AccessSTEM Team Member Profile: Anna Golden
Hi! I'm Anna Marie. I graduated from Bellevue College in August with an Information Systems Associate in Arts degree and a Certificate in .NET Programming. I first became involved with DO-IT and AccessSTEM when I was interviewed for the Access to Advancement radio series about women with disabilities involved in and preparing for STEM careers.
Since then, I've had the opportunity to do a number of things including participating in panels to represent students with disabilities and attending networking events with other DO-IT team members. I've also participated in a number of career exploration activities including job shadows and informational interviews. I even went to Boston for the Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities Full Access Student Summit, where I learned a lot about networking, job seeking, and even a little about dining etiquette.
I've been learning how to build websites since graduation. In September, I participated in the AccessSTEM Web Accessibility Training and Internship which allowed me to learn more about web development and accessibility issues. The experience also led me to my current web development and accessibility internship. I'm learning a lot and stepping more and more outside of my comfort zone each day.
In fact, each and every one of these activities involved stepping out of my comfort zone. There is an old saying that goes, "If you keep doing what you've always done, you're going to keep getting what you've always gotten." That means it is time to try something new. Sure, sometimes it doesn't turn out as expected, but lots of times it turns out even better.