Salt Lake Valley - Chase Thomas

My Past Three Months at ABU

My journey to the Alliance for a Better Utah was quite fortuitous. After graduating BYU in April, I sent an email to Better Utah asking for a job — even though there were no job postings. Perhaps it was a little audacious, but I simply knew that I wanted to work with the organization. Amazingly, an interview and a few phone calls later, I was hired! And given the fact that my position didn’t come with job description, I’ve been filling a variety of roles at Better Utah, all of which have been exciting learning experiences.

Within the first three months of my time here, I’ve been interviewed by reporters from ABC 4 News, Fox 13, and KSL. I’ve attended legislative meetings at the Capitol, researched policy topics in-depth, moderated a panel with a large audience, personally met with state legislators, published written works, and even learned how to do a little website design.

I feel that Better Utah’s work exemplifies the old adage: change is the only constant. Something new crops up daily in the world of Utah politics, allowing our work at Better Utah to be interesting and dynamic every day.

Given the active nature of our work, everyone involved in Better Utah must be ready to jump all-in on any given project — including our interns. At Better Utah, we are proud that our internship program offers individuals the opportunity to work on substantive projects that directly contribute to the success of our organization. For instance, in the past three months, our interns have helped carry out our CD3 Special Election debate, published Op-eds, attended legislative meetings, and contributed to our research on all the 2018 ballot initiatives among other things.

In short, we view our interns as a core part of our organization: they attend staff meetings, provide edits and comments on our publications, collaborate on projects. Whether they commit ten or twenty hours weekly, three months or six, we’re able to put them on projects that are meaningful and we create opportunities that help both themselves and the organization.

I might be biased, but I think Better Utah’s staff, interns, and volunteers make Better Utah one of the best local organizations to be involved with. My colleagues are not only kind and encouraging, they are educated, well-connected, and interesting. Their experience acts as a constant reminder that we have the resources and passion to make positive change in Utah — the place that we all love so much.  

I have grown immensely in these past three months and have been involved in so many new things. While I still get nervous being interviewed (and I definitely need a lot more practice moderating panels), I’m grateful that Better Utah provides a platform for me to have those opportunities. Anyone working with Better Utah, whether as a volunteer, intern, or staff member, will have an excellent experience.

I encourage you to apply to our winter internship program. Details can be found here and applications are due on Friday, November 17th. I look forward to getting to know you!

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