Spring 2012
Intern Newsletter
Spring 2012 Interns
Director’s Note
Spring is here. The capital is full of life and we’re getting ready
for the summer, when interns come from all over the country. We are particularly excited to be celebrating the 20th anniver-
sary of the HACU National Internship Program (HNIP). During
this milestone year, we are planning several activities to recon-
nect with all those who have participated in our internship pro-
gram. We have developed an online database project and en-courage all alumni to register here. Alumni who create an ac-
count will receive an invitation to complete the HNIP impact
survey. The survey analysis will be presented at the HNIP Em-
erald Gala to be held on October 22, 2012 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.
We have just wrapped up the 17th Annual National Capitol Fo-
rum, our major advocacy event. During the Capitol Forum, the
HACU Alumni Association held its annual benefit reception and
awarded two scholarships to alumni. The HAA Board is very
active and needs your support. All funds raised by the HAA go directly to programs and activities that will benefit alumni and
current participants in HACU student programs. With all the
amazing talent we have in our potential, current and past in-
terns, HNIP will continue developing the workforce of tomor-row and opening doors of opportunity.
Enjoy the rest of your internship and continue to be engaged
with HACU!
All the best,
Maria Elena Vivas-House
Upcoming
Intern Activities
APRIL
5–Third Intern Meeting
Location:
ETS
1800 K Street NW
Suite 900
Washington, D.C.
Time: 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
19–Spring 2012 Farewell
Reception
Location:
OPM
1900 E Street, NW
Washington, D.C.
Time: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Inside this issue:
A VALUable
Experience 2
Unique Opportunity 2
Out of My Comfort
Zone 3
An Awesome
Internship 3
Interns in Atlanta
CDC 4
HACU Alumni
Association 5
Follow us on:
Phone: 202-467-0893 Fax: 202-496-9177
E-mail: [email protected]
HACU NATIONAL
INTERNSHIP
PROGRAM
One Dupont Circle, N.W.
Suite 430
Washington, D.C. 20036
www.hacu.net/hnip
A VALUable Experience By Rhonda Mull VA Learning University- Washington, D.C.
University of Maryland, University College Spring 2012 Intern
Page 2 Spring 2012
Unique Opportunity By Matthew Anaya USDA- Forest Service - Seattle, WA
San Antonio College Spring 2012 Intern
This spring session I am working from my
home in San Antonio, Texas for the Forest
Service’s AirFire Research Team headquar-
tered in Seattle, Washington. The AirFire
Research Team is an applied science office
that studies how the atmosphere inter-
acts with severe wild land fires. I was
offered this telework opportunity after
completing my internship at the Seattle
office in the summer of 2011. This al-
lows me to gain experience in the scien-
tific field, enroll in related courses at San
Antonio College and dedicate more time
to studying, programming, and complet-
ing problem sets.
My principal project involves writing a
program and script that create a climatology
showing statistics for an atmospheric metric
called CAPE (Convective Available Potential
Energy). CAPE is an indicator for atmos-
pheric instability and it could be used to
predict the conditions in which a large wild
land fire may occur. The statistics cover a
30 year period and are on a base CAPE and
a modified CAPE (calculated with potential
heat and moisture contributions from wild
land fires) at each of the roughly 10,000 grid
points on the North American Regional Re-
analysis domain. The climatology will eventu-
ally serve as a resource for wildland managers
to better understand the environment in
which severe wildland fires occur.
Throughout the internship, my supervisor
Brian Potter has been guiding me through the
scientific processes and introducing me to
many new technologies and subjects. New
skills I have gained include programming in
C++, writing shell scripts, operating in com-
mand line Linux, and using a visualization
program called Ferret. Accomplishments I
have made includes writing one shell script
that created a directory with 120 folders
in less than one second and another script
that renamed about 20,000 files and
moved them into said directory, according
to their new filenames, in under two sec-
onds. These tasks were necessary to
store the records I am working with into
one large directory. The skills I have
learned and the assignments I have com-
pleted have given me a better understand-
ing of the power of computers and the
language needed to use them efficiently.
