Mohamed Ndour ’20 Wabash College IT Department – I would like to start off by thanking the Mellon Grant for providing me the opportunity to intern for 8 weeks at the Wabash IT Department. I also want to thank Mr. Roland Morin for helping me throughout the application process.

If you happened to be on campus over the summer, you’ve probably seen my team and me passing by the mall or going from building to building. One of the main projects we completed was installing new internet routers in order to improve the school’s Wi-Fi speed. That took us around 3 weeks, but everything went smoothly. I hadn’t done such work in the past, which is why I was glad to work alongside young men like Oscar Chavez, Devin Atkins etc. We developed a sense of trust and togetherness through our journey. In the weekdays, we were all present at Baxter 202 by 8 am – ready to take on the day ahead and be of service in any way we could by solving the problems listed in the tickets. If at any time we weren’t booked, we’d get computer towers, monitors, docking stations, etc. ready for their proper users. We also had to set up new computers for new and some current staff members. I will say that was one the most exciting part of my internship. It was my first time installing computers on my own, which I learned and practiced at Baxter 202 before performing it out at Trippet, Fine Arts Center, and Hays. It was quite an experience.

The work of the IT department is very broad. We were present during the 3 Wabash 101 events to help many members of the incoming class of ‘21 get their Wabash ID made and help those who had trouble accessing their Wabash email account. During the events, I had the chance to meet some of the freshmen whom I will gladly call brothers in the semesters ahead.

Not getting to see my family for 8 weeks after finishing the school year was challenging, but I am delighted that I stayed. The experiences I’ve gained have made it worthwhile. I would recommend any student thinking of pursuing an IT-related career down the road, without hesitation, to take advantage of this opportunity because it is a good way to prepare yourself.