Tech support at your service

It’s no secret that laptops, phones, tablets and more play an increasingly prominant role in our lives. But where do you turn when you need help with those devices? BA interns Owen Sipe and Louisa Longshore are putting their skills to good use and providing tech support to residents living at The Residences at 910.

Owen explains that this program started casually when residents needed help silencing their phones during church services. Then it expanded as residents would ask the interns for assistance with things like email - knowing which emails are important, which are spam, the distinction between read and unread emails, and making or deleting folders.

“This is my first tech support position,” says Owen with a smile. “Just yesterday I helped a resident set up their new phone and transfer the SIM card. And last week a group of us gathered in the Conference Room at the BA and tuned in to a virtual event on cybersecurity hosted by the local library. We had a great discussion on the importance of passwords, two-factor authentication, the risks of public wi-fi, etc. I think it was very helpful to folks.”

IT professionals can charge upwards of $100/hour to answer individual tech questions. But the interns are delighted to share the knowledge they’ve grown up with for free, and residents are grateful to take advantage of their skills.

“Providing this assistance feels pretty meaningful,” says Owen. “A lot of times when I was growing up, the older generation was teaching me how to become a person. And now I can give back what feels like a small amount of what was given to me. I’m honored to help teach and guide them through this process.”

Owen and Louisa are working as Interns at the BA, supported in part by the Christian Science Nursing Youth Service Corps through the Principle Foundation Extended Services.