Intern Spotlight: Eleanor Zimmerman
Name: Eleanor (Ellie) Zimmerman
College: Dartmouth College
Field of Study: Government
Anticipated Graduation: June 2027
Hometown: Stowe, Vermont
What is your Vermont story?
My family moved to Vermont from the Boston suburbs when I was eight years old. Although that technically makes me not a “lifelong Vermonter”, I nevertheless feel deeply connected to this state and am so grateful to have grown up here. Childhood in Vermont is unlike anything else, and I believe it shaped my values in unique ways. Growing up, I spent most of my time outside, hiking, biking, swimming, skiing or just exploring and building forts in the woods. Because of this I developed a deep appreciation for and a sense of obligation to place. I came to realize the real power of tight knit small communities. I was always well supported in school, in large part because I was able to be so close with my teachers. In high school I became super involved with the next generation of kids in Stowe through coaching skiing and working at a summer camp. I became really close with these kids over the years and they would even show up to my soccer games to cheer on my team. I feel as though my story captures the essence of what it is like to live in Vermont, the symbiotic relationship between people and their communities, feeling supported and giving back.
What drew you to the work of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce/Vermont Futures Project? Why do you think it is important?
I chose to study government because I aspire to have a career in which I can support the communities that have always supported me. I believe effective policy is the most powerful way to do that. Because of this, I was very interested in getting into advocacy work this summer. In Vermont, the Chamber is one of the preeminent non-profit organizations serving our state. They have proven to be effective advocates for business in the statehouse and I wanted to gain insights into how they do that and support them in that work. Moreover, the organization’s commitment to helping people live, work and thrive in Vermont aligns strongly with my values of giving back to the community that raised me.
In working for the Chamber, I already feel like I am making an impact. I am directly advocating for policy that supports Vermont business and helping business owners navigate the state’s economic policy to prosper. This work is especially important to me during in a time where many local businesses are still reeling from Covid and the extensive flooding we continue to experience across this state.
What are you hoping to learn more about during the internship and why? How do you envision this summer experience fitting into your long-term aspirations?
This internship has been an incredible opportunity to gain experience in policy work and build a foundation for a career in public policy. Through my role as a policy research intern, I am learning to use data to drive effective advocacy. I am coming to an in-depth understanding of the policy landscape in the state where I live, and I think that is really important. I am also gaining valuable communications skills, by practicing synthesizing research and using different communication styles for different audiences. Public policy can be confusing and being able to communicate about it effectively to a wide variety of audiences will be key to success in the field.
I love studying government in my classes, but this internship has been a fantastic opportunity to seek out more knowledge about careers in public policy. By being surrounded by experts at work I can start to picture what exactly I want to do in this field. The skills and knowledge about advocacy work I have gained and will continue to gain in this role will set me up to use a career in policy to support the communities I care about.
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