Upon accepting an internship with Project Vote Smart, I was a little unsure of what to expect. Ten weeks in the middle of Montana did not seem like the most glorious thing in the world, and the confused looks from my friends did not help to ease my anxieties. However, having spent eight weeks at the Great Divide Ranch thus far has been one of the most rewarding and exciting experiences of my life. Despite the tedious nature of the work that nearly all interns partake in, all of us have been able to enjoy our time here. Whether we are exploring the state, such as with our trip to Glacier National Park last weekend, or simply enjoying each other's company on the ranch, Project Vote Smart provides a fantastic experience to all of its 34 summer interns.

My work experience its slightly different from that of most of the interns at the Great Divide Ranch this summer. My ten weeks have been split between two departments, the first of which is Key Votes, Where I spent the last seven weeks reading legislation, writing bill summaries and answering hotline calls. Currently I am working in the Human Resources Department helping to update our University contact information so that we can expand our internship program in the coming year. As stated before, the work can (and does) get quite tedious, however - as all my fellow interns can attest - such is the nature of our job. But, at the end of the day, we are all able to take pride in the fact that we are an essential part in Project Vote Smart's fight to save democracy.

Laurie Van Hall, HR/Internship Intern