School of Computing TLO Internship is a community-based learning opportunity for students. Students will apply the knowledge and techniques they have learned in the classroom to help local community partners to develop a website for their organization. In the digital era, the Web has become the essential source for people to gather information and news. Having a well-designed and easy-to-use Website is the key to success for any organization. The effectiveness of website development depends on good interactions and communications between clients and Web designers. Therefore, it is important for students to gain first-hand experiences of interacting with real-world clients. Students participating in the TLO program will receive scholarship award of $1000. This program is managed by Ching-Hua Chuan and Karthikeyan Umapathy. This program is funded by TLO funds from UNF Undergraduate Studies Office.

Local community partners such as non-profit and small business organizations with minimum IT support and resources are ideal partners for this TLO. Building effective Web applications is costly because it involves hiring professional designers, purchasing software and hardware, as well as incurring costs for future maintenance. These costs undoubtedly constitute financial barriers for organizations to establish online presence and outreach. However, the proposed TLO aims to turn the constraints of software/hardware expenses and limited budget into educational opportunities for students to solve real-world problems.

Internship Benefits for Students: 

• Students will be empowered to see the real-world application of the knowledge and skills they have learned in the classroom, and to give back to the society in a meaningful and tangible way.
• Students will be transformed by learning how to explain their design and concept using non-technical terms to communicate with their community partner.
• Students will learn how to achieve a balance between technical efficiency and partner's expectations.
• Students will learn how to use Joomla content management system to develop a website.

Internship Benefits for Community Partners: 

• Community partner will obtain a cost-effective means of designing and developing a website.
• Community partners will have self-sustainable solution for website, as student will train partners with using Joomla content management system to develop their website.

2012 Summer TLO Internship participating Community Partners 

Helping Hands Neighborhood Network Center, Inc 

• Helping Hands NNC mission is to increase employment opportunities, improve academic performance, and enhance quality of life for the residents of the Eureka Gardens community by providing reliable access to computer technology and training.

            Student Intern: Jonathan Huber

            Website developed: http://www.helpinghandsjax.com/ 

Durbin Creek Wilderness Society 

• Durbin Creek Wilderness Society mission is to clean Bartram canoe trail and other trails around Jacksonville. Society removes logs, fallen tree, and other illegal dumping in the canoe and reopens canoe trail for public use.

            Student Interns: Efrain Diaz and Trisha Diamond

            Website developed: http://www.durbin-creek.com/ 

Medical Business Solutions 

• Medical Business Solutions is a Healthcare Management Consulting Service. Medical Business Solutions offers consulting services to support operations, clinical programs and business planning including services for departmental operations, to optimize patient care services.

            Student Intern: William Hackney

            Website: http://www.medicalbusinesssolutionsinc.com/ 

HIV Medical Case Management 

• HIV Medical Case Management is information resource website for HIV case managers. On this site case manager can locate information and resources about case management, housing assistance, food pantry services, medical/dental resources, transportations, latest trends, articles, links and other useful information. This is site developed and maintained by Northeast Florida AIDS Network (NFAN).

            Student Interns: Raymond McDermott, Devin Sharp, and Kyle Rhodes

            Website: http://www.hivmcmjax.org/ 

Legal Rescue  

• Legal Rescue assists clients with preparation and submission of documents to Federal, state and county courts. Specializes in family law, civil, small claims, bankruptcy, tenant and landlord disputes. Legal Rescue is client of Beaver Street Enterprise Center, Jacksonville's only business incubator.

            Student Interns: Niloufar Mohaseb and Anusha Srialluri

            Website: Not released due to lack of full commitment from the partner

TLO Website Presentations

On August 6, 2012, TLO interns presented website developed for their clients. Student presentations and website was assessed by three panel judges. Judges were Matt Stueck (CTO, ICS), Jen Hyde (Owner & CEO of Acqylla Public Relations & Communications and Communications Assistant for the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida), and Lisa Jamba (Senior Instructor, School of Computing, UNF).

First Place Winner (Prize: $100) 

Efrain Diaz and Trisha Diamond, interns for Durbin Creek Wilderness Society

http://www.durbin-creek.com/  

Second place was tied between two teams.

Second Place Winner (Prize: $75) 

Jonathan Huber intern for Helping Hands

http://www.helpinghandsjax.com/  

Second Place Winner (Prize: $75) 

William Hackney intern for Medical Business Solutions

http://www.medicalbusinesssolutionsinc.com/  

Program Materials 

 TLO Application 

 TLO Flyer 

Notes

We are thankful to the UNF Office of Undergraduate Studies for sponsoring this TLO program. We are grateful to the UNF Center for Community-Based Learning (CCBL) for helping us with identifying community partners.