Meet Volunteer of Do Space Melinda Deinhart

Do Space would not be possible without all the volunteers that contribute to our programs and assisting our members. They are the pulse of everything we do and give us the ability to offer members help in all different kinds of skills. The goal of this effort it to capture and share the people that are volunteering at Do Space and how it positively affects their lives. What led them to volunteer? What sort of impact they are making? And why they continue to contribute?

I am pleased to introduce you to Melinda Deinhart who has been a Sidekick and Explorer with the Do Space volunteer program since February 2016. Melinda currently works in Web Development for a local dealership. I sat down with Melinda to ask her a few questions about her experience working for Do Space as a volunteer.

What led you to volunteer at Do Space?
I started volunteering in February of 2016 when I had just moved to Omaha and wanted to get into the tech industry here. Do Space had just opened a couple of months before, and lots of the people that I met were super excited about it– so I decided to dive in myself.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering at Do Space?
I love seeing people get genuinely excited about technology. It happens a lot here!

What position do you hold at Do Space and how does it contribute towards Do Space mission?
I started as a Sidekick at the help desk and moved to TA-ing for Hello Code and then Girls Who Code during the school year.  Now that summer is here, I’m transitioning back to a Sidekick. Both of these positions contribute to Do Space’s mission in that they help make technology available to people who otherwise might not be able to access it.

When was a time that you felt like you made a difference and really helped a member?
My most rewarding experience at Do Space has been TA-ing for Girls Who Code. Our section of class had eleven middle-school-aged girls in it, many of whom finished the school year enjoying coding enough that they plan to continue with it, either in high school classes or with more Girls Who Code sessions. We can always use more women in technology, so I’m really excited that so many of them showed long-term interest!

What is something you would tell a friend that is thinking about volunteering?
Do it, of course! You’ll learn a lot and get to meet some really great people.

LEARN more about how to become a volunteer!