GCIP Intern Spotlight: Aaliyah Myrick

Aaliyah Myrick, a psychology major at Middle Georgia State University, interned with the Walton County Human Resources Department as part of the Georgia County Internship Program (GCIP) during the summer of 2015.  

While Myrick had previous experience working as a camp counselor for the DeKalb County Parks and Recreation Department, her internship with Walton County provided an opportunity for her to experience how government operated from a different perspective. 

During her internship, Myrick was tasked with various projects for the human resources department, including the creation of a new performance evaluation which included employee and supervisor forms, self-assessment, and a development and planning goal sheet. She considered this project to be the biggest success of her internship.  Myrick was also given the opportunity to observe new employee orientations first hand and update information in the department’s database.

When asked about her favorite part of the internship, Myrick stated that she enjoyed learning about the different benefits, workers' compensation, and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and how it impacts employees. She also noted that she gained sufficient knowledge about tax worksheets, such as the W-4 and G-4 forms during her time with the county. 

In terms of the skills she developed during her internship, Myrick noted that she definitely gained better written communication skills through creating performance evaluations, and received a better understanding of  how human resources operates in the government sector. In that her goal is to enter the human resources field upon graduation, the knowledge she gain through her internship will help her to meet this goal. Although Myrick is considering career paths in both the private and public sector, she added that she would definitely consider a career in county government because she likes change and within government things are always changing and new learning experiences occur daily.

For more information on the GCIP, please visit the ACCG Civic Affairs Foundation website at http://www.civicaffairs.org.