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County interns describe hands-on experience and urge continuation of paid internship program
Summary
Multiple El Paso County interns and commissioners told the court that paid internships provide critical experience and help retain local talent. Interns described research, public engagement, multimedia and policy projects they completed while asking the court to keep and expand paid positions.
A group of current and recent county interns addressed the commissioners on May 19, describing work across precinct offices, the county judge’s office and other departments and urging continued, paid internship opportunities.
Ryan Boatwright, an intern who has worked in Precinct 1 since August, said the internship was “transformative,” helped him decide to pursue law, and made concrete contributions to county work — including research that commissioners said fed into the court’s strategic priorities. Other interns recounted producing public-facing digital content, helping run community events and contributing research on topics from recycling‑plant fires to workforce outreach.
Multiple interns and commissioners stressed a shared point: several of those who accepted multi‑month internships did so because the positions were paid. Ryan and other interns told the court a paid stipend made it possible for them to remain in the positions while attending school and meeting living costs; commissioners and staff said paid internships help attract a broader and more diverse pool of applicants than unpaid positions.
Commissioners praised the interns’ output and urged county administrators to continue the pilot and to consider expansion. Commissioner Sergio Coronado and Judge Samaniego both spoke in favor of continuing paid internships; Commissioner Butler framed the program as a successful pathway for students to gain experience and then remain engaged with the county.
Why it matters: Local governments use internships to build civic pipelines and to bring additional staff capacity to offices; paying interns expands access to those opportunities for students who must earn income while studying.
What comes next: County officials said they will include internship funding and program planning in upcoming budget and strategic‑planning discussions.
