Kenzie Locke, a junior women’s studies major, didn’t expect to fall in love with ecology. But during her internship at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, the days spent walking beautiful trails, tracking blooming species, and working alongside staff in the greenhouse made the work unexpectedly engaging. She contributed to plant mapping and educational programming and walked away with a deeper understanding of how green spaces shape health and bring communities together.

“I didn’t expect to enjoy ecology work, but learning how green spaces improve health really opened my eyes,” Locke said. “The garden does so much more than I realized, from environmental restoration to education for all ages. It brings people together.”

Locke is one of 21 undergraduates who participated in the 15th cohort of the Public Service and Outreach (PSO) Student Scholars program, one of the University of Georgia’s signature initiatives connecting students with an internships in one of UGA’s PSO units. Each year, students spend the fall semester learning about the mission and scope of work of UGA’s eight Public Service and Outreach units and then are paired with one for spring, gaining firsthand experience in how the university delivers on its land-grant mission to serve Georgia communities.

In addition to their internships, PSO Scholars participate in professional development workshops, travel for site visits, and engage with leaders in public service. The goal is to help students apply what they learn in the classroom to projects that create lasting impact. Through these internships, students develop key interpersonal and professional skills, strengthen communication and leadership abilities, and deepen their understanding of the critical role public service plays in a healthy society.

At the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, scholar Katie Jane Glade, an economics and international affairs major, spent her semester researching data governance practices in higher education. The institute supports state and local governments through leadership development, policy analysis, and technical assistance. Glade’s work helped strengthen the information systems used by agencies and universities across Georgia.

“Being here helped me understand what public service looks like in practice,” Glade said. “I’ve been able to explore how data supports decision-making and directly supports communities.”

Daniel Griggs, a senior geography major, was looking for hands-on application of technical programs, such as Power BI, but also interpersonal and professional skills needed to help him land a job in the field of urban planning through his internship at the Institute of Government. The experience helped him meet both his goals.

“My internship through this program is a big reason I got my job. Once I added it to my resume, the calls started coming in,” said Griggs. “The professional skills helped me in the interview and prepared me to work on a team and collaborate.”

While Locke’s work at the State Botanical Garden focused on the natural environment, fellow scholar Tallulah Sanders, an art history student pursuing museum studies, helped expand the PSO Student Scholars program into new territory. She became the first intern ever placed at the Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum, the newest addition to the State Botanical Garden. Adjacent to paths of blooming florals, the museum showcases connections between decorative arts and the natural world, primarily hand-painted porcelain objects with intricate botanical prints.

“This has been my first internship, and it’s been such an important experience for me both academically and professionally,” Sanders said. “It has shown me how different it is to write for a museum audience versus a classroom, a skill that will be very important in my career.”

With guidance from her mentor, museum curator Grace Moorman, Sanders developed a self-guided visitor brochure and led creative activities for children as part of the museum’s summer programming.

“We’ve never had an intern in the museum before,” Moorman said. “But when Tallulah came in, we shaped the experience around what she wanted to learn and what the museum needed to better serve the community. It’s amazing to see how her work will help each visitor to leave having taken away at least one memorable piece of information.”

Though her role was based in the museum, Sanders quickly saw how much the entire garden exists to serve the community. From field trips that bring in students from local schools to Free Sketch Friday events that invite visitors to slow down and engage creatively with their surroundings, she was immersed in programs designed to connect people of all ages to both art and nature.

“It’s about making visitors feel comfortable here,” she said.

At the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, PSO Scholar Diana Calderon brought a personal perspective to her work with the Mentor Georgia program. As a youth scholar through REACH Georgia, a needs-based mentoring and scholarship program, Calderon found her experience of giving back to mentorship programs incredibly rewarding. Through the support of her PSO Scholar faculty mentor, Leslie Hale, she helped plan a statewide youth summit and secure funding for mentoring initiatives, experiences that aligned closely with her own career in nonprofit management or public service.

“Being part of the PSO Student Scholars program has reinforced how mentorship can create real change,” she said.