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The Maine Government Summer Internship Program places talented college students in internships in which they contribute to Maine state and local government. Interns gain meaningful work experience, make professional connections, and gain insight into career goals. The supervisors benefit from eager workers with fresh perspectives and a variety of skills, who care deeply about contributing to Maine government.
The Internship Program is a full-time, 12-week, paid work experience. To be eligible, students must either be enrolled in a Maine college or be Maine residents enrolled elsewhere and have successfully completed at least two years of college. Students are chosen based on skills and interests; all majors are eligible.
Supervisors select projects for the interns to accomplish and identify the skills required for the jobs. A selection committee reviews all applications and makes the final selections. Consideration is given to education and skills in relation to the available internship positions.
This year, 160 students from 49 different schools applied, and 42 completed their internships. State interns were placed within 13 departments of state government; municipal interns were placed in 12 municipal and county governments.
Since its establishment in 1967 by the 103rd Legislature, the program has placed more than 1800 students in Maine government internships.
With the arrival of the pandemic, the summer of 2020 meant many internships became remote work. Students and supervisors carried out their internships with remarkable creativity to make valuable contributions to the state of Maine.
Administered by
Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center
5784 York Complex, #4University of Maine,
Orono, ME 04469-5784
Phone: 207.581.1648
mcspolicycenter.umaine.eduFacebook: @umainepolicycenter
Twitter: @umainepolicy
Maine GovernmentSummer Internship Program
2020 was the summer of working remotely for many interns.2020 was the summer of working remotely for many interns.
MAJOR PROJECTS OF THE 2020 MAINE GOVERNMENT INTERNS
2020 Maine Government Summer Internship Program2
Interns used research and communication skills to
• Carry out two successful social media campaigns, data visualization, and media relations efforts providing direct support to the communications officer
• Create a procedure manual for 12 state job positions, interviewing each employee and collecting their processes to compile a cohesive, professional, and readable document
• Provide legal research and drafting assistance in connection with a legal filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
• Create a toolkit for a program designed to help rural communities build sustainable tourism strategies and shape their visitor experiences
• Research and draft a memorandum regarding the legal standard for allowing public utilities to defer costs for future recovery in various US jurisdictions
• Deliver curriculum for high school students with autism, reaching out to participants, providing near-peer mentoring, feedback, and evaluation of materials
• Create and conduct a salary survey to determine a wage scale for a town, involving outreach to 20 other municipalities
• Research regulatory approaches for solar developments by municipalities, state agencies, and other stakeholders to inform rulemaking and policy changes related to rezoning in Maine
• Develop content and videos for a regional broadband expansion project
• Receive and act on consumer complaints for issues including payday loans, money transmitters, and vehicle repossessions
• Design and create a new family-centered web page for educational assessments with updated resources, structure, and infographics
Interns used scientific and analytical skills to
• Track bat species with an echolocation bat sensor and set trail cameras on training sites in order to document rare species
• Use GIS mapping to revise how watersheds are described and labeled for the public, making communication with the public easier through better legal notices and maps
• Work with the road commissioner to assess the town’s public road infrastructure, compiling the data into a comprehensive report of the road and culvert conditions
• Carry out a laboratory study of listeria testing in milk and write a standard operating procedure
• Oversee the sampling of soil gas, soil borings, surface water, and groundwater, getting hands-on experience with sampling equipment, safety meters, and pumps
• Complete field work related to ambient air monitoring and emissions testing
• Map the landmarks of municipal cemeteries, gather information about occupancy, and collect information like lot sales, conveyance forms, and historic maps to create an electronic database which will be launched online and will be searchable for all to see and research their family history
• Remove invasive plant species on military training sites while managing and tracking rare state-listed species
• Create a script to allow display of a shellfish closure GIS layer on a public website
• Create web pages and online forms for a department’s programs, designing applications that automatically organize uploaded files
• Carry out program audits on previous remediation sites in order to evaluate success of the program
The 2020 Maine government summer interns were selected for positions in 13 different departments of state government, 11 municipal governments and 1 county government. Interns are matched with a supervisor and are hired for specific projects while also assisting in general workflow. In 2020, many internships shifted to work remotely, a few remained in person, and some became a mixture. This list shows a sampling of the interns’ activities.
