When I met with my advisor at the University of Northern Colorado in October 2023, I told her I was struggling to find an internship. She told me about an opportunity with Weld County Government’s Public Information and Communications Department, but I was hesitant. I really wasn’t sure what county government did in general, not to mention I also had never sought out or seen a government social media account. As a communications major attending the University of Northern Colorado, I just thought news outlets spread the information on meetings, interviews, and press conferences.

I decided to apply, though, because the internship itself intrigued me. I wanted to gain more experience in creating social media posts, running campaigns, and writing stories. And even though the internship was with government, I knew this could be my opportunity to finally get some hands-on experience with those things.

With the start of spring semester in January, I was excited for the experience I was about to gain in the public information space, but what I didn’t expect was how much I was about to learn of the role Weld County Government has played in my life. On the first day of my internship, my supervisor asked what I knew about county government. Despite wanting to impress her, I really had no idea. I mean, I had a good idea of what state and city governments did, but I never thought about what the role of county government was or what services and resources were provided.

I was encouraged to go through the Weld County website to learn more about county government. I had no idea what to look for. There were a million options, and it seemed that every option I clicked on had a million more options to choose from. So, I started small. I started with the department where I was interning. Through a deep dive into the public information section of the website, I began to slowly gain a better understanding on how public information fits into county government.

After shadowing staff and learning about their day-to-day communications duties, I was handed my first project: developing an informational public campaign around Employee Appreciation Month for the purpose of not only recognizing the county’s 1,800+ employees but also sharing with the public the variety of tasks employees work on for residents every day.

I created a poster that was shared with departments for display in break rooms, thanking employees for their hard work. I wrote a proclamation, and I was excited to hear my proclamation read by the county commissioners during a board meeting. And, I created a series of social media posts to share information with the public via the county’s social media pages.

Through this project, I learned something about myself: I’ve always had a hard time being a devil’s advocate in that I never think any idea is a bad idea. When creating these posts, I started to realize how important it is to try and see how things will be perceived from all points of view. How do I make sure all employees feel appreciated? How to I make sure the public learns more about county government?

We went through many different drafts of social posts, but I can’t lie. I loved going through the process of making a change, getting feedback, and then making another change until it was perfect.

My next big project was to make content celebrating National County Government Month. I did this through creating infographics of Weld’s 2023 accomplishments in departments such as public works, public information, public safety, and the clerk and recorder’s office. This was my first time creating infographics for something other than school, so it was a little nerve-wracking to create something that had so many different elements to it.

I also was able to go to the planning meeting that municipalities across Weld County attended. During this, I shot video to make an informational video for the public about what occurred during this meeting and the next steps that are going to be taken.

One of the greatest things I gained from this internship was the ability to work under people who knew so much about communications and gave me grace while I was learning and going through the process of creating. During my time here, I feel like I grew so much in the public information space and as a person as well. It was so vital for me to be able to observe, create, and see my visions come to life while I was here, and I am so grateful to say that I did all of those things and more!

I understand that you can’t be everything for everyone when in government, as we all come from different backgrounds and have different needs. But what I witnessed as an intern at Weld County is truly remarkable, and I am nothing short of prideful to say that I was raised in a county filled with devoted, hardworking, and caring individuals.

Welcoming a new life brings immense joy, yet first-time mothers grapple with challenges that can be overwhelming. In the next issue of County Roots, we’ll explore how the Nurse Family Partnership program builds trusting relationships to empower new mothers and ensure healthier futures for both them and their babies.