Public service and public policy freshman Thomas Prior and public service and public policy junior Eduardo Alonso work during their office hours as interns for the USGD in the Downtown campus's Post Office. (Photo by Tynin Fries)Undergraduate Student Government Downtown is expanding its internship program this year, hiring seven interns to help in different areas within the executive board.
Health sciences senior Sally Lopez Bravo, USGD vice president of policy, said USGD is working to build the program's foundation.
"We really want the internship program to work," she said. "We are making it happen."
Lopez Bravo said she hopes to expand the program by offering more intern positions and making it bigger by adding a capstone project and allowing them to work in different areas.
"We just wanted students to be able to participate in USGD," she said.
Interns work two hours per week in an office setting and also help out with events and other activities, Lopez Bravo said.
"They're going to learn a lot," she said. "They're going to meet legislators and build up their network."
Prospective interns applied at the beginning of the year with a résumé and cover letter and interviewed with members of the executive board, Lopez Bravo said.
The board members asked applicants about their interests and placed them in positions according to these interests, Lopez Bravo said.
"We wanted to put them in places where it would be beneficial for them," she said.
Public service and public policy freshman Thomas Prior works as an intern for USGD. This internship programs allows Prior, and others like him, to learn more about the USGD. (Photo by Tynin Fries)Public service and public policy freshman Thomas Prior said the program has been very beneficial to him, because he is interested in policy.
"I just wanted to get more connected with the state Legislature and Phoenix City Council and thought USG was a good way to meet politicians and be active within policy," he said.
The Arizona legislative session does not begin until next semester, but Prior said the policy team has been reaching out to state representatives and students.
"I’m able to kind of lobby on behalf of all ASU downtown by informing the students about policy and meetings with students to make sure the Downtown campus is represented," he said.
Prior said he found out about the internship through a career fair at the beginning of the year.
"I definitely recommend it to any student who enjoys policy or is majoring in public policy," he said.
Criminal justice and criminology freshman Melissa Alvarez said she applied to be an intern because she did not know too many students and wanted to get involved.
"So far, I love it," she said. "I can’t imagine not being it in. I’m constantly learning new things."
Alvarez said she did not know much about policy and sometimes feels overwhelmed by all the new information, but other team members help her.
"It’s just a lot of new things and sometimes it gets overwhelming," she said. "They do a great job of holding your hand and encouraging you. I think it’s really nice that they have so much patience."
Alvarez said she hopes to remain an intern the rest of her years at ASU.
"I need to know law, and I need to be involved in my community, and I found that this was a great way to start," she said.
Reach the reporter at savannah.harrelson@asu.edu and follow her on Twitter @savannahleeh
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