2020 MAINE GOVERNMENT SUMMER INTERNS AND SUPERVISORS
2020 Maine Government Summer Internship Program 3
Internship title Intern name, hometown Intern college, major Supervisor name, title and division
Maine Department of Administrative and Financial ServicesBenefits and Policies Coordinator Emily Lathrop
South Paris, MEUniversity of Maine at Farmington Business, Psychology
Roberta Leonard Programs Coordinator Employee Health and Benefits
Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and ForestryData Management Specialist Dexter Wright
Columbia, MEUniversity of Maine at Farmington Political Science
Gregory Lord Senior Planner
Maine Forest ServiceResearch Assistant: Solar Siting
and Short Term Rental IssuesCassi Parker Livermore Falls, ME
University of Maine at Farmington Environmental Policy and Planning
Benjamin Godsoe Chief Planner Land Use Planning Committee
Laboratory Intern Lily Matson Rockland, MA
Colby College Environmental Science and Public Health
Linda Stahlnecker Dairy Program Supervisor Quality Assurance & Regulation
Maine Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency ManagementEnergy and Engineering Assistant Hayden Ouellette
Augusta, MEUniversity of Maine Mechanical Engineering
Alan Ballard Energy Manager, Maine Army National Guard
Engineering Assistant Benjamin Willertz West Bath, ME
University of Maine Mechanical Engineering
Richard Darveau Engineering Section Supervisor Maine Army National Guard
Conservation Assistant Jake Young Lewiston, ME
University of Southern Maine Environmental Science
Timothy Bickford Biologist II Maine Army National Guard
Maine Department of EducationVolunteer Maine Public Affairs
AssociateNathan McIvor Jefferson, ME
University of Maine at Farmington English
Bryan Roche Communications Officer Volunteer Maine
Volunteer Maine Research Associate
Anthony Inhorn Cape Elizabeth, ME
Northwestern University Political Science/American History
Maryalice Crofton Executive Director Volunteer Maine
Assessment Webmaster Louisa Goldman St. Louis, MO
Colby College American Studies
Janette Kirk Chief of Learning Systems
Website Development and Content Specialist
Olivia Wilson Bangor, ME
Husson University Web Design
Erin Frazier Director of Special Services
Maine Department of Environmental ProtectionEmissions Inventory and Outreach
SpecialistKaia Williams Durham, ME
Dalhousie University Environment, Sustainability, & Society, and Spanish and Latin American Studies
Stacy Knapp Emissions Inventory Section Manager Bureau of Air Quality
Vehicle Emissions Program Assistant
Scott DeLong Portland, ME
University of Maine School of Law Lynne Cayting Mobile Sources Section Chief Bureau of Air Quality
Assistant Project Manager Robert Knowles Skowhegan, ME
University of Maine at Farmington Geology
Christopher Redmond Project Manager Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management
Solid Waste Engineering Unit Assistant
Ryan Roy Manchester, ME
University of Maine Mechanical Engineering
Kathleen Tarbuck Senior Environmental Engineer Remediation & Waste Management
State Internships
2020 MAINE GOVERNMENT SUMMER INTERNS AND SUPERVISORS
2020 Maine Government Summer Internship Program4
Internship title Intern name, hometown Intern college, major Supervisor name, title and division
Hydrogeology Assistant Danielle Harris Bath, ME
Unity College Earth and Environmental Science
Alexander Pugh Environmental Hydrogeologist Remediation/Technical Services
Maine Department of Economic and Community Development
Destination Development Intern Gabrielle Smith Windham, ME
Unity College Sustainable Business
Carolann Ouellette Director, Office of Outdoor Recreation
Business Development Intern Andrew Hutchins Alna, ME
University of Maine Business Management
Charlotte Mace Director, Office of Business Development
Maine Department of Labor
Center for Workforce Research and Information Research Assistant
Bryan McAtee Alna, ME
Bowdoin College Economics and Government
Ruth Pease Principal Economic Research Analyst
Step Up Program Assistant Owen Vadala Rowley, MA
University of Maine Secondary Education
Libby Stone-Sterling Director, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Bureau of Rehabilitation Services Intern
Samantha Wood Franklin,NH University of Maine at Farmington Political Science & International and Global Studies
Annette Stevens Rehabilitation Consultant
Maine State Housing AuthorityAssistant Research Analyst Julie Derzawiec
Cape Elizabeth, MESkidmore College Political Science
Steven McDermott Strategic Planning and Outreach Coordinator
Maine Department of Marine ResourcesGIS Assistant Nicole Ritchey
Coralville, IAUniversity of Maine Marine Science
Bryant Lewis Marine Resource Scientist III Public Health Program
Maine Department of Professional and Financial RegulationActuarial Analyst Walter Backman Raymond,
MEUniversity of Maine at Farmington Actuarial Science and Applied Mathematics
Marti Hooper Life & Health Actuary Bureau of Insurance
Consumer Credit Examiner- Intern Taylor Krowitz Westbrook, ME
University of Maine School of Law William Lund Superintendent Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection
Maine Office of the Public Advocate Legal Assistant Nina Ciffolillo
South Portland, MEUniversity of Maine School of Law Barry Hobbins
Maine Public Advocate
Maine Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the FutureAssistant to Director of Opioid
ResponseTimothy St. Pierre Brunswick, ME
