This summer, Charley McNeilly ’28, a computer science major from Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania, has an internship with the Da Vinci Science Center in downtown Allentown. The experience is part of the Office of Community Engagement’s Community Internship Program.
Why did you decide to pursue this experience?
I wanted to pursue this internship because it allows me to use the skills I’ve been developing at Muhlenberg and throughout my education as a whole to contribute to a cause I care deeply for, which is STEAM education. It’s been amazing so far to see the impact on children that an accessible and inclusive learning environment can provide. The organization encourages me to experience the museum when not too busy, which has allowed me to witness some beautiful moments. The building is fully bilingual, ADA accessible, and focused on inclusion, which brings much joy to kids seeing themselves in science. It’s so heartwarming and valuable and I am beyond grateful for this experience!
Muhlenberg has taught me not just how to code but how to present the impact of said code to a wide audience.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I am helping the science center organize data surrounding their District Connect Membership Program, which allows schools, libraries, and other community organizations to get a membership that gives them various benefits and aids in K-12 STEAM education. I’m also automating tasks to better use employee time.
A day in my life includes my commute bright and early on the LANTA system, occasional meetings in which I learn about current operations and brainstorm automation that can aid in task completion and organization, and implementing said automation and organization systems. My skills in coding, understanding website and data structures, and knowing how pieces of the internet interact with each other all allow me to contribute to overall success for our partnerships and the center as a whole.
How have your Muhlenberg experiences helped you in this work?
Muhlenberg has taught me not just how to code but how to present the impact of said code to a wide audience. Being the only technical person in my department means explaining tasks like web scraping to Excel files to people with very different backgrounds in a way you are uniquely prepared for, coming from a liberal arts environment. Having completed computer science projects with everyone from art majors to pre-health students at Muhlenberg helps me practice explaining things with the proper mix of treating them with the respect they deserve as intelligent individuals and the simplification they may need if they’re less technically inclined. This experience has proven beyond useful in explaining the impact of various systems and the proper ways to fully utilize them.
