Summer Launch Project 2025
About the Summer Launch Project
What is the Summer Launch Project?
The Summer Launch Project is an annual initiative within the Transformation Guild mentoring program. Its main objective is to bring together program members and encourage them to establish new projects or expand the scope of existing ones. The idea behind this project is to tap into the potential of the Transformation Guild and launch innovative initiatives every summer that can benefit from its resources and support.
Why Summer?
The Summer Launch Project takes place during the summer because the mentoring program is specifically designed for students, and summer is a time when students are typically free from their academic commitments. By organizing the project during this period, without the constraints of regular academic responsibilities, students have the opportunity to dedicate their energy and attention to developing innovative ideas and making significant progress on their projects, either launching new or expanding existing ones.
The idea behind the Summer Launch Project is to foster constant growth within the Transformation Guild and its members. By regularly introducing new initiatives and expanding the scope of existing projects, the guild can continuously evolve and remain at the forefront of innovation. The summer timeframe provides a designated period for this purpose, allowing for consistent growth and development within the program.
Interns
One of the Technology for Causes interns is Joseph Kutcher, a rising senior at Towson University. He is currently double majoring in Mass Communications with a focus on Journalism and English. He discovered this internship from his father, who founded the Transformational Guild. As a Technology for Causes intern, Joseph is passionate about gaining real-world experience in writing, reporting, and promoting charitable causes. Outside of the internship, Joseph enjoys reading, bowling, and going to the gym. He hopes to use his new skills to create impacting stories for meaningful causes.
Bruna Laurent is a rising junior at George Mason University, where she is majoring in Government & International Politics and pursuing double minors in Legal Studies and Political Communications. Coming from a background as the child of Haitian immigrants, Bruna is also a passionate reader, enjoying series like "The Hunger Games," "Divergent," and "Three Dark Crowns." A unique experience she recounts is riding horses to a military base during a trip to Haiti with her parents.
Matthew Liechty is an outgoing rising senior at Penn State University majoring in Film. He discovered this passion after taking a general education class and was immediately drawn to the way film blends visuals, music, and narrative to create, in his words, “something sublime.” Matt now hopes to pursue a career as a Film Director or Director of Photography. He joined the Transformation Guild to gain experience while using his creativity and his talents in meaningful ways. In his free time, he enjoys reading.
One of the Transformation Guild’s newest interns, Aleesha Khan is a fan of Crazy Rich Asians! She enjoys dreaming of traveling to Singapore, inspired by the film’s beautiful and vibrant setting! She’s passionate about going into the healthcare field, specifically dreaming of a career in ophthalmology. On her free time, she enjoys watching tennis matches; matches specifically with her favorite plater, Carlos Alcaraz.
Aleeza Khan is a 17-year-old rising senior at Patterson Mill High School with a strong interest in both medicine and computer science, two fields she’s considering as potential college majors. Her passion for healthcare is reflected in her involvement with her school’s medical club. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis and hanging out with friends. Inspired by her older sister Yumnah, Aleeza joined the Transformation Guild as an intern, eager to gain hands-on experience and explore new opportunities.
Yumnah Khan, a recent high school graduate from Bel Air, Maryland, will attend the University of Maryland to major in Biology (pre-med) with a minor in Computer Science. She aims to become a physician and is combining her studies to prepare for the growing intersection of technology and healthcare. In her free time, she enjoys reading, shopping, watching movies, and spending time with friends and family.
Chloe Macis is a rising junior at the University of Maryland. She was motivated to intern at Transformation Guild because she wanted to gain exposure in research and felt that a very beginner friendly internship would help her to do so. Chloe majors in Finance, and she believes that this internship would benefit her major as it is useful to look at how nonprofits allocate money and how businesses run. She hopes that the skills she learns over this summer will help her obtain a corporate internship for the next summer and will allow her to forge new connections through study abroad programs, such as those in Spain.
Returning for her second year with Transformation Guild is Sylvia Woosley! Sylvia is a devout student at John Caroll High School, where she will be going into her senior year this fall. Sylvia is a dedicated member of Scientist Olympia and Envirothon with hopes of eventually studying biomedical engineering. In her free time Sylvia enjoys scrapbooking, crafting incredible birthday cards, and spending time with her dog and twin sister!
