“In high school, I was involved in my youth city council, which sparked my interest in politics and local government and led me to major in political science with a minor in urban ecology and an emphasis in public policy.

I chose the University of Utah because of its proximity to the State Capitol Building. I wanted to be close to where things were happening. I got involved in student government, the Associated Students of the University of Utah, or ASUU, and that became a constant through all four years of college. It’s been a great way to learn about university resources, and it also gave me a strong sense of belonging and a clear picture of how students can use their voice to make a difference.

Through ASUU, I discovered the Hinckley Institute of Politics and completed multiple state and local internships. Those experiences, combined with the leadership skills I built through ASUU, are what landed me a full-time position in the lieutenant governor’s office.

My first legislative internship was in 2024. Those 45 days were intellectually challenging in the best way. Policy appealed to me because it covers everything. I didn’t want to be locked into one narrow field. It was great to be a generalist while developing subject-matter expertise across different areas. That was a real turning point.

Next, I interned with the Salt Lake City Council, which leans Democratic, unlike the state legislature, which is majority Republican. Seeing that contrast was eye-opening. Eventually, I realized I wanted to return to the state level, so I applied for the Governor’s Fellowship and got it.

Housing was a through-line across all of it: my legislative internship, the city council and zoning issues and then the Governor’s Office, which was fully focused on housing. The governor has a goal of building 35,000 starter homes by 2029, and it was meaningful to work toward that.

About three months ago, I accepted a full-time offer at the Lieutenant Governor’s Office. As a local entity specialist, I oversee municipal annexations and incorporations. It’s a niche role, but right up my alley. I spend a lot of time reading code and working through legal questions, which may well point me toward law school or graduate school down the road.”

— Arden Cook, Class of 2026, B.S. in Political Science, public policy emphasis, minor in urban ecology, College of Social and Behavioral Science, from Brigham City, Utah