DO-IT Ambassadors are pursuing postsecondary studies and careers. They share their experiences with DO-IT Scholars and Pals, encouraging them to pursue their goals in college and employment.
Hi, my name is Vanessa. I attend Yakima Valley Community College. I am working towards a legal assistant degree. I enjoy studying the Bible and am a Bible study volunteer. My hobbies include reading, writing, music, and Sudoku puzzles. I love old movies and TV shows. I have athetoid cerebral palsy and mild hearing loss, but I look at these things as keeping my life from being dull.
Hi, my name is Bilal. I attend Edmonds Community College, where I work as a part-time computer lab assistant. I plan to transfer to the University of Washington. I enjoy studying English, and I would like to be an orthodontist some day. I like to play basketball, stay active, and learn new things. I have a learning disability.
Hi, my name is Reese. I have orthographic dysgraphia. I am planning to double major in political science and public relations at Gonzaga University because I want to develop the skills to be an activist for a certain cause. I love hanging out with my friends, composing music, being on the swim team, and going on vacations.
Hi, my name is Anna. I attend Shoreline Community College and am working towards a degree in special education. I have a brain tumor; some of the side effects are loss of vision and ataxia. I work at Jet City Improv as a house manager. In my free time I like to sleep and write.
Hi, I'm Ryan. I am a junior at Central Washington University, majoring in music performance and minoring in aviation management. I hope to become a professional timpanist and help design beautiful airport terminals that feature live music. I love performing locally and have traveled to Europe to perform in concerts. This summer I went to Broadway in New York City to learn how to work in a professional musical pit. I'm proud to be a DO-IT Ambassador, and I also volunteer with www.InclusionWerks.org to help groups learn to include people with disabilities.
Hi, my name is Louis. I'm a sophomore at American University where I'm majoring in biochemistry. I would like to transfer in order to pursue a biochemical engineering or agriculture-related degree. Before starting college, I took one year off. During that time, I lived and worked on a dairy farm in New Zealand, a kibbutz in Israel, and traveled to Oceania and Southeast Asia. I have dyslexia and dysgraphia. In the summer I work as a forest firefighter and shellfish farmer. Some of my interests are rugby, soccer, logging, philosophy, and writing. Someday I would like to be a farmer or writer; be happy and have good friends; and have lots of land to work, hang out, and throw parties on.
Hi, my name is Shelby. I will be a senior this fall at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. I am majoring in communications with an emphasis on public relations. I hope to work in the entertainment, health, or nonprofit industries—maybe all three! At school, I am involved in BYU's student leadership and service group as well as the BYU chapter of Public Relations Students Society of America. I was a marketing intern at a Seattle architecture firm. As a part of the internship, I had an article published in the American School Board Journal about involving students in the design process. In my spare time, I blog at www.shelbyhintze.blogspot.com as well as read other blogs, find new bands on YouTube, and hang out with my friends!
Hello, I'm Allegra. I took an online course with Penn Foster and have been certified as a freelance writer. I write poetry, short stories, and fiction books. I've been professionally published a few times locally and recently self-published an ebook called Knotted Strings. I have spinal muscular atrophy type 2, so I'm in a wheelchair. If you want to talk, feel free to email me or find me on Facebook.
Hi, my name is Sean. I will be a senior at the University of Washington in the fall and am studying psychology. I plan to focus on computer usability. I am a member of the Center for Neurotechnology Student Leadership Council. As an Eagle Scout, I created angled stretching platforms that I donated to Children's Hospital in Seattle. I have Becker muscular dystrophy. I play guitar.
Hi, my name is Leo. I enjoy mathematics and literature and would like to earn a degree in animation. Someday I would like to have a job that involves either video editing or animation. One of my personal achievements was that I received more than 350,000 views on videos that I created and posted on YouTube. I like to play video games that require building and strategy. I like learning how computers work and how to use them in multiple ways. I like to listen to most music, with the exception of country. I have a Beagle. I have a spinal cord injury that affects the movements of my body—my right side is more limited than my left. Eventually, I would like to live alone in a small apartment in a relatively large city.
Hi, my name is Josh. I just finished my sophomore year at George Fox University. I am a sociology major with a writing minor. I enjoy writing fictional stories, and in the next year I plan to write a couple of children's stories, a few short stories, and, if I find the time and inspiration, a novel or novella. I am a member of the George Fox Jazz Ensemble and joined the symphonic band as well. I am a big sports fan, too. I enjoy playing basketball, baseball, and football. I have Charcot-Marie-Toothe, a form of muscular dystrophy.
Hi, my name is Josh. I am a senior at Clark College. I enjoy studying science and English. In the future I would like to be a youth pastor or counselor. I enjoy art, drawing, and building things. I have two dogs. I have spina bifida and a learning disability.
Hi, my name is Kristin. I received my associate of arts from Whatcom Community College. My career goals include archeology or working in the mental health field. I like reading, traveling, hanging out with friends, and playing with my three dogs and my rabbit, Puck. I have dyslexia.
Hi, my name is Alex. I graduated from Skagit Valley College with my associate in arts university and college transfer degree, and I would like to transfer to the University of Washington or Western Washington University to earn a bachelor's degree in criminal justice or business administration. In the future, I would like to become a police officer or forensic pathologist. I work part-time at Home Depot as a cashier/returns and special services associate. When not going to school, working, or sleeping, I enjoy working out, cooking, driving, texting, playing and watching sports, listening to and playing music, and just hanging out with friends. I have mild cerebral palsy.
Hi, my name is Joey. I have Asperger's syndrome. I attend Central Washington University where I study computer engineering. This summer I worked on designing and building a keyboard emulator for single-switch assistive devices, thanks to internship funding from DO-IT's AccessComputing project.
Hi, my name is Abby. I enjoy French and math. I would like to someday help the blind in other countries access technology. I like most genres of music and theater, reading and writing fan fiction, and fantasy and historical fiction books. I am blind with light perception. This fall I will be attending Clark College in Vancouver, WA.
Hi, my name is Chris. I attend Clark College (it's so close to my home that I can ride my bike), and I plan to study forestry. Eventually, I may work in a vineyard. I like science, history, math, reading, Xbox games, and being friendly. Writing remains challenging since I have attention deficit disorder and dyslexia. I have traveled with a group of college students to several countries in Europe. I have two dogs—a big yellow Labrador retriever and a small King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. I was a DO-IT Intern at Summer Study 2012.