I am grateful for having been afforded this
learning experience. This session highlights
some of the many opportunities that are
available through the HACU National Intern-
ship Program. Thank you HACU very much
for giving us interns such valuable opportuni-
ties.
What Do You VALU? These were the words
that greeted me as I walked into the VA
Learning University (VALU) on my first day. I
continue to reflect on these words as I per-
form my job in my internship offered through
HACU. My internship at the VA Learning
University has been an amazing opportunity
and a truly great learning experience. The
VALU mission is to develop job skills, boost
leadership and professional performance, and
bring about personal growth. I know that my
work is helping to fulfill VALU’s mission.
This internship has given me the chance to
learn from different professionals and gain
invaluable information within a business man-
Fair and Expo was an event hosted by the
department of Veteran Affairs. This Veteran-
focused event was attended by thousands of
Veterans who competed for over 6,400 public
and private sector job opportunities. As a
volunteer at the event, I directed Veterans to
interactive job seeker workshops and assisted
other personnel with crucial tasks. I have also
participated in strategic planning meetings.
This was my first chance to be involved in a
strategic planning meeting. As an intern I felt
honored that my feedback was welcomed and
appreciated.
An intern has many roles, a listener, learner,
assistant and if you’re lucky a contributor.
VALU really shows its commitment to its
employees. For example, recently I experi-
enced my first company move. Seeing an en-
tire department relocate was amazing. Every-
thing was well organized and thorough to
ensure a smooth transition.
Working at VALU has allowed me to focus on
my career goals and continue my academic
education. I am thankful and honored to say
that I am a HACU intern working at VALU.
agement environment. I have been able to
assist with training sessions and classes
that will aid thousands of employees that
currently work in Veteran Affairs to im-
prove their service to Veterans and their
families. The work that I am doing will
make a difference in a Veteran’s life.
During the fall internship session, I sup-
ported the Procurement Analyst and
Directorate of my department, which is
the Learning Infrastructure. The Learning
Infrastructure Department is responsible for
the advancement of the VA Learning Man-
agement System and other VA enterprise
learning technologies. Now coming into my
spring session, my role at VALU has grown.
While still performing my regular duties, I
am now assisting members within my de-
partment with multiple training projects.
Currently I am supporting the Education
Program Specialist by scheduling training
classrooms for domain learning managers
for the fourth quarter and conducting mar-
ket research.
I recently volunteered to support the VA
for Vets Career Fair and Expo. The Career
Page 3
Out Of My Comfort Zone By Linda Mercado U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Washington, D.C.
Texas A&M International University Spring 2012 Intern
Since coming to our nation's capitol in
January, my HACU experience has been
steadily improving by the week. As an
MLIS (Master's of Library Science) student,
being placed at the largest and most au-
thoritative library in the world, the Library
of Congress has been an amazing opportu-
nity. The staff at OSI (Office of Strategic
Initiatives) has been more than hospitable
with a weeklong orientation, tours of the
Preservation, Copyright, and Hispanic
sections, and access to coordinate with
many players the library. It's especially
nice to mingle with the many former
HACU interns turned employees at the
library and learn the path to full employ-
ment.
For my main task, Sandra Hoyer and I are
updating metadata on the libraries older
digital collections so they can integrate
into the new search engine launching this
summer. If you've ever been to loc.gov,
it's like a history of the internet in one
site; a modern homepage linked up to
Mosaic and Netscape 2.0 pages from the
An Awesome Internship By Michael Mastrangelo Library of Congress- Washington, D.C.
San Jose State University Spring 2012 Intern
early days of the Internet and inconsistent
metadata. Our work will get these older pages
up to speed and standards so the new faceted
search technology can make the vast wealth of
knowledge at the library searchable from inside
and outside the site. Sandra and I have been
looking at thousands Work Progress Admini-
stration manuscripts and Farm Service Admini-
stration photos turning us not only into digital
librarians, but also mini-experts on American
life in the late 19th century through the 1940's.
