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.  

Contact Info:  

ezimmerman@vtchamber.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanorczimmerman/

Name: Malachi Shiffer-Delegard 

College: Middlebury College 

Field of Study: International Politics and Economics 

Anticipated Graduation: May 2026 

Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota 

What is your Vermont story?  

My Vermont story started when I visited Middlebury College in the fall of my senior year of high school. I first noticed the beauty of the surrounding mountains and felt a profound sense of uniqueness while driving to visit my dream school. At that point in my life, Vermont felt like a utopia, a place where the business of the rest of the world could not reach, inhabited by people who love their state and the natural world around them. Furthermore, the people of Vermont who I met, mostly students, seemed to genuinely love going to college and living in Middlebury. This only deepened my preexisting belief that Vermont was the perfect place to spend the next four years of my life. The night before the admission decisions were released, I could barely sleep, wracked with apprehension about the possibility of being rejected from the perfect school for me. When I was accepted into college in December of 2021, I wished that high school could be over already and that I could immediately move to Vermont. While this wasn’t possible, it made my arrival and subsequent move in period even more exciting and meaningful. Over my first two years as a student, I explored the many mountain hikes, skied extensively, and enjoyed the fall foliage all while being intellectually engaged in a rigorous liberal arts education. When the time came to decide what I wanted to do this summer, the idea of living in Vermont became more and more appealing, and led me to apply to several Vermont based internship programs.  I look forward to spending the summer months here, a season widely considered the most beautiful and pleasant time to experience what Vermont has to offer.  

What drew you to the work of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce/Vermont Futures Project? Why do you think it is important? 

As someone who is studying economics and economic policy, the work of the Chamber and Futures Project closely aligns with what I have been fascinated with over the last two years. While my time at Middlebury has given me a theoretical understanding of policy and economic theory, I always wanted to see how these abstract ideas impacted the people interacting with the economy. Business runs in the family, and getting an opportunity to understand the conditions in which the economy runs smoothly and how best support businesses seemed very aligned with my personal values and ethics. The economy, whether you like it or not dictates a significant portion of your life, as we all depend on each other to provide the goods and services necessary to live a thriving life. The health and correct implementation of economic policies to reach our shared goals is therefore of the utmost importance, and something that I am honored to be a part of. The opportunity to develop my hard skills and interact with a place that I still feel like a visitor in seemed like the best option for me. 

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? 

I have spent most of my time in Vermont on campus or in Addison County, not usually venturing out into the capital region or Chittenden County. Working there with people not from my small corner of Vermont will expand my understanding of the state. I hope my data analysis and communication skills will improve over the summer and hope to learn how to use data-driven arguments to lobby officials and create meaningful resources. I think that this experience will help me learn how to work in an office setting, something that I have little prior experience with. Through learning about Vermont businesses and how they perform best I hope to equip myself with knowledge of how to run my own business one day, whether it be in Vermont or somewhere else.  

Contact Info:  

Mshiffer-delegard@vtchamber.com 

linkedin.com/in/malachi-shiffer-delegard-/ 

Name: Cole Siefer 

College: Middlebury College 

Field of Study: Economics  

Anticipated Graduation: May 2025 

Hometown: Concord, Massachusetts 

What is your Vermont story?  

My Vermont story started when I arrived at Middlebury College in the fall of 2021 and quickly fell in love with the state. Middlebury has been the perfect environment for me as a student to learn, grow, and recreate. The college’s intentional and focused learning environment has pushed me to dive deep into my coursework and engage with exciting and challenging ideas. Outside of the classroom, I have forged deep and lasting bonds with my teammates and coaches as a member of the Middlebury College Rugby Club. I have also been involved in student government, helping facilitate student organizations and clubs. The broader community has also welcomed me in. Off campus, I volunteer with my rugby teammates at the Charter House Coalition and attend services regularly at the Congregational Church of Middlebury. This is my second summer in Vermont; I have loved getting to explore and experience all the state’s offerings. I love Vermont because of its unique sense of place and identity and am drawn to Vermont because of its pace of life and focus on community. I have found Vermonters to be exceptionally kind, generous, and welcoming. People here are proud to be from the “brave little state,” and I am proud to be here now. 

What drew you to the work of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce/Vermont Futures Project? Why do you think it is important?  

Vermont has provided me with so much, and I am committed to helping the state grow and develop so others can have the same opportunity. I was specifically drawn to work for the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and Vermont Futures Project because the mission of the two organizations aligns with my values and goals. The Vermont Futures Project’s focus on making economic recommendations grounded in data resonates with my passion for using economics as a force for positive change. The Vermont Chamber of Commerce’s role in advocating for businesses and organizations of all sizes in Vermont is also crucial for policy-driven changes in the state. Last summer, I saw firsthand the unique and pressing challenges the Vermont economy faces with the intense rainfall and flooding. The work of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and the Vermont Futures Project positively contribute to a stronger, healthier, and more inclusive Vermont economy moving forward, and I am excited to be a part of it. 

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?  

During the internship, I hope to learn more about the specific issues the Vermont economy is facing. In my economics courses at Middlebury, we have often talked about various  notions of economic growth and development and how those definitions impact real-world policy and outcomes. Consistent with the data-driven recommendations of the Vermont Futures Project and the advocacy efforts of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, I hope to leverage my economics background and liberal arts education to support the robustness and resilience of the Vermont economy for all residents. This summer, I hope to travel more throughout Vermont to explore new areas and meet new people. 

Contact Information:  

csiefer@vtchamber.com 

linkedin.com/in/colesiefer/