Muhlenberg athletes are spending the summer of 2025 enjoying fantastic experiences on campus, in their hometowns, and across the country.

Rising sophomore women's basketball player Veronica Dawson has done a little bit of everything as a technology assistant, using her skills to help real people at a local community organization.

This summer, I'm working as a technology assistant at a local community organization, and my role includes a little bit of everything tech-related. I've been helping with a website redesign, troubleshooting hardware and software issues, supporting the social media strategy, and maintaining the site's content.

I also assist people in the computer lab, help build a digital literacy curriculum for high school students, and lead a bilingual (English/Spanish) digital literacy program for older adults in the Elder Care program.

I wanted to spend my summer doing something that combined my interest in technology with meaningful community work. This opportunity stood out because it wasn't just about sitting behind a screen; it was about using tech skills to support real people. Whether I'm helping someone fix a slow laptop or designing a workshop for teens, I know the work I'm doing is making a difference in people's daily lives.

One of the highlights has been leading the cyber senior support program. A lot of the seniors I work with are Spanish-speaking, so being bilingual has been really helpful. It's rewarding to help someone learn how to video call their family or send an email for the first time. These might seem like small things, but for them, it's a big step toward independence and staying connected.

This experience has shown me how important it is to make technology accessible, and it's something I want to keep focusing on in my career. I'm not exactly sure what my path will look like yet (maybe something in IT, UX design, or tech education), but I know I want to keep working at the intersection of tech and community.

My classes at Muhlenberg have helped me feel prepared, especially in computer science and media and communication. I've learned a lot of practical skills that I'm now using every day. I also really appreciate the guidance I got from Hamed Yaghoobian (assistant professor of computer science), who encouraged me to take on a summer role that involved both technical work and service.

One of the funniest moments so far was during a senior workshop when a group of older adults started showing off their favorite emoji combos. Before long, we were deep into a conversation about texting culture and digital expression. It was unexpected and honestly fun. Little moments like that have made this summer experience way more than just a job.

pictured above: Dawson gets interviewed for a piece on children of Verizon employees working in tech.

Doing something interesting this summer? Fill out this form to be included in our Summer Check-In series!