My skill sets are growing as we take on new
projects, expanding my visual literacy, technical
reading skills, relational database design, and
project management. Sandra and I have been
invited back to complete our projects in the
summer, and we'll hopefully see a successful
launch of our work in August at loc.gov
Outside of my main tasks I take tai-chi classes,
hang out with my awesome roommates Carlos,
Ray and Cesar, go on dates with my girlfriend
Dayanita, and search the city for good cheap
vegetarian food. At the LOC we've also started
a blog for the HACU interns to write about
our experiences and the great lecture series
that happen at the library. I've learned about
art conservation, revolutionary dance troupes,
and the infamous Washington newspaper titan,
Cissy Patterson. It's a great outlet to share
professional development and advice for future
interns. Even further outside my main tasks I'm
practicing my song repertoire to join DC's
robust busking scene.
I'm so grateful that HACU offers this awesome
internship and opportunity; it by far surpasses
my prior jobs and has taken me from working
on an obscure
niche San Fran-
cisco film archive,
to the largest
information re-
pository ever
assembled. I can't
thank HACU
enough, and I'm
looking forward
to supporting
them at the Capi-
tol Forum this
March.
ples of accounting and finance in the project I
have been assigned to complete for the spring
semester, constantly being mentored by my
supervisor and guided to creating the best
result possible. This is why programs like
HACU are so essential for the success of
students and their futures.
Furthermore, living in Washington, D.C. has
allowed me to explore what the center of the
free world has to offer. Having the opportu-
nity to explore different museums every
Having the opportunity to participate in the
HACU internship experience in Washington,
D.C. has truly been life changing. My first day
at work was a wonderful experience. I was
greeted by my supervisor Ms. Oliver and later
introduced to the special audits group team,
which I have been assigned to assist, as well as
the rest of the great staff of the Office of the
Inspector General. I quickly learned that the
OIG is dedicated to conduct audits for con-
tinuous improvement to the management and
operations at the Office of Personnel Manage-
ment. Their vision is upheld throughout the
agents’ work and publications; they are con-
stantly working with federal employees by
ensuring that operations are running effi-
ciently and effectively in order for all employ-
ees to be treated fairly; in conjunction making
sure American tax dollars are being put to
proper use.
Working as an auditor who is part of a great
team has given me the opportunity to have
hands on experience, which I believe is im-
perative for anyone to succeed in their field of
choice. I have been able to apply the princi-
weekend has been so much fun and such a
great way to enjoy American History and
worldly issues. D.C. not only has the history
but also the international culture and cuisine
that cannot be beat. I have been able to
attend the Chocolate Festival at the Mu-
seum of the American Indian, where I was
able to learn how chocolate is made, where
it originates and the history of the native
culture in the Americas. I have also been
able to witness the blooming of the cherry
blossoms, which I must say are beautiful.
Coming from South Texas, we hardly get to
see the change of seasons, but being here
has allowed me to finally experience full
spring! I have also had the privilege of par-
ticipating in HACU events, which have al-
lowed me to improve my networking and
presentations skills.
My experience here has allowed me to push
myself out of my comfort zone and grow as
an individual; without the help of HACU I
would not have been able to accomplish this
goal. Thank you HACU!
Page 4
HACU Interns in Atlanta Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
I’m a student at Florida Interna-
tional University and HACU has
given me the opportunity to ven-
ture into the city of Atlanta, GA.
From the beginning the idea of
exploring the wonderful city of
Atlanta with a fabulous coat on
excited me I’ve always liked the
idea of big cities and cold weather.
