Guidelines for DO-IT Scholars and Ambassadors
Congratulations on being accepted as aÌýDO-IT Scholar!
DO-IT Scholars
°Õ³ó±ðÌýDO-IT ScholarsÌýprogram is designed to encourage and prepare you to pursue your interests in college and challenging careers. It consists of four phases.
Phase I
From your acceptance date through August 31 of your first year in theÌýDO-IT ScholarsÌýprogram, you will participate in the following activities:
Internetworking
You will learn to use the Internet to explore your academic and career interests. You will communicate electronically from home using a computer, software, Internet connection, and, if necessary, assistive technology.
Mentoring
Frequent electronic communications and personal contacts will bring you together with mentors who will promote your academic, career, and personal achievements. Mentors are college students and professionals in science, engineering, math, technology, and other fields, many with disabilities themselves. Some mentors areÌýDO-IT ScholarÌý"graduates" calledÌýDO-IT Ambassadors.
Summer Study I
During a two-week live-in summer program at the ÌÇÐÄÔ´´, you will participate in academic lectures and science labs, live in residence halls, and develop skills which will help you to be successful in college and careers.
Phase II
From September 1 of your first year through August 31 of the second year, you will learn about college application procedures, entrance requirements, and strategies and resources to help you transition to college. In addition, you will participate in the following activities:
Projects
You will apply your interests, skills, and knowledge to design and complete a project independently or with anotherÌýScholar. You are encouraged to useÌýDO-IT Scholars,ÌýDO-IT Mentors, staff, and UW faculty as resources.
Internetworking and Peer Mentoring
You will develop and practice communication and leadership skills by becoming a peer mentor for incoming Phase IÌýDO-IT Scholars. You will also recruit students into theÌýDO-IT ScholarsÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýDO-IT PalsÌý±è°ù´Ç²µ°ù²¹³¾²õ.
Summer Study II
You will return to the ÌÇÐÄÔ´´ campus for a one-week live-in summer program and meet the new Phase IÌýScholars. You will also have the opportunity to further develop your knowledge, skills, and interests gained during the previous year by working on a team project with other Phase IIÌýDO-IT Scholars, UW faculty, and professionals.
Phase III
Beginning September 1 of the second year, Phase III includes opportunities to contribute to the DO-IT program. You will continue to develop your communication and leadership skills through internetworking and peer mentoring, and explore opportunities for summer internships.
DO-IT Ambassadors
After you graduate from high school, you have the option of becoming aÌýDO-IT Ambassador.ÌýAmbassadorÌýresponsibilities encompass those of Phase IIIScholars, with the addition of the following:
- Share college experiences withÌýDO-IT ScholarsÌý²¹²Ô»å give college transition advice based on these experiences.
- Mentor youngerÌýScholarsÌý²¹²Ô»å help monitor theÌýdoitchatÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýdoitkidsÌýdiscussion lists to make sure allÌýScholarsÌýstay active and netiquette rules are followed, mainly by setting a good example.
- Take advantage of opportunities to teach local pre-college students how to use a computer and the Internet and tell them about DO-IT opportunities.
- Be available to assist at conferences and speak to groups about the value of the Internet, computers and program activities for students with disabilities.
DO-IT Mentors
I'm sure you can think of one or more people in your life who have supplied information, offered advice, presented a challenge, initiated friendship or simply expressed an interest in your development as a person. Without their intervention you may have remained on the same path, perhaps continuing a horizontal progression through your academic, career or personal life.ÌýMentorsÌýare an important part of the DO-IT team.ÌýDO-IT MentorsÌýare college students, faculty and professionals in a wide variety of career fields, many with disabilities themselves.
MentorsÌýare valuable resources to you. As guides, counselors, teachers, and friends, they inspire and facilitate academic, career, and personal achievements. Relationships developed with your mentors become channels for the passage of information, advice, opportunities, challenges, and support with the ultimate goals of facilitating achievement and having fun.
Most DO-IT mentoring takes place on the Internet. To get to knowÌýDO-IT Mentors:
- Introduce yourself. Share your personal, academic, and career interests and plans.
- Ask them about their personal interests as well as their interests and experiences in academics and careers.
- Seek their advice about college preparation, entrance and success. Ask about career options. Discuss disability-related academic and job accommodation issues.
DO-IT MentorsÌý´Ç´Ú´Ú±ð°ù:
- Information -ÌýMentorsÌýshare their knowledge, experiences and wisdom.
- Contacts -ÌýMentorsÌýprovide valuable opportunities by facilitating academic career, and personal contacts.
- Challenges -ÌýMentorsÌýstimulate curiosity and build confidence by presenting new ideas, opportunities and challenges.
- Support -ÌýMentorsÌýencourage growth and achievement by providing an open and supportive environment.
- Goal Setting -ÌýMentorsÌýhelp you discover talents and interests and define and attain your goals.
- Advice -ÌýMentorsÌýguide you in reaching academic, career and personal goals.
- Role Models - By sharing their stories of achievement with you,ÌýMentorsÌýcan become your role models.
"Netiquette": Electronic Mail Guidelines forÌýDO-IT ScholarsÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýAmbassadors
- Keep paragraphs in your messages short and separate paragraphs with blank spaces.
