Georgia County Internship Spotlight

Before her internship, Truitt was unfamiliar with county government operations. Through her work in the HR department, she grew more familiar with the "moving parts" that make county government function. "There are so many ways to be involved with county government, regardless of your interests," she said. During her internship, Truitt explored her interests in public relations and crisis management by planning the county’s second annual risk and safety awareness event. 

Truitt collaborated with several county departments to coordinate the event, including the fire department, the sheriff's office, and parks and recreation. During the event, Truitt organized water safety, fire safety, gun safety, and other safety demonstrations. The event, titled “Safe Space,” was open to all members of the community. Reflecting on her experience, Truitt said her most significant success was planning the event. “I’m proud of how I put myself out there in terms of asking the community for help and for promoting something of my own publicly,” she shared. The experience strengthened her social skills and introduced her to risk management strategies she believes will be valuable as she pursues a career in public relations.

In Walton County, Georgia State University senior and psychology major Madelyn Kilgore worked on event planning and other activities in the HR department. During her internship, Kilgore took on a key role in planning the county’s employee health fair, an event aimed at promoting wellness and engagement across departments.

Before her internship, Kilgore was unfamiliar with county government operations. However, she quickly learned how "county government functions as a tight-knit community across all of the departments.” She had an opportunity to help connect and educate this community through her planning of the employee health fair. Kilgore created the theme, designed flyers, and coordinated with vendors to organize an educational and enjoyable experience. She described the event as her favorite part of the internship.

Beyond event planning, Kilgore helped launch a new wellness program for county employees. She assisted with the program’s design and offerings, as well as educational and promotional materials shared with employees. Kilgore emphasized that she grew in her professional communication skills through her work with the HR department. “This is not only crucial in my future field of psychology, but in every other career,” she noted.

Brianna Blige, a recent graduate of Savannah Technical College with a degree in marketing and marketing management, joined Chatham County’s HR department to pursue her passion for diversity and inclusion. Working alongside Freya Huffman, Chatham County’s Workforce Development & Inclusion Administrator, Blige had the opportunity to work on HR tasks across county departments.

Blige brought prior experience working with multicultural communities through a communications role at her church. At Chatham County, she expanded that experience by analyzing HR processes and exploring how inclusion strategies could be implemented across departments. She shadowed HR associates in various roles, from talent management to health benefits, and visited other departments such as the public information office and parks and recreation to learn how inclusion was promoted across the county. 

Her internship culminated with the planning and presentation of a diversity-focused brochure at Chatham’s Employee Appreciation Day. “I learned something new every day,” Blige reflected. The experience deepened her interest in government work and ultimately motivated her to pursue a full-time position in the Chatham County District Attorney’s Public Information Office.

To learn more about the GCIP, please visit our website at https://www.accg.org/caf_index.php.