U students don’t have to look far to find internships that will broaden their educational experiences and strengthen rsums. Internships are becoming increasingly popular among students, and many are finding that Salt Lake City and its surrounding communities are great places to intern.
Recent U graduate Jake Warr is currently doing an internship with the lieutenant governor’s office. Even though Warr received his diploma in sociology this past spring, he said continuing his education through an internship is going to help him out in the long run.
“It’s kind of like a once-in-a-lifetime (experience),” Warr said. “You get a chance to meet people you wouldn’t otherwise meet.”
Warr, who currently resides in Orem, commutes to his internship via an express bus. Due to the bus schedule, he is typically the first one at the office. After arriving, Warr begins his duties, which typically include opening and filing mail, data entry and paperwork.
Because the lieutenant governor’s office oversees elections, the office is usually busy dealing with petitions. Warr recently worked to validate petitions dealing with school vouchers, making sure that nobody signed twice and that those who signed are all registered voters.
“I’m basically an assistant to the assistant of the lieutenant governor,” Warr said.
Warr volunteers with the lieutenant governor’s office about 16 hours a week and is earning three credit hours for his internship.
The Hinckley Institute of Politics, which helped coordinate Warr’s internship, offers both paid and non-paid internships around the world.
“You don’t need a dad or an uncle in the White House to get a good internship,” said Amy Code, political programs coordinator at the institute of politics.
Code said the Hinckley Institute’s internship program is “one of the best in the country” and that some organizations actually seek out interns from the politics institute because of positive experiences with interns in the past.
Mahmud Sbaih, a senior in political science and economics, chose to do an internship with the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City. Sbaih, who plans to attend law school next fall, said this internship is great preparation.
“Graduate school is a lot of time and money, and this (internship) provides a way to be sure 100 percent that this is what I really want to do,” Sbaih said.
As part of his internship, Sbaih attends various hearings and court battles and is often able to meet the judges. A typical day for Sbaih begins around 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. when he meets with his supervisor, who is the staff attorney for the court. They discuss any questions Sbaih may have from attending the various hearings.
Aside from attending hearings, much of Sbaih’s day is spent researching legal issues, all the while receiving feedback from supervisors and fellow interns.
“This is never a boring job,” Sbaih said.
Sbaih typically works 20 to 25 hours each week with the court and is earning five credit hours for his internship.
Local internships offered by the institute of politics include work with congressmen, various government offices, non-profit organizations and political campaigns.
In addition to gaining practical work experience and helping students decide what they want to do with their futures, interns have found that local internships are often a stepping-stone to the more competitive Washington, D.C., internships.
A list of internships offered by the Hinckley Institute can be found on its website: www.hinckley.utah.edu.
Hinckley Institute of PoliticsRep. Dave Litvack with intern Nick Bryner