GCIP Intern Spotlight: Kate Diedrick and Bartow County

Kate Diedrick, a master’s candidate in public humanities at Brown University, interned with the Bartow County Grant Writing Department during the summer of 2015. During her internship, Diedrick provided research support and helped to develop a programming proposal for the former Georgia Institute of Genetics historic site as part of a multi-agency committee. 

When asked what she learned about county government through her internship, Diedrick replied that she learned a great deal about how county offices can help to facilitate strategic engagements that create opportunities for multiple stakeholders to build collaborative projects for mutual benefit. She further stated the she learned about the importance of balancing diverse interests in program design, understanding internal and external assets and limitations, creating transparent communication practices and developing clear program and research objectives that tightly align with real county needs and constraints. 

In terms of her internship responsibilities, Diedrick noted the major tasks assigned to her which included assisting with the coordination and conduction of a needs assessment process with internal project partners, meeting with partners on a monthly basis, presenting findings and adjusting the research approach as necessary, producing a final product that was based on the needs and wants of the committee that was grounded in rigorous research, and helping to put together a programming proposal based on research findings. 

When asked about her favorite part of the internship, Diedrick stated that the project was both challenging and rewarding. She credited her supervisor, Valerie Gilreath, with being a supportive and knowledgeable mentor in helping her to navigate the challenges and suggesting possible opportunities to create solutions. Diedrick enjoyed observing first-hand the work that goes into running a countywide grants office. She further enjoyed searching for ways to provide information that, if not a silver bullet for solving a complex problem, should help to inform future decisions and help those making the decisions better understand the options

In terms of specific skills, experiences or knowledge gained during the internship, Diedrick noted several. She remarked that through her internship, she had the opportunity to conduct a needs assessment and in depth feasibility study research, and work with a diverse group of partners to try to come up with a mutually beneficial programming model. Diedrick felt that these experiences, and the final research report she helped to produce, will prove useful as she looks to broaden her career options in grant writing, research and program design. She further stated that when she applies to positions that require research, program design, communications and project management skills, she will have a number of anecdotes about this experience to share that point to her ability to work on complex projects with various partners. Moreover, the final product from the internship, a 35-page research report, can be provided as a research sample, when requested.

For more information on the GCIP, please visit the ACCG Civic Affairs Foundation.