Upon arrival, I confronted tem-
peratures of 46 degrees! Basically,
below 0 if you are coming from
Miami. This experience has been
incredible to say the least; I have
been reformed. I have never lived
away from home, and sharing a
house with roommates, having to
clean, do groceries and cook with-
out any assistance has been em-
powering. The most amazing part
has been my time with CDC, in the
Capital Planning office, I have met
great people with incredible insight
that will aid my development and
serve me as lifelong lessons. I firmly
believe that what doesn’t challenge
you doesn’t change you and that is
what it is all about! Improving!
Fabiana Alvarado Florida International University
After seven weeks of working at
the CDC— National Center for
HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, &
TB Prevention, I can say the ex-
perience has been one of great
gratification and of extensive
professional growth. Personally
it’s a privilege be part of a work-
force that fosters and delivers
strategies on public health. See-
ing how the agency collaborates
at a community, state, national
and international level to accom-
plish its different missions has
provided me
a broad
perspective
of the different scenarios and
options available for professional
growth after graduation. My
current internship projects in-
clude translating into Spanish a
complete website and providing
statistical analysis of the website
data that includes: audience be-
havior, traffic sources, and con-
tent insights for an overall depic-
tion of the efficacy of the web
page. I am extremely thankful for
the opportunity HACU has pro-
vided me, and feel blessed to
have met many great mentors, co
-workers and new friends during
this new journey.
Ashley Andújar University of Puerto Rico- Medical Sciences
As the time that I arrived to At-
lanta, I knew that the experience
working with the Center of
Global Health at the CDC would
impact my life. As an intern at
CDC I have had the privilege to
meet and share thoughts about
public health with people from all
around the world. Learning
about other countries and how
they are working with the differ-
ent health issues is a really amaz-
ing experience.
Sometimes the
work can be
very challenging
but is very re-
warding if you
really like what
you are doing.
This is my case;
I’m really enjoy-
ing all of this
experience.
Lorinet Martell-Martínez University of Puerto Rico- Medical Sciences
Working at
the CDC as a
Spring 2012
intern has been an immensely rewarding ex-
perience! From the very first day, I felt like I
had found my home away from home. The
team and the branch have been beyond
friendly and welcoming. I have had the oppor-
tunity to apply pe-
d a n t i c knowledge
and glean p r a c t i c a l
day to day w o r k i n g
e x p e r i - ence. The
work itself has been
assigned in a manner
that has felt natural
and done with grace
and ease despite being challenging and fulfill-
ing. Thanks to HNIP for the confidence and
work experience that this internship has in-
stilled in me to go achieve my dreams upon
completing my degree!
Ichhya Pant Georgia State University
Currently,
I am work-
i ng a t
CDC in the National Center for Immuniza-
tion and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). To
date, a lot of my time has been devoted to
meeting with Influenza Division personnel;
participating in conference calls and conduct-
ing research to understand the processes
involved in Influenza Reagent Resource (IRR)
product distribution. Finally, I will be attend-
ing the Influenza Division International Team
Scientific Symposium on Friday, March 9, 2012
to hear experts discuss field work in the Influ-
enza Division. For example, presenters will
lecture on vaccines and antivirals in Central
America, as well as the surveillance, capacity
and policy development in West Africa.
Insofar as external activities, I have been ex-
ploring north and central Atlanta via dining
experiences, jazz clubs and museum outings.
In fact, I will be attending a reception on Sun-
day, March 18, 2012 at Hammond’s House
(i.e. Museum of Fine Arts) to obtain informa-
tion about becoming a docent or Event Vol-
unteer on the weekends. Also, this upcoming
week I will attend the Division of Global HIV/
AIDS annual meeting to become more aware
of the opportunities and mechanisms for inte-
grating Global Health activities with other
CDC programs.
Richard Chilton Benedictine University– Illinois
Fabiana, Lorinet and Ashley
spending some quality time in
Atlanta.
