Intern Finds Passion In IT

Young Professional Dorothy O’Berry initially joined Genesys Works as a way to make money during the school year. The Como Park High School senior’s mind was already set on studying English in college, and she wasn’t interested in IT. But her mindset quickly changed once the eight-week summer training began.



Dorothy asks a question during a weekly Career and College Connection meeting. Dorothy has recently been accepted to the University of Minnesota.

“My reasons for joining changed the moment I walked into Classroom Three in June 2012. I realized Genesys Works was more than a way to make money. It is an opportunity to explore new options and face new challenges–two things I love doing,” said Dorothy.

Dorothy poses with the rest of her Deluxe Corporation cohort at Draft Day.

She quickly became more interested in IT, too. Throughout the summer, Dorothy participated in IT labs where she got to take apart a computer and put it back together, create a virtual desktop, image computers, and more. These hands-on experiences helped cement her passion for technology.

Currently, Dorothy is a Desktop Engineer at Deluxe Corporation. When she’s not creating, packing, and testing applications and images, she’s working on completing her A+ Certification, the starting certification for a career in IT.

“Dorothy is doing a phenomenal job working on the Desktop Engineering team,” said her supervisor, Todd Cramer. “We are impressed with her work ethic and motivation towards her A+ Certification. She is always willing to take on new endeavors and approaches each activity with a positive attitude.”

And Dorothy’s success is paying off. She was recently selected as a national runner up for the National Center for Women & Information Technology "Aspirations in Computing Award" and will be sharing her experiences to around 100 people at Tech IT Out! Minnesota, an event dedicated to expanding youth interest in IT.

Dorothy speaks at the 2012 Breaking Through Ceremony. Dorothy will also be speaking at Tech IT Out! Minnesota in March.

If you’re interested in hosting an intern like Dorothy, contact Executive Director Jeff Tollefson at jtollefson@genesysworks.org.