AFRL internship program inspires innovation, service

Published Aug. 26, 2014
By Derek Hardin
Air Force Research Laboratory Headquarters

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- An honors student/student body president, a Ph.D. student at the University of California-Berkeley, and a recently hired mechanical engineer at Robins Air Force Base, Ga.: What do all of these people have in common? They are all former participants of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Internship Program at the Air Force Research Lab who credit the program as a key component of their successes.

AFRL has been involved in the TMCF program for 15 years, and 300 student interns have participated to date. Each year, this national scholarship internship program offers students attending the 47 publically supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including law and medical schools, a first-hand professional development experience. The program focuses on developing leadership skills, introducing various career opportunities, creating a community of scholars, providing companies access to a talented and diverse student population, and helping students make connections that lead to internships and full-time positions.

"Our goal for the program is to establish and foster effective practices by promoting elite workforce initiatives," said Justin Lee, AFRL program manager for the TMCF Internship Program. "By focusing on exclusive workforce initiatives to build morale, we explore revolutionary new ideas through basic science that delivers new capabilities to the warfighter. AFRL is a place where diverse cultures are accepted and all students and employees strive to foster an environment of acceptance, inclusion, and cooperation. AFRL is focused on acquiring and retaining a unique workforce."

This year, 30 TMCF interns gained knowledge and experience in many of AFRL's technology directorates, including Materials & Manufacturing, Sensors, Munitions, Information, and the 711th Human Performance Wing. Interns were involved in such projects as autonomous air vehicles, Shape Deposition Manufacturing and other rapid prototyping techniques, and the development of novel diagnostics of material properties. There was also an intern who served at AFRL headquarters, as part of the communications team within the Commander's Action Group.

This intern, Maso Cotton, is a recent political science graduate of Virginia State University, and he is another program participant who feels the TMCF internship program has positively impacted his young professional career.

"The TMCF Internship program was able to place me in an internship where I would be able to apply skills that pertain to my major," said Cotton. "I am thankful that this opportunity was presented to me because it definitely exposed me to a division of public service work that I may not have otherwise considered as a possible career choice."

Cotton adds, "I would certainly recommend the program to other students. Both AFRL and TMCF provided me with the necessary tools to be productive in this internship opportunity, and I believe that both organizations are helping me improve my work ethic and abilities, professionalism, and overall preparedness for my career."

Donyai Moffatt, a senior at Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina, recently participated in his second TMCF internship at AFRL, within the Sensors Directorate. One of his projects this year was the creation of engraved patterns on a copper plate for use in an antenna measurement system. Moffatt states that interning with AFRL has provided him with valuable experience.

"I have capitalized on my opportunities with my AFRL internship experience by working in a diverse workforce and gaining knowledge in cutting-edge software, setting myself as a contender for a government job post-graduation," said Moffatt.

Michael McConkey, RF Technology Branch Chief of the Sensors Directorate at AFRL and TMCF program mentor, believes the benefits of the TMCF internship at AFRL are two-fold.

"It provides AFRL the opportunity to discover talent from colleges/universities that may not normally participate in summer intern programs," McConkey said. "The program then provides valuable professional and real-world experience to those interns who participate. That experience is taken back to their respective institutions, and hopefully shared with others."

The 2014 TMCF internship program at AFRL has come to a close. As AFRL surges into the future, it will continue to seek out the best and brightest workforce. AFRL leaders noted the TMCF Internship is one investment program that will help AFRL accomplish this goal.

"Many of these young people had no knowledge of AFRL or the science and technology research opportunities we offer for both military and civilians employees," said Ricky Peters, AFRL executive director. "I believe this exposure will excite their interest and provide a pipeline for recruitment and innovation that will serve the nation well in the future."