2024 Georgia County Internship Program Grant Recipient Counties and Interns
Athens-Clarke County
In Athens-Clarke County, the video production internship in the county’s public information office was split between two interns. Santiago Arbelaez, a recent UGA photography graduate, returned for a second GCIP internship with the county at the beginning of the summer Collin Young, a rising UGA senior studying entertainment and media studies, completed the second half of the internship.
During their time as interns, Arbelaez and Young assisted the public information office with documentation and promotion of facilities, events, programs, and staff in the county. Both students used their skills in photography and videography to create promotional materials. They also developed, shot, and edited standalone videos for the government access channel and social media.
Augusta-Richmond County
Augusta University student Karl Gantz interned with the Augusta-Richmond County Finance Department. Gantz, a rising senior studying accounting, used his financial and organizational skills to support the county in budget worksheet preparation. He also performed research for budgeting and financial forecasting, as well as analyzed financial data. Gantz also worked on financial filing projects and general administrative support to the office. At the end of the summer, Gantz was hired for a part-time role with the county as he finishes his studies.
Aaliyah Clark, a senior at Augusta University, interned with the Augusta-Richmond County Administrator’s Office. Clark, a BBA student with a concentration in digital marketing, worked as a management fellow in communications. She worked on researching, drafting, editing, and producing original social media and web content, specifically for the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing program. Clark grew her communication skills by writing press materials and coordinating press events. At the end of her internship, Clark was hired part-time while she finishes her studies.
Bartow County
Jewel Lowrey, a rising senior at Adairsville High School, interned with Bartow County’s Engineering Department. Lowrey assisted county engineers in a plan review of residential drainage and tertiary plans. She also supported erosion and sedimentation inspections and large developments throughout the county. Lowrey began training in AutoCAD, a key engineering software that she will use in her future plans to study engineering. Through this new skill, she created a dumpster pad pre-treatment detail.
Camden County
Abby Crosby, a rising senior studying business administration at UGA, interned with the Camden County Planning and Development Department. As an intern, Crosby worked on a project to assess and update the county road inventory. Crosby collected road data, identified missing files, and converted the road data into a visual dashboard. She also worked on updating county GIS records.
Carroll County: Kundell Environmental Management Award Grant Recipient
Mikaine Lewis, a rising senior at Villa Rica High School, interned with the Carroll County Solid Waste Department. Lewis worked on a variety of independent projects related to solid waste and recycling activity in the county. She collected and analyzed trash and recycling statistics, identified trends in the data, and compiled results and recommendations for solid waste policies. Lewis also visited recycling centers in the county and developed a survey to analyze resident recycling patterns.
Charlton County: Verizon Rural Grant Recipient
Emma Harris, an agricultural education student and senior at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, interned with the UGA county extension in Charlton County. During her internship, Harris worked on collaborative educational projects between the county and Georgia 4-H. Following her work on structured assessments to identify community needs, Harris developed educational programming for students and youth. She led seminars and coordinated field trips to agricultural sites around the county. Harris’ internship culminated in a personalized research project on agricultural education in the county.
Chatham County
Brianna Blige, a recent marketing graduate from Savannah Technical College, interned with Chatham County’s HR Department. As an intern focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Blige worked on researching, recommending, and executing strategies to foster the county’s diversity goals. She worked alongside human resources to collect diversity metrics and research best practices. She also assisted in the development of educational and promotional materials for the DEI booth during the county’s employee appreciation day event. Blige now works full-time as a public relations specialist for Chatham’s District Attorney’s Office.
Garner Health and Human Services Grant Recipient
In Chatham County’s Magistrate Court, Alexis Grutchfield worked as a visual education intern. Grutchfield, who is pursuing an MFA in motion media design from the Savannah College of Art and Design, worked on creating visual education materials for the court. Recognizing the need for visual and digital aids to navigate online court portals and processes, Grutchfield used her background in animation to develop, create, and edit instructional videos. She also collaborated with legal experts and court staff to ensure accuracy and better promote legal literacy for residents.
