resources the Department of Disabilities has available for students, but also for the Department to be able to connect with students to inform their policy and project directions for the future. Higher education students with disabilities is currently an untapped, almost inaccessible group of people for our government at the moment, as there is no governmental-educational support network for these students in the same way there are for k-12 students. For this semester, we are seeking to develop and host a conference for university students with disabilities that will focus on disability policy and advocacy and employment resources MDOD can offer.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

I came to this role in a pretty unusual way! Last semester I took a fantastic Political Science topics class focused on mass juvenile incarceration that is taught by two members of the local Baltimore community, one of whom is the former Secretary of Juvenile Services, Sam Abed. When I was starting the process of seeking an internship for this semester, my advisor Dr. Forestiere suggested I ask him if he knew of any opportunities related to disability, and he connected me to Secretary Beatty with the Department of Disabilities. When I spoke to Secretary Beatty and discussed my career interests, she recognized that I had a lot of experience and interest in areas that Jade Gingerich, the Director of Employment, has been working in, and she then connected me to Jade. Jade actually created this internship role specifically for me, so it's a great opportunity to work essentially in a tailor-made role that is helping me develop the exact skills and connections to the local community that I was seeking.

Which of the following resources did you use to find your current experience?

Faculty Connections

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?

I have been connected to some really fantastic non-profits and organizations working in Maryland, and I really value the new connections I have to the people doing the work to make change for the disabled community. I have also really enjoyed getting to understand how state government functions from the inside, and it's been really beneficial for me to be able to connect what I've learned in the classroom to a tangible experience.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I believe my work will produce substantial benefit for college students with disabilities down the line, as the network I am helping to create and the relationships we are trying to build with Maryland's Universities will help students have better awareness and access to MDOD's resources. On the very local front, I will be leading by example, and working with my undergraduate student org the Disability Advocate Union to connect students to resources as my understanding and knowledge of them grows.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

We all have connections at UMBC just by virtue of being students here! If you don't have a big or strong professional network, reach out to your professors - many of them are connected to work happening outside of UMBC. You never know who they know, and it never hurts to ask if they have anyone to connect you to for new opportunities.

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.

I love getting to meet the people working on the ground to support the disabled people of Maryland, and I appreciate the opportunity to earn internship credit for my Political Science degree in the process!

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