By: Jacob Roskelley
For many Utah State University students, internships that start on the steps of the Capitol are stepping stones to a better future. According to a report released in December by the Utah Foundation, students who complete internships in college are more likely to have full-time jobs and receive higher salaries after graduation.
"Internships help make the connection between a field of study and its 'real-world' applications," the report stated. "Internships often translate into full-time employment after graduation as well as provide networking opportunities for other job opportunities."
The report also noted that out of the Utah State University graduates from 2004 that completed an internship, 84 percent of them are currently employed full-time. That's in comparison to the 60 percent of USU graduates that didn't do an internship who are currently employed full-time.
One of the programs at USU that has been highly successful is the government internship program offered through the political science department. Randy Simmons, the department head, said USU's reputation is so good that several congressional offices in Washington, D.C., accept USU interns without conducting interviews.
This semester, there are 20 USU students doing various government internships: 12 are in D.C., six are interning with the Utah State Legislature in Salt Lake City and two are working at the First District Court here in Cache Valley. One of the 12 students interning in Washington, D.C., is Amy Noorda.
Noorda, a junior majoring in public relations and agricultural communications, is currently one of six Utah students working as an intern in the office of Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.
Noorda said choosing to intern in Washington, D.C., was the best choice that she ever made.
"When you get to see a bill being made and passed into law, when you get to see a Supreme Court Justice being questioned and interviewed and found worthy to sit with the highest court in the land, you get a whole new perspective on our nation and our government," Noorda said.
Noorda said she has been assigned to work with the press secretary who handles all media relations for the senator. Because Hatch sits on the Judiciary Committee, Noorda said she has been actively involved with the recent nomination and confirmation of Justice Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.
She said her other responsibilities included writing letters to constituents, attending meetings and hearings to brief other staffers at a later time, running errands and other various office jobs.
As an intern, Noorda is also expected to give tours of the capitol building, she said, and it is actually the best part of her job. Noorda also said that Washington, D.C., is such an interesting city that she is kept busy outside of work as well.
"There is a ton of history here, so there is always something to see and do," Noorda said. "You won't just be sitting on the couch every night and weekend."
Another USU student that is interning in Washington, D.C., is Jon Cox, a senior majoring in journalism and communications, with an emphasis in print media. Cox is one of four Utah students working in Senator Bob Bennett's, R-Utah, Washington, D.C., office this semester.
"Each semester, Utah students join my D.C. office for an intensive study of how government works. While providing assistance to my staff, they also gain valuable experiences that will impact their futures," Bennett said. "I am certain this semester will prove beneficial to these four bright students as they move through their careers."
Students that are chosen for internships in D.C. live in housing that is currently being leased by the university.
USU is leasing five apartments that are 20 minutes from Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Downstairs in the apartment building is an underground mall with shops and restaurants, including a McDonald's.
The success of the program also helps raise money for future students interested in taking an internship in D.C.
AT&T recently donated $10,000 that will directly assist the internship program in the political science department. Simmons accepted the check and thanked AT&T for the donation.
"This donation provides a serious boost to our students," Simmons said. "This may help with a month's rent or travel expenses. This additional financial assistance might make the difference in a student's ability to participate in the internship program."
The check was presented on behalf of AT&T by L.J. Godfrey, a former USU intern, at a formal luncheon at Hamilton's Steak House. Cindy Nielsen accepted the check along with Simmons and President Stan Albrecht. Nielsen is the program administrator for the Institute of Political Economy, which coordinates intern activities out of USU.
Simmons said the donation is very important because the political science internship program, unlike other programs of its kind, doesn't have an endowment to assist with student expenses.
A recent press release from the political science department reported that over the past four years, 139 interns have been sent to Washington, D.C. Of those, 56 went on to accept jobs in the D.C. area.
-jacobr@cc.usu.edu
View the article as it appeared in the Utah Statesman.
For many Utah State University students, internships that start on the steps of the Capitol are stepping stones to a better future. According to a report released in December by the Utah Foundation, students who complete internships in college are more likely to have full-time jobs and receive higher salaries after graduation.
"Internships help make the connection between a field of study and its 'real-world' applications," the report stated. "Internships often translate into full-time employment after graduation as well as provide networking opportunities for other job opportunities."The report also noted that out of the Utah State University graduates from 2004 that completed an internship, 84 percent of them are currently employed full-time. That's in comparison to the 60 percent of USU graduates that didn't do an internship who are currently employed full-time.
One of the programs at USU that has been highly successful is the government internship program offered through the political science department. Randy Simmons, the department head, said USU's reputation is so good that several congressional offices in Washington, D.C., accept USU interns without conducting interviews.
This semester, there are 20 USU students doing various government internships: 12 are in D.C., six are interning with the Utah State Legislature in Salt Lake City and two are working at the First District Court here in Cache Valley. One of the 12 students interning in Washington, D.C., is Amy Noorda.
Noorda, a junior majoring in public relations and agricultural communications, is currently one of six Utah students working as an intern in the office of Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.
Noorda said choosing to intern in Washington, D.C., was the best choice that she ever made.
"When you get to see a bill being made and passed into law, when you get to see a Supreme Court Justice being questioned and interviewed and found worthy to sit with the highest court in the land, you get a whole new perspective on our nation and our government," Noorda said.
Noorda said she has been assigned to work with the press secretary who handles all media relations for the senator. Because Hatch sits on the Judiciary Committee, Noorda said she has been actively involved with the recent nomination and confirmation of Justice Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.
She said her other responsibilities included writing letters to constituents, attending meetings and hearings to brief other staffers at a later time, running errands and other various office jobs.
As an intern, Noorda is also expected to give tours of the capitol building, she said, and it is actually the best part of her job. Noorda also said that Washington, D.C., is such an interesting city that she is kept busy outside of work as well.
"There is a ton of history here, so there is always something to see and do," Noorda said. "You won't just be sitting on the couch every night and weekend."
Another USU student that is interning in Washington, D.C., is Jon Cox, a senior majoring in journalism and communications, with an emphasis in print media. Cox is one of four Utah students working in Senator Bob Bennett's, R-Utah, Washington, D.C., office this semester.
"Each semester, Utah students join my D.C. office for an intensive study of how government works. While providing assistance to my staff, they also gain valuable experiences that will impact their futures," Bennett said. "I am certain this semester will prove beneficial to these four bright students as they move through their careers."
Students that are chosen for internships in D.C. live in housing that is currently being leased by the university.
USU is leasing five apartments that are 20 minutes from Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Downstairs in the apartment building is an underground mall with shops and restaurants, including a McDonald's.
The success of the program also helps raise money for future students interested in taking an internship in D.C.
AT&T recently donated $10,000 that will directly assist the internship program in the political science department. Simmons accepted the check and thanked AT&T for the donation.
"This donation provides a serious boost to our students," Simmons said. "This may help with a month's rent or travel expenses. This additional financial assistance might make the difference in a student's ability to participate in the internship program."
The check was presented on behalf of AT&T by L.J. Godfrey, a former USU intern, at a formal luncheon at Hamilton's Steak House. Cindy Nielsen accepted the check along with Simmons and President Stan Albrecht. Nielsen is the program administrator for the Institute of Political Economy, which coordinates intern activities out of USU.
Simmons said the donation is very important because the political science internship program, unlike other programs of its kind, doesn't have an endowment to assist with student expenses.
A recent press release from the political science department reported that over the past four years, 139 interns have been sent to Washington, D.C. Of those, 56 went on to accept jobs in the D.C. area.
-jacobr@cc.usu.edu
View the article as it appeared in the Utah Statesman.