Cherokee County
Alison Eltz, a rising junior at Georgia Tech, returned to Cherokee County for the second time to intern in the community development services department. Eltz, a public policy major, continued her previous work focused on housing in the county and completed a housing stock analysis. Eltz researched corporately owned single-family housing and developed a methodology to identify such houses in the county. She collected housing data, analyzed her findings, and used GIS to create maps that displayed her findings. Eltz presented her research to the Cherokee Board of Commissioners and shared it with cities within the county so they can better address future housing policies.
Cobb County
Ian Green, a recent accounting graduate from Kennesaw State University, interned with Cobb County’s Internal Audit Department. Green used his accounting background to conduct an audit of p-card purchases to ensure compliance with county policies. Green participated in each phase of the audit project, including planning, research, reporting, and presentation of results. Green also conducted interviews, evaluated financial control structures, tested transactions, and examined and organized documentation.
Olivia Brooking, a rising senior studying public policy at Georgia State University, interned with Cobb County’s Sustainability Department. Collaborating with county staff, Brooking worked to develop and implement a sampling protocol to identify litter and its impact in the county. She focused on observing litter in right-of-ways, collecting accurate data, and assessing cleanup efforts along county lines. Brooking also collaborated with neighboring Keep America Beautiful affiliates to conduct litter index surveys throughout the summer.
Anna Wampler, a rising sophomore at the University of New Mexico, interned with the Cobb County Water System. Wampler, who studies biology, assisted with the daily operations and projects for the county’s stream monitoring program. Her major internship project included sampling water quality at stream sites and cleaning, sorting, and analyzing collected data. Wampler also participated in fish assessments at streams and helped sort and identify preserved macroinvertebrate samples.
Columbus-Muscogee County
Khayla Truitt, a rising sophomore at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, interned with Columbus-Muscogee’s Risk Management Department. Truitt used her studies of public relations and journalism to work with the risk management team on an annual community event. Truitt brainstormed, developed, and hosted the second annual risk and safety awareness community event to promote awareness of everyday risks and safety to county residents. She collaborated with county departments to include demonstrations of water safety, fire safety, CPR/first aid, severe weather precautions, and safe driving.
Cusseta-Chattahoochee County
Dakota Zacherl, a recent graduate of Chattahoochee County High School, interned with the Fort Moore Stray Facility within Cusseta-Chattahoochee County. Zacherl worked to establish a foster program in conjunction with animal control and the animal shelter. She also helped with the day-to-day operations of the shelter and managing foster arrangements.
Fayette County
Dresden Day, a rising second year law student at UGA, interned with Judge Thompson in the Fayette County State Court. Day received a case of her own to work on from start to finish. She also worked on drafting and finalizing orders for the judge to review. Dresden analyzed arguments, researched applicable law, and integrated their research and case knowledge into the orders.
Abigail Nand, a rising second year law student at UGA, interned with the Griffin Judicial Circuit Public Defender. Nand participated in various aspects of court proceedings for indigent felony cases. In addition to legal research and filing motions for bonds and pleas, Nand had an opportunity to write motions and advocate on clients’ behalf before the court. She also met with clients’ families and community members to better understand cases and the legal system.
Seth Eaton, a rising junior at UGA, interned the Fayette County Tax Assessor. A finance major, Eaton worked on projects to update rural land values and review building sketches. As the county transitions to an updated computer system, Eaton worked to ensure files were updated, correct, and complete. He gathered land and sales data, analyzed land tracts, reviewed sketches, and researched record management requirements for the new system.
Floyd County: Kundell Environmental Management Award Grant Recipient
Anna Ayers, a rising junior at Berry College, interned with the Floyd County Recycling Department. Ayers, who studies marketing, used her communication skills and interest in sustainability to design, implement, and organize a reuse store to provide classroom supplies for county teachers. Ayers researched reuse stores and sustainability practices and developed relationships with community partners to collect donations. She also created marketing materials and managed social media promotion of the store.
Fulton County
Slater Edlein, a rising senior at UGA, interned with the Fulton County Manager’s Office. Edlein, who is studying psychology and social work, conducted an in-depth research project on existing county internal policies. Edlein identified errors and inconsistencies within policies, collaborated and communicated with other departments, and proposed corrections and solutions to issues.
