The Utah Legislature was treated to a celebration of Utah Valley University (UVU) during the university’s “Day on the Hill” on Wednesday, February 8. It is an annual opportunity to showcase how the university makes a positive difference in the state and the lives of the students it serves.

“It’s all about building goodwill for the university with legislators,” said Steve Anderson, associate vice president of University Relations at UVU. “They see me a lot, they see President Astrid S. Tuminez a lot, but they don’t typically get to see the highlights from campus. This gives us an opportunity to show off some of our students and some of our programs that are really great and highlight what they are doing.”

Hannah Bingham, a junior in UVU’s Culinary Arts Program, was there to talk about her education and show legislators what she learned by serving them a multi-course salmon lunch.

“It feels incredible, honestly,” Bingham said. “It’s probably an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.”

For some students, the legislative experience lasts all session long. UVU currently has 11 student interns on Utah’s Capitol Hill. Ten are acting as chief of staff for representatives and senators; one works with a lobbying group as a lobbyist intern.

“I like to tell my students that an internship in D.C. is good, but an internship in Salt Lake City during the legislative session will get them more work experience and more professional training than any other government internship,” said Erik Nystul, manager of government and high-impact internships at UVU. “They serve as chief of staff to either a state representative or a state senator, helping them with every aspect of their jobs. Bill tracking, scheduling, and meeting with lobbyists and stakeholders. It is a very rounded and very informative internship.”

Nystul said UVU interns have built a stellar reputation that leads to future opportunities for students.

“I was a nontraditional student myself,” Nystul said. “Being able to provide young people with that opportunity to gain experience and put something on their resume that will help them in their future is very fulfilling.”

Ryan Vogel, an assistant professor and director of UVU’s Center for National Security Studies, said UVU Day on the Hill is an opportunity to inform legislators about the progress their support enables.

“Legislators have been very supportive in the past of what we have been doing,” Vogel said. “We want to show that we’re going above and beyond the things that we have anticipated doing at the beginning.”

About half of UVU’s budget comes from legislative funding.

“We really do have a great story to tell, and we have some of our best students here with us today that can show firsthand some of the things they have been able to do at UVU,” Vogel said. “We are hoping for a good number of people that will come by the table.”

Anderson encouraged people to become more active in the political process.

“Following what is happening on a local level is important,” Anderson said. “Get involved by introducing yourself to your elected officials. Everything up here that is happening can be watched online. Just go to www.le.utah.gov.”