Don P. Jason III joined the Avoice Virtual Library Team as an intern for the summer of 2010. During his time with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF), Jason had the opportunity to work with researchers at Howard University’s Moorland-Spingarn Research Center (MSRC), the official repository for the papers of the Congressional Black Caucus. There Jason searched through archives for documents from the CBC archives to include in the upcoming Avoice exhibit on U.S. education policy which is set to launch in late fall 2010. Jason also had the opportunity to use document scanners and other technology to digitize documents in the collection to use on the Avoice Website and make available to researchers who frequently visit MSRC.
“I was honored to be selected to work with the CBCF staff as well as with the staff from Howard University, on the Avoice projectâ¦To me, this experience was more than an internship, it was a chance to interact with history firsthand and an opportunity to do my part in preserving it,” said Jason.
In addition to his work at the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Jason also had the opportunity to work at the CBCF office, where he developed content to market the Avoice Project and conducted additional research for the site. Jason also got opportunities to attend CBCF staff planning meetings, and to tour the U.S. Legislative Archives held inside the National Archives building.
Jason, a native of Cincinnati, OH, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ohio Universityâs E.W. Scripps School of Journalism with a Bachelorâs of Science in Journalism in June of 2010.
“Interning with the Avoice project has given me an invaluable opportunity to network with professionals and to gain new skills that I can utilize during my graduate education and ultimately during my future career,” said Jason.
After his experience with the CBCF, Jason will continue his education at Kent State University in the fall. He will begin a masterâs program in Library and Information Science and plans to specialize in archives and academic libraries.
For more information about the Virtual Library Internship please email: info@avoiceonline.org or call 202-263-2800.