Swarthmore College Political Science & French/Francophone Studies
Gordon Smith Director of Opioid Response
Communications Intern Elizabeth Theriault Saint David, ME
University of Maine Political Science and Journalism
Cassaundra Rose Senior Science Analyst & Climate Council Coordinator
Governor’s Welcome Home Program
Taylor Cray Readfield, ME
University of Maine Political Science and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Maria Povec Senior Policy Analyst
Maine Workers’ Compensation Board
Worker Advocate Assistant Leslie Wilson Portland, ME
University of Maine School of Law Beatrice Turner Worker Advocate
State Internships Continued
2020 MAINE GOVERNMENT SUMMER INTERNS AND SUPERVISORS
2020 Maine Government Summer Internship Program 5
Internship title Intern name, hometown Intern college, major Supervisor name, title and division
Town of BridgtonDigital Records Assistant Emily Grzyb
Lovell, MEBowdoin College Government and Legal Studies
Linda LaCroix Community Development Director
Town of ChelseaTown Manager Assistant Skye Cote
Belgrade, MEUniversity of Redlands Economics and International Relations
Scott Tilton Town Manager
Town of DamariscottaManagement Assistant Eric Hall
Lewiston, MEBowdoin College Government and History
Matt Lutkus Town Manager
Town of FayetteMunicipal Manager Assistant Taylor Crosby
Greene, MEHobart and William Smith Colleges Political Science
Mark Robinson Town Manager
Town of GrayCommunity Development &
Comprehensive Plan AssistantAllison Emery Mechanic Falls, ME
Saint Joseph’s College of MainePolitical Science
Kathy Tombarelli Town Planner
County of LincolnCounty Planning & GIS Assistant Natalie Thomsen
Lisbon, MEUniversity of Maine at FarmingtonBusiness Economics
Mary Ellen Barnes Executive Director Lincoln County Government
Town of Rockport
Town Manager’s Intern Olivia LaRoche Searsmont, ME
Wellesley CollegeInternational Relations-Political Science
William Post Town Manager
City of SacoPlanning and Economic
Development InternHannah Bonine Arrowsic, ME
University of Southern MainePolicy, Planning and Management
Jessa Berna Economic Development Specialist
Town of South ThomastonGIS Road Survey Tech Michael Siddall
Farmington, MEUniversity of Maine at Farmington Actuarial Science and Applied Mathematics
Owen Casas South Thomaston Town Administrator
Town of UnionAssistant to the Town Manager Garrison Looke
Camden, MEDavidson CollegePolitical Science
Jay Feyler Town Manager
City of Vassalboro Cemetery Census and Mapping
Project OrganizerMichael LevesqueAugusta, ME
University of Maine at Farmington Environmental Policy and Planning
Mary Sabins Town Manager
Town of WinthropRoad Scholar Noal Leonetti
Edmonds, WABowdoin College Environmental Studies and Government/Legal Studies
Matt Burnham Public Works Director
Municipal and County Internships
“I loved the people I worked with and their passion for their occupations.”
“Maine government feels unique because it is very much about connections to the citizens. To me now, this is what Maine government is about—preserving and improving the places
and communities that mean so much to all of us.”
2020 Maine Government Summer Internship Program6
2020 MAINE GOVERNMENT SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
From SupervisorsIt’s a wonderful program, and thank you for providing the opportunity to work with some very talented individuals.
Congratulations on having this program pretty much intact in a pandemic!
Our intern’s talents and willingness to be flexible allowed us to achieve more than we anticipated on the communications side of the office this summer.
We would welcome our current intern back next summer!
From InternsI was able to make connections within the public and private spheres of Maine government that will assist me with my future career and academic endeavors.
I appreciated the fast-paced nature of the work and the ability to be “on the front lines” of a time when adjustment and change are necessary for the future of our state.
I got a great understanding of municipal government function more broadly than I was expecting.
It was really rewarding to see my research evolve into ordinances and permit applications—it proved that my work really did matter.
INTERNSHIP SELECTION COMMITTEE
Jessica Crosby, Director of Talent Management, Maine Bureau of Human Resources
Jay Feyler, Town Manager and Public Information Officer, Town of Union
Kristine Fournier, Principal Consumer Credit Examiner, Dept. of Professional & Financial Regulation
Peggy McKee, Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, University of Maine
Craig Nale, Policy and Legal Director, Office of the Senate President
Reginald Parson, Senior Legislative Aide and Policy Analyst, Office of the Speaker of the House
James Westoff, Director of Career Services, Husson University
NONDISCRIMINATION NOTICE
The University of Maine is an EEO/AA employer, and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5754, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).
Summer interns on the job: (L to R) Samantha Wood working in the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services in the Maine Department of Labor; Maine Army National Guard interns tour the Brookfield Brunswick-Topsham 20 MW Hydro Electric Dam: Jake Young, Ben Willertz and Hayden Ouellette with AJ Ballard, MEARNG Energy Manager; and Michael Levesque working as GIS intern in the Town of Vassalboro.
Kaia Williams at the Bureau of Air Quality at Maine DEP.
