The Udall Foundation and Native Nations Institute selected Northern Arizona University alumnus Garrett W. Briggs as a Native American congressional intern.
Only 12 interns are selected for this program each year. Interns are selected based on their academic achievement and a demonstrated commitment to careers in tribal public policy. As a Udall intern, Briggs will complete an intensive nine-week internship in Washington, D.C..
Briggs will begin the program in 2021, as this year’s program has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Udall Foundation will support this year’s interns with online professional development and networking opportunities in the interim.
A descendent of the Mouache and Capote bands of Ute and a member of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe (SUIT), Briggs is the first member of his tribe to be selected as a Udall intern. He graduated from NAU with a master’s degree in archeological research in May 2017 and has been working as a tribal liaison for the SUIT, focusing on cultural preservation. Briggs plans to obtain his law degree and work for SUIT specializing in the protection of the Ute heritage.
The Native American Congressional Internship Program provides Native American and Alaska Native students with the opportunity to gain practical experience with the federal legislative process to understand firsthand the government-to-government relationship between tribes and the federal government.
Learn more about the Congressional Internship Program and meet the 2020 Udall Interns online.