Page 5
HACU ALUMNI
ASSOCIATION Board Members
Chair
Fabiana Perera
Secretary
Lázaro Sandoval
Treasurer
Javier Araujo
Vice-Chair, Community Affairs
Virgilio Barrera
Vice-Chair, Program Affairs
Gilda Cornejo
Vice-Chair, Fundraising
Nicole Baltazar
Member-at Large
Josue Barrera
Member-at-Large
Vacant
HAA Intern Board Member
Spring 2012
Cesar X. Sanchez
www.hacu.net/
alumni
Presenting
Spring 2012 HAA Intern Board Member
Cesar X. Sanchez Cesar X. Sanchez was
born and raised in the
Fresno, CA metropolitan
area – the most populated
region of California’s San
Joaquin Valley. The son of
hardworking Mexican
immigrants, he was always
expected to pursue higher
education by his parents.
As a result of their consis-
tent encouragement and
guidance, he ultimately
graduated from Fresno State where he received un-
dergraduate degrees in Business Administration –
Entrepreneurship, Economics, as well as a Certificate
in Finance. He is also a current candidate to receive
his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from
Fresno State’s Sid Craig School of Business.
Aside from education, Cesar has consistently been
involved with public service. He was elected Junior
Class President during high school, and served on
Fresno State’s student body government as both the
elected Senator for the Sid Craig School of Business
and Vice President of Finance – the second highest
elected position. In addition, he has served on multi-
ple boards such as the Fresno County Democratic
Central Committee (FCDCC), American Civil Liber-
ties Union (ACLU) – Greater Fresno Area, and is
currently the elected Spring 2012 Intern Board Mem-
ber for the HACU Alumni Association (HAA).
Cesar also founded and managed a high-tech startup
for two years – Thot Studios – that specialized in the
development of mobile phone and iPad applications.
The skills he learned from his education, public service
experience, and business experience strongly prepared
him for the federal government work he undertook
through the HACU National Internship Program
(HNIP).
Cesar describes his selection as a HACU intern to be
a pivotal moment in his life. Through HNIP, he has
worked at the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) in the Washington D.C./Baltimore, MD
area, as well as in Fresno, CA. His current HACU
internship placement is at the Library of Congress –
Office of Strategic Initiatives, where he works as a
Project Manager & Business Analyst Intern for Infor-
mation Technology Services (ITS). Because of the
experience and opportunities he has been able to gain
and see through the HACU National Internship Pro-
gram (HNIP), Cesar is now considering a career with
the federal government after he receives his MBA. His
next educational endeavor will be law school, with a
focus in contractual agreements.
Congratulations to HACU Honorary Alumna
Maria Goldberg
The HACU Alumni Association (HAA) presented Ms.
Maria Goldberg with the Honorary Alumna distinction
at the Capitol Forum Alumni Benefit Reception on
March 26, 2012. Mrs. Goldberg is
the second person to receive this
honor; Mr. William Gil, Vice Presi-
dent of Programs at the Congres-
sional Hispanic Caucus Institute,
was the first.
Maria Goldberg is currently the
Executive Director of the Hispanic
-Serving Institutions (HSI) National
Program at the United States De-
partment of Agriculture. She leads
a national team dedicated to ad-
dressing the needs of Hispanic
Serving Institutions and the com-
munities they serve through pro-
motion of professional and educa-
tional opportunities to students,
faculty and staff affiliated with these
institutions across the nation.
Ms. Goldberg has also served USDA in positions as
budget analyst, international trade policy analyst, and
civil rights advisor. Prior to joining the Federal Gov-
ernment, Ms. Goldberg worked
fourteen years in private industry
including the finance industry and
restaurant management. She is a
graduate of the University of North
Dakota.
The USDA has been a strong sup-
ported and partner of the HACU
National Internship Program and has
provided hundreds of internships to
HACU interns over the years. Mrs.
Goldberg can and should be credited
for making so many of these posi-
tions happen, along with her capable
and dedicated staff.
As we celebrate the milestone of 20
years of opening doors of opportu-
nity to students it is only fitting that we also celebrate
the dedication and support of a woman that embodies
HACU’s mission, values and goals.