Glynn County
Carter Strickland, a rising sophomore at Georgia Tech, interned with Glynn County’s Engineering Department. Strickland, who is majoring in mechanical engineering, worked on a project to identify brownfield sites in the county. Brownfield sites are parcels of land contaminated by hazardous waste that pose a risk to human health and/or the environment. Strickland worked to map identified sites and the surrounding communities, determine site statuses and types of contamination, and evaluate the redevelopment capacity of sites around the county. At the end of the internship, Strickland created a final research report and presentation for county elected officials and leaders.
Alexander De La Vega Hardin, a rising junior and finance major at Kennesaw State University, interned with Glynn County’s Finance Department. During his internship, Hardin helped create and implement a new, streamlined pension portal for county employees. He helped build the portal, create different pension parameters, and generated excel document summaries. Hardin also evaluated the system to ensure accuracy and ease of use for employees.
Gwinnett County
Zaraar Zubair, a recent political science graduate from Georgia State University, interned with the Gwinnett County Planning and Development Department. Zubair assisted in a variety of planning and development department tasks and shadowed different staff throughout his time as an intern. He contributed to the development of comprehensive plans, zoning regulations, and land use policies, as well as conducted research on planning issues. Zubair also got to participate in field visits and inspections. He now works part-time with the county.
Raul Puentes, a recent MIS graduate from UGA, interned with the Gwinnett County Water Resources Department. Puentes’ major project was analyzing wastewater discharges from schools in the county. Working with engineers, Puentes cleaned and analyzed water consumption and flow monitoring data. He defined issues and proposed revisions to the county flow calculation method. At the end of the internship, Puentes prepared a final report on his research.
Hall County
Ana Grace Stephens, a senior at Freed-Hardeman University, interned with Hall County Parks and Community Services. Stephens used her studies in business finance to work on a historic financial project for the parks department in the county. Collaborating with the finance department, Stephens developed historical reports on financial data for parks and community services. As part of the project, she also recorded and analyzed monthly revenue and expenditures and produced trend reports. She also reviewed survey results, managed other departmental data, and assisted department staff as needed with other projects.
Henry County
Jaeden Williams, a rising junior at Tennessee State University, interned with the Henry County Planning and Zoning Department. Williams, who is majoring in urban studies with a concentration in policy and planning, assisted in long-range planning projects related to changes in the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC). Williams conducted research on zoning codes from other jurisdictions, drafted language for code amendments, and collaborated with county planners to identify code inconsistencies and make suggestions.
Nick Stephens, a rising junior and accounting major at Kennesaw State University, interned with Henry County’s Stormwater Department. Though Stephens had little engineering background, he sought a new experience and was able to apply his math background to the internship. During the summer, he shadowed, studied, and documented the work processes of the Henry County Stormwater Department. He learned the process of managing a diverse field of projects and collaborated with staff to strategize ways to improve and streamline routines within the department.
Dennis Hill, a rising sophomore at Shorter University, interned with the Henry County Transportation Planning Department. Hill, a computer science major, completed a digital media project to educate citizens about Henry County transportation plans. He reviewed three key plans: the county transportation plan, the transit master plan, and the trails plan. Following his review, he created informative videos that summarized the plans.
Jasper County
Jackson Walker, a finance major and rising junior at Liberty University, interned with Jasper County’s Finance Department. Walker worked on a project to create an inventory tracking process for all Jasper County departments. The tracking process will be used to streamline the audit process and assist in capital asset budgeting. Walker collaborated with the county manager, finance department, and department heads to validate capital assets, record asset additions, and note any disposals or junked assets.
Lowndes County (First-Time Grant Participant)
Halle Shealy, a rising sophomore at Valdosta State University, interned with the Lowndes County Probation Department. Shealy, a criminal justice major, established a robust records protection program during her internship. She designed and implemented the program, identified and cataloged essential records, and created a safeguarding strategy for the future.
Lumpkin County
Adam Piejak, a rising senior and geospatial science major at Kennesaw State University, interned with Lumpkin County’s Planning Department. Piejak assisted the county with a transition to a new GIS software platform over the summer. He archived old data, updated current data, and created metadata and a new coordinate system. Piejak also created and developed procedures for maintain GIS data integrity in the future.
