Watching students learn and grow confidence has become one of founder Dondre Lawson’s favorite parts of running Defense Interns. The organization partners with Harford County Public Schools to offer apprentice programs that provide hands-on, real-world opportunities for students to explore the defense industry.
Lawson, a Maryland native, entrepreneur, technology leader, and senior enlisted noncommissioned officer in the Maryland National Guard, launched Defense Interns after seeing the potential of students coming through Harford County Public Schools’ early apprenticeship programs. “We started working with Harford County Public Schools through a mutual friend, and the students they sent were phenomenal,” Lawson said. “We like to work with the youth.”
What started as a way to provide opportunities evolved into a program connecting local talent with contractors and businesses in cybersecurity, information technology, operations, project management, and other fields. Over the past three years, about 20 students had participated. Lawson said the experience extended far beyond technical skills.
“The kids are super-smart,” said Lawson, founder of the Harford County-based nonprofit. “A lot are very introverted and seeing them break out [of that] is the best for me.”
That growth, he believes, happens when young people are given opportunities to learn alongside professionals, ask questions, and realize they belong in rooms they might never have imagined entering.
“The impact is tremendous,” he said. “These kids are working with CEOs and COOs and VPs at a young age.”
Creating a secure, educational environment is central to the organization. “We are able to give the interns a safe workspace,” Lawson said. “It’s a very training, learning-centric environment.”
One student who benefited from that environment was Franzy Servano. While participating in the Pathways in Technology Early College High School program at Joppatowne High School, she discovered a passion for cybersecurity and began searching for real-world experience. “Defense Interns opened many doors for me,” Servano said. “It gave me connections, knowledge, and experience. It helped me greatly to kickstart my career and build a resume.”
During her internship, Servano gained technical experience managing devices through Intune, ensuring compliance, and taking help desk calls. Rotating among four companies also exposed her to different workplace cultures and strengthened her communication and problem-solving skills.
“Defense Interns gave me many opportunities to connect with people that were in the industry and have the experience that many people starting in college don’t have,” she said. Ultimately, those experiences had helped her secure a position with the Office of Information Technology at Stevenson University.
“I’m glad that Defense Interns accepted me into their program,” Servano said. “I greatly benefited from everything I learned. Defense Interns is an amazing program, and I do [think] every aspiring student who is interested in Cybersecurity and Information Systems should apply.”
Lawson hoped to one day scale the model nationally, but the impact close to home remained especially meaningful. Seeing students develop confidence, build relationships, and discover new possibilities has become the greatest reward.
“Our mission is to connect local talent with contractors,” Lawson said. For students like Servano, those connections have already become the foundation for a promising future.