- Avoid covering several topics in one message. It's better to send multiple messages. Then, the receiver can respond to each topic separately.
- Use mixed upper and lower case letters rather than all capitalized letters. Avoid using control characters or special keys.
- It's friendly to begin a message with the real name of the person with whom you are corresponding. End the message with your real name.
- When replying to a message that was sent to you, include the email message to which you are replying. Decide if the reply should be sent to the group or just the individual who sent the message.
- Keep discussions relevant to academic, college, career and disability-related topics. Do not send chain mail or junk mail to the lists.
- Do not use words others might find offensive. Avoid personal attacks. Don't engage in name-calling.
- Do not participate in conversations that would not be acceptable to your parents and/or DO-IT staff.
- Do not engage in conversations that you are not comfortable with. Immediately report offensive or troubling email messages that you receive to the DO-IT Director.
- Remember that an email message is easy for recipients to forward to others and, therefore, is not appropriate for very personal messages-it's more like a post card than a sealed letter.
- Take advantage of the spell check feature.
- Review your message BEFORE you send it.
What is an "Active"ÌýDO-IT ScholarÌý´Ç°ùÌýAmbassador?
Your computer system and DO-IT activities are provided to help pursue your interests in college studies and careers. To be a member of the DO-IT team you must be an "active"ÌýDO-IT ScholarÌý´Ç°ùÌýAmbassador. As an activeÌýDO-IT ScholarÌý´Ç°ùÌýAmbassador, you should strive to meet the following goals:
- Maintain an active email account. Notify DO-IT staff when your address changes.
- Read and respond to email messages at least once per week.
- Respond to personal messages sent directly to you by aÌýMentor,ÌýScholar,ÌýAmbassadorÌýor DO-IT staff member (response may be as simple as "Thanks for the information").
- Regularly communicate withÌýDO-IT ScholarsÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýMentorsÌýby sending email messages to theÌýdoitkids,ÌýdoitchatÌý´Ç°ùÌýdoitsemÌý²µ°ù´Ç³Ü±è²õ.
- Respond to all requests for information sent to the DO-IT discussion lists and surveys distributed by DO-IT staff (an acceptable response is "I choose not to participate in this particular survey," or "I am unable to attend this event").
- Send personal greetings to newÌýDO-IT Scholars,ÌýDO-IT Pals, and to other DO-IT participants.
- Use the computer and electronic resources in your regular academic school work (for example to write papers or to obtain information to use in class papers, projects, or discussions).
- Attend DO-IT special events and workshops when possible.
- Complete the special requirements of Phase I, II, and IIIÌýScholarsÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýAmbassadorsÌýas described in this publication.
Key Electronic Resources
To contact staff, update your contact information, request publications or ask questions about the program, email DO-IT.
As aÌýDO-IT ScholarÌý´Ç°ùÌýAmbassadorÌýyou are automatically subscribed to and have the opportunity to participate in several electronic discussion lists.
ScholarsÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýAmbassadorsÌýcan communicate with each other by sending a message to DO-IT Kids.
AmbassadorsÌýcan communicate with each other and with allÌýMentorsÌýby sending email to DO-IT Mentors.
To reach allÌýDO-IT Scholars,ÌýPalsÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýMentorsÌýsend email to DO-IT Chat.
To discuss issues pertaining to individuals with disabilities and their pursuit of technology, science, engineering, and mathematics academic programs and careers,ÌýDO-IT ScholarsÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýAmbassadorsÌýare automatically subscribed to the doitsem discussion list. To send a message to the group, email doitsem.
ÌÇÐÄÔ´´ DO-IT
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 9550003. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Copyright © 2013, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2003, 1999, ÌÇÐÄÔ´´. Permission is granted to copy these materials for educational, noncommercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged.
DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs such as those in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Primary funding for DO-IT is provided by the National Science Foundation, the State of ÌÇÐÄÔ´´, and the U.S. Department of Education. DO-IT is a collaboration ofÌýÌý²¹²Ô»å the Colleges ofÌýÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýÌýat the ÌÇÐÄÔ´´.
Grants and gifts fund DO-IT publications, videos, and programs to support the academic and career success of people with disabilities. Contribute today by sending a check to DO-IT, Box 354842, ÌÇÐÄÔ´´, Seattle, WA 98195-4842.
Your gift is tax deductible as specified in IRS regulations. Pursuant to RCW 19.09, the ÌÇÐÄÔ´´ is registered as a charitable organization with the Secretary of State, state of ÌÇÐÄÔ´´. For more information call the Office of the Secretary of State, 1-800-322-4483.
To order free publications or newsletters use the DO-ITÌýPublications Order Form; to order videos and training materials use theÌýVideos, Books and Comprehensive Training Materials Order Form.
For further information, to be placed on the DO-IT mailing list, request materials in an alternate format, or to make comments or suggestions about DO-IT publications or web pages contact:
DO-IT
ÌÇÐÄÔ´´
Box 354842
Seattle, WA 98195-4842
doit@uw.eduÌý
www.uw.edu/doit/Ìý
206-685-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
888-972-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
206-221-4171 (fax)
509-328-9331 (voice/TTY) Spokane
Founder and Director:Ìý, Ph.D.