Macon-Bibb County
Grace Choi, a rising second year law student at Emory University, interned with the county attorney’s office in Macon-Bibb County. Choi worked alongside county attorneys, assisting with both the legislation and litigation components of the county attorney’s office. She was assigned items of legislation and then conducted legal research and coordinated with relevant officials to gather information. Choi also participated in day-to-day projects and general office operations.
Greyson Lazo-Valcarcel, a recent graduate from Florida Atlantic University, interned in the Office of the Circuit Public Defender in Macon-Bibb County. Lazo-Valcarcel majored in general studies and utilized the internship to explore the legal field. During the internship, they completed legal research, interpretation, and management of client case files. They also engaged with public defender office staff, observed court proceedings, interacted with clients, and attended staff meetings.
Meriwether County
Brittany Carter, a rising second year law student at Mercer University, interned with the Meriwether County Probate Court. During her internship, Carter assisted the court in hearing civil and criminal cases in probate and superior courts. She performed legal research, prepared case files, interacted with other attorneys, and assisted in the issuance of marriage licenses and other permits.
Stacey Mitchell, a business administration student at Strayer University, interned with the Meriwether County Tax Assessor. Mitchell worked with the chief appraiser to prepare for the release of 2024 digest values. She also prepared appraisals, provided research assistance for court matters, and issued homestead and conservation use exemptions. Additionally, she helped with litigation alongside appraisal staff.
Paulding County
Anna Rivera, a rising senior at Kennesaw State University, interned with Paulding County’s Mental Health Court. Rivera used her studies in psychology to review the mental health court program and assist with day-to-day operations. She also developed a new incentive and reward program for participants in the court, as well as a database for volunteer opportunities in the county. Rivera additoinally assisted with court date scheduling and interviewing participants in the court.
Rockdale County
Xiaofan Mu, a graduate computer science student at Emory University, interned with the Rockdale County Planning and Zoning Department. During her internship, Mu implemented a new community outreach program called PND Panda. The PND Panda project serves to educate the public on the main responsibilities of the Rockdale County Planning and Development Department. Mu developed educational seminars, designed “how to” software, and streamlined the volunteer process. She also developed a web game for students to learn about county planning processes.
Towns County (First-Time Grant Participant) Verizon Rural Grant Recipient
Loftin Turpin, a rising senior at Towns County High School, interned with the Towns County Administration Department. Turpin worked on a project to create a searchable road inventory database for the county. He cataloged and identified all paved and unpaved roads, as well as recorded right-of-ways, surface types, and milage. He also developed a road condition matrix and rating system and created maps of his work.
Troup County
Zoie Mitchell, a rising senior at Mercer University, interned with the Troup County Solicitor’s Office. During her internship, Mitchell assisted in the prosecution of DUI cases. She reviewed case files, evaluated evidence such as dashcam recordings, and assisted in the organization and preparation for trial. Mitchell was also able to attend trials and provide prosecution and technical support as needed.
Walton County
Madelyn Grace Kilgore, a Georgia State University psychology major, helped launch and promote a new incentive-based wellness program for county employees through the human resources department. Kilgore designed the program, created and distributed communication and educational materials, and coordinated with other departments to expand the program’s impact. She also created monthly wellness newsletters and other marketing materials for social media.
Ware County (First-Time Grant Participant) Verizon Rural Grant Recipient
Madelyn Saunders, a rising junior majoring in criminal justice at Valdosta State University, interned with the Ware County Board of Commissioners. During her internship, Saunders created a records database for the planning and codes department. She reviewed old records, identified inconsistencies, and organized them in the new software. She also developed a standard operating procedure so that all future planning permits and applications are recorded effectively and efficiently.
Warren County
Angela Wilkerson, a rising junior and anthropology major at Augusta University, interned with the Warren County Tourism and Technology Department. Wilkerson returned to intern with the county after she previously interned through GCIP in 2020. During her internship, Wilkerson worked on the implementation of the asset management system during her time with the county. She organized and added items into the system, installed new computers and software, and updated the county website as needed.