'Human GPS' finds way to D.C.

By Ben Bromley / News Republic

Even the "human GPS" needs a little time to find his way around.

Baraboo native Mitchell Paschen's mastery of geography got him nicknamed after a global positioning system. But a few days into an internship in Washington, D.C., Paschen admits he's still getting his bearings. His first tasks included meeting people on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection staff, as well as helping to install 152 new computers.

"So far, I have learned how hard it is to keep track of 152 computers," Paschen said, adding that he's learning new software applications. "I have already learned much about management, but I still have yet to learn the technical stuff such as how to configure a router or how to use group policy in Windows Server."

Paschen is studying information technology infrastructure and geography at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. But this summer, he's taking part in a federal internship sponsored by Microsoft and the American Association of People with Disabilities. The internship program is designed to provide college students with disabilities interested in pursuing careers in computers with an opportunity to gain experience working in the federal government. Only 10 students from around the country are selected through an application and interview process. Paschen has Asperger's syndrome, a condition on the high-functioning side of the Autism spectrum.

"This internship will help me gain the technical knowledge to operate and configure hardware and software," Paschen said. "This will help me eventually when I want to move forward to working with GPS software because once I know how to use it and configure it, I can officially work with it."

Paschen, 21, is the president and regional liaison for the Association of Information Technology Professionals - UW-Whitewater chapter; a Warhawk Ambassador; member of the Honors Student Association;

e-mail coordinator for the Jewish Student Organization; and a member of the Warhawk Marching Band and member of Phi Eta Sigma and Beta Gamma Sigma honor societies.

Paschen found out about the internship through an e-mail message he received at school. His interest intensified when he learned his housing and transportation to Washington would be paid. "It looked like a wonderful experience, so I applied for it," Paschen said.

Paschen hopes to work in computers and global information systems after graduation. The "human GPS" would like to work with applications like Google Maps.

This summer, he'll spend 10 weeks honing his computer skills and learning firsthand how political and regulatory processes work.

"I did learn a little what Microsoft Project was and I learned what SharePoint was," Paschen said. "I have heard the term "SharePoint" used so much in the corporate world and never knew what it meant. It is a Microsoft application on a server that allows employees to open and modify documents without worrying about sending them via e-mail. It also allows all employees to keep track of which version of the document is the most recent."

By harnessing the talent that exists among college students with disabilities, the internships demonstrate to public and private employers that students with disabilities are solid prospects as members of the information technology workforce.

He's a long way from Baraboo, but Paschen said his upbringing prepared him well for a career. "Having classes in high school like Maintaining PCs and Computer Programming allowed me to have a little knowledge of how software works even before I entered college," he said. "Looking back now at my education, I can clearly see that Baraboo had the right idea when it came to education."