Christian Romano is an undergraduate at the University of Utah and a Karen Shepherd Intern for Ethics and Good Government.
What can a 22-year-old intern without much experience tell you about the world around us? Perhaps more than you think.
Though I’m inclined to think I can’t offer any insight that you can’t conjure up on your own, I continue to insist that I am a contributor. And to what will I be contributing during my internship? My posts will focus on two topics – government ethics and education in the state of Utah. I’m passionate about these two issues and you should be, too.
Ethics needs a larger presence in government. Too often, self-interested groups, via campaign financing, or the wallets of the politicians’ themselves, do the voting; and in practice our policies too often reflect this reality. We need to ensure that our politicians delegate with fairness and integrity. I believe in putting an end to our business-as-usual election scenario.
Then there is education – the backbone of modern society. Academia in large part shapes our minds and ideologies. We all agree that education is beneficial, but can we do more? Does the current general curriculum work for everyone? Can we use the school system as a more holistic approach to growing our children and future leaders? Math and science scores get us into good colleges, but do they create good citizens? Additionally, how do we heal swollen tuition bills, recover value in our high school and bachelor degrees, and support education in underprivileged areas?
Follow me as we search for answers to these important issues. I promise to investigate them with integrity and wisdom that transcends my short time on this Earth. And I look forward to the opportunity to inform, challenge and deliberate with my audience throughout the upcoming legislative session.