When a rising senior at Edgewood High School, Taylor Deminds heard about the Technology 4 Causes Transformation Guild Internship Program, she knew she wanted to become a member. With long-standing aspirations to work as a creative journalist, Taylor is constantly pursuing ways to enhance her writing and leadership skills, participating in the Literary Magazine and Student Government Association at her school, and now further honing these skills by working with T4C’s small but mighty team of interns. Outside of journalism, Taylor loves to spend time with her family members and get in touch with her artistic side by painting and drawing. As the oldest of four siblings, Taylor is no stranger to leadership or organized chaos. Whether she is volunteering ideas at SGA meetings, writing captivating articles for the Edgewood Literary Magazine, painting, or spending time with family, it is undeniable that Taylor is motivated, driven, and fearless when working to achieve her goals.
Myra Mian is a rising senior at Patterson Mill High School with a strong passion for research and storytelling, aiming to gain real-world experience through this summer. She aspires to major in physics or biology in college next year. Myra also envisions herself making impactful contributions in the scientific field through research in the near future. Myra is looking forward to a peaceful and focused senior year, as she prepares for the next chapter in her bright, academic journey. Her mantra at the moment is “Never give up.”
Mentors
An integral part of the John Carroll community since 1999, Matthew currently teaches sophomore English and serves as the English Department Chair. Matthew has a genuine love for teaching and working with students, and in 2022 he was named JC Educator of the Year by the student body.When presented with the opportunity to utilize his English skills to contribute to education while promoting various community causes, he felt a deep sense of duty to become a mentor. With Matthew’s guidance, our operation has become more effective, and the proficiency of our writers has steadily improved.
Jarret Cassaniti is a technical writer and knowledge management professional with over 20 years of experience supporting teams in complex, low-resource settings, including his time in the Peace Corps and long-term work in countries like Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania. Specializing in helping organizations and individuals make better use of what they know, Jarret focuses on making things clearer, more human-centered, and more useful. His genuine passion for working with people and students drives his mentorship, where he acts as a calm, empathetic guide who believes in listening first to understand each person’s perspective. He has found that the best solutions often come from building trust, honoring local context, and giving people the tools to solve problems on their own. With a master's degree in Science Writing from Johns Hopkins and an MPH from Emory University, Jarret brings a wealth of knowledge to guide our writers and improve their proficiency.
Joan Jackson is an educational change management consultant and risk strategist with over three decades of experience in K–12 and higher education leadership. She is known for aligning organizational objectives with measurable outcomes and has a proven track record of leading complex change initiatives and building stakeholder trust. When mentoring, Joan sees herself as a "guide on the side," believing that allowing interns the freedom to infuse their creativity and personal interests into their projects fosters a crucial sense of ownership. Her role is to advise and, at times, play devil’s advocate to challenge their perspectives and ensure that alternative viewpoints are considered. With a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, her guidance empowers students to take control of their projects, understand the public's perspective, and effectively communicate a clear message about each organization's mission and vision.
Key Collectives Powering Our Program
Technology 4 Causes
The mission of Technology 4 Causes (T4C) is to support specialized assistance programs and charitable initiatives, expanding their positive impact through the multiplying powers of technology, networking, and collaboration.
The vision of Technology 4 Causes is to operate numerous Mentoring Programs, Technology Assistance Programs, Sports 4 Causes Programs, and Helping Hubs. The combination of these initiatives creates a powerful multiplying effect for all T4C activities powered by a common technology platform and philanthropic infrastructure.
Transformation Guild
The Transformation Guild is a mentoring program of Technology 4 Causes, which was launched by the Kutcher Foundation in collaboration with DICORP, Inc. to create a powerful philanthropic impact through the multiplying forces of technology. The Guild is dedicated to harnessing the power of writing and technology to create a positive impact in society. Our primary focus is to engage and inspire young writers to craft compelling stories that encourage involvement in non-profit organizations and charitable initiatives. By providing guidance and instruction through mentorship, we ensure that these young writers receive the necessary support to thrive. Through their participation in this program, they gain invaluable experience while contributing to a greater cause.