Washington, DC (June 2, 2014) – The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is pleased to announce the start of the 2014 AAPD Summer Internship Program. This year, AAPD conducted a targeted recruitment for applicants from the academic fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in order to create a diverse group of program particiants. Program participants include students with backgrounds and interest in engineering, IT, pre-med as well as ardent disability rights activists.
The 2014 summer internship program is possible due to the generous contributions of AT&T, CSC, and the May and Stanley Charitable Trust. For ten weeks, these interns will contribute their skills and talents to five congressional offices, two leading disability rights non-profits, a non-profit focused on behavioral and social science, an executive branch agency, and a woman owned business focused on management and IT services. Alumni of the program have found successful careers in a variety of fields, including the public sector and legal fields. The AAPD summer internship program gives the participating interns real-world work experience and helps them establish professional networks that will benefit them far into the future.
The 2014 class of AAPD summer interns are listed below:
| Intern | Placement |
| Clement Coulston | The Office of Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner |
| Annika Grassl | United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions |
| Kara Gulvas | The Office of Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
| Jonathon Jones | American Institutes for Research |
| Kenny Kalman | The Office of Congressman Ron Barber |
| Bertram Nicholls | Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) |
| Taylor Owens | The United States Access Board |
| Michael Springer | National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) |
| Alexandra Vesey | JBS International |
| Angela West | United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions |
The 2014 interns were selected on the basis of a written application and competitive interview process.
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The American Association of People with Disabilities is a convener, connector, and catalyst for change, increasing the political and economic power of people with disabilities.