ENTRY POINT! is a program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) offering outstanding internship opportunities for students with disabilities in science, engineering, mathematics, computer science, and some fields of business. To meet the challenge of the competitive global economy in the new millennium, private industry and government research agencies must expand the pool of technical talent.

NEW! How to Get the Most Out of Your Internship (MS Word, 69KB)

Also NEW! Guide to Telephone Interviews for Internships (MS Word, 99KB)

AAAS has created a publication documenting 30 years of the AAAS Project on Science Technology and Disability.

AAAS has developed unique partnerships with IBM, NASA, Merck, NOAA, Google, Lockheed Martin, CVS, NAVAIR, Pfizer, Infosys, and university science laboratories to meet their human resources needs. Working with its partners, AAAS identifies and screens undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities who are pursuing degrees in science, engineering, mathematics, computer science, and some fields of business, and places them in paid summer internships.

The ENTRY POINT! program includes opportunities in private industry and government agencies. Students with disabilities can apply their skills in a real-world setting in competitive summer internships.

The ENTRY POINT! internships are particularly valuable because of the availability of mentoring and assistive technology, facilitating the entry and advancement of individuals with significant disabilities into competitive employment and research at all levels.

ACCESS, ENTRY POINT! and AAAS

ACCESS (Achieving Competence in Computing, Engineering, and Space Science) is a summer internship program for students with disabilities sponsored by AAAS and NASA . ACCESS is managed by ENTRY POINT! The application process is the same. Kelly Halacka (right) was an intern at NASA Glenn in Cleveland and then had two co-op assignments at Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston with a NASA bioengineering contractor. Kelly who is hearing impaired, is now working at NASA/Glenn.

ENTRY POINT! Opportunities Around the Country

ENTRY POINT! partners and their work sites are located all around the U.S. — North, South, East, West, and Central. When you apply to ENTRY POINT!, often part of the experience is re-locating for ten weeks to another part of the country. Don't limit yourself by thinking only of summer employment near your campus or your permanent residence. As a student with a disability, you have already met and overcome many challenges. A summer internship in a new location will challenge you in unexpected ways. The environment may be very different from your hometown or university. As you learn about other people and other ways of doing things, you will learn more about yourself. When you finish your degree, you will have a successful internship on your record and the experience of working in a different location. Jessica Mahood (right) attended Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. She moved to Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston, Texas for her summer internship.

Are you a scientist, engineer, IT professional, or mathematician with a sensory, mobility, learning, or other disability? AAAS invites you to participate in the Resource Directory of Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities. This Directory is used by the National Science Foundation, government agencies, universities, newspapers, and individuals to recruit advisors, speakers, mentors, and peer-reviewers.

To be listed in the Directory: http://ehrweb.aaas.org/resource
To read the press release: http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2006/1010directory.shtml
To download the brochure: http://ehrweb.aaas.org/resource/resourceBrochure.pdf
To download a print ad: http://ehrweb.aaas.org/resource/AD35x5_Layout